526 



FOX. 



ing indeed points them out as animals fitted to endure 

 the rigours of climate ; and their habits conspire with 

 their covering in enabling them to do this. They 

 are always iu cover of some kind, unless when they 

 can with safety to themselves, and also with " chance" 

 of prey, prowl about so as to keep themselves in heat. 

 In the north they are indeed found in great numbers, 

 and are obliged to be abroad at times when the wea- 

 ther is severe ; but in these places and at these sea- 

 sons, their coats are proof against all weathers , and 

 while the temperature remains so low that there is 

 no chance of thawing, a burrow in the snow is as 

 snug and warm as a burrow in the earth. 



Foxes are not migrant in any country, and they do 

 not shift their quarters much with the seasons, even 

 in those places where there is a shifting of this kind 

 on the part of other animals. When the winter is 

 severe the wolves descend in numbers from the moun- 

 tain forests, and often commit fearful devastation ; 

 but foxes do not even invade hen-roosts more in the 

 winter than in the warm season, if they even do it as 

 much. 



This constant remaining in the same locality 

 through the vicissitudes of the year, and being tem- 

 pered in their covering to the change, is in all proba- 

 bility one of the reasons why there is so much differ- 

 ence of opinion about the varieties or species of them. 

 Amid all the apparent variety, they are, however, 

 true to the habit ; and in this respect there is perhaps 

 less variation among foxes than among any other ani- 

 mals which are equally numerous and widely spread. 



With all their powers of change, they appear, how- 

 ever, to be hardy and healthy animals, and we believe 

 the body of a fox that has died a natural death is a 

 very rare occurrence. No doubt there is, on the part 

 of mankind, a strong propensity to thin their numbers, 

 for mere sport, for the sake of the skin, and from the 

 havoc which they commit on the weaker sorts of 

 domestic animals, birds especially, and game. There 

 is one point connected with them which is worthy of 

 some attention : they do not fade before the progress 

 of cultivation, as many predatory animals fade ; and, 

 therefore, it would be worth while to ascertain whether, 

 in spite of his mischief in the poultry yard, reynard 

 be not a useful animal. 



Common as foxes are, and much as they have occu- 

 pied the attention and drawn down upon themselves 

 the vengeance of mankind, there are very consider- 

 able doubts respecting some of the species. This is 

 especially the case with those foxes which inhabit the 

 polar climates of the northern hemisphere ; and in- 

 deed it is there that we might be prepared to expect 

 the greatest confusion on the part of those who esta- 

 blish a different species upon mere diversity in size 

 or colour. We shall notice what we consider as 

 imaginary species in our list of those to which they 

 appear really to belong ; and thus restricted, the list 

 will not exceed six or seven species. We begin with 

 the common fox. so well known in our own country. 



THE COMMON Fox ( Vulpcs vulgaris}. The medium 

 height of the common fox is about one foot. From 

 muzzle to the other extremity of the body it averages 

 about two feet and ahalf. A fawn colour intermixed with 

 black and white constitutes its characteristic hue. On 

 the head, along the spinal column, the flanks, the pos- 

 terior part of the limbs, and the sides of the tail, the 

 fawn predominates. Greyish fawn sprinkled with white 

 prevails on the thighs and shoulders. The under part 

 of the neck and breast anteriorly, a kind of half collar 



at the bottom of the neck, and a narrow spot com- 

 mencing at the internal angle of the eye, and descend- 

 ing towards the throat, are black. It is quite unne- 

 cessary, however, to dilate on the colours of an animal 

 so well known. The coat is thick, especially on the 

 back and tail. In winter the woolly are more abun- 

 dant than the silky, and the fur is more valuable at 

 that season. The silky hairs predominate in summer, 

 and their number is not so great. The physiognomy 

 of the common fox, its slender muzzle, large head, 

 and shortness of limbs in comparison of the body, are 

 very generally known. The organisation of the fox 

 and dog, with one exception, are precisely similar. 

 This exception is the eye, which in the fox resembles 

 that of our domestic cat, and not that of the dog. In 

 a strong light the pupil contracts, and appears only a 

 narrow and longitudinal section. It opens and as- 

 sumes a circular form only during twilight or night. 

 Consequently this animal, like the cat, avoids the 

 light, and prefers darkness and obscurity. 



We need scarcely mention that the fox has been 

 proverbially celebrated for his cunning, and although 

 this feature in his character has given rise to much 

 exaggeration and fable, his proceedings are more 

 under the guidance of subtlety and craft than of 

 courage, or the spirit of enterprise. He chooses his 

 habitation in brakes, woods, or coppices, preparing 

 his bed under hard ground, the roots of trees, or 

 similar situations, where he can contrive proper outlets 

 to escape from danger. He does not always take the 

 trouble of making a hole for himself, but often procures 

 accommodation by dispossessing the badger. His 

 lodge is seldom remote from the habitations of man, 

 and is frequently found in the neighbourhood of some 

 farm-yard or village. He listens to the crowing of 

 the cocks, and the cries of the poultry, scents them 

 at a distance, selects his time with judgment, conceals 

 his road as well as his purpose, slips forward with 

 caution, sometimes even trailing his body, arid very 

 seldom makes a fruitless expedition. If he can either 

 leap over the wall, or creep in underneath, he ravages 

 the court-yard, puts all to death, and retires softly 

 with his prey, which he conceals under herbage, or 

 carries off to his kennel. In a short time he returns 

 for more, which he bears away, or conceals in the 

 same manner, but in a different place. In this way 

 he proceeds systematically, till the progress of the 

 sun, or some movement perceived in the house, warns 

 him that it is time to suspend his operations, and to 

 retire to his den. The nets and bird-lime of the 

 fowler he visits early in the morning, removing, in 

 succession, the birds that happen to be entangled, 

 hiding them in different places, where he perfectly 

 well knows where to find them, even after some davs 

 have elapsed. The young hares are hunted by him 

 in the plains, he seizes old ones in their forms ; digs 

 out rabbits from their warren ; detects the nests of 

 partridges and quails, seizes the mother birds whilst 

 sitting on their eggs, and destroys a vast quantity of 

 game. In procuring young rabbits from their bur- 

 rows, he follows their scent above ground, till he 

 comes to the end where they lie, and I hen, scratching 

 up the earth, descends on them and despatches them. 

 Should there be no other victims, he makes war on 

 rats, field-mice, serpents, lizards, toads, and moles, of 

 which he consumes great numbers, playing with 

 them, like the cat, before devouring them. He will 

 also eat roots and insects when urged by hunger, and 

 will seize on crabs, shrimps, and shell-fish, when near 



