94 FOX-HUNTING 



another inside, we decided to catch both and 

 sacrifice the worst. I therefore held the first 

 fox whilst the second was being captured. Before 

 the second had bolted into the deftly handled 

 noose, the one I was holding had apparently died 

 from strangulation by my whip. I was very 

 much concerned at having, as I thought, killed a 

 fox, and loosing the whip, held him up by the 

 back of the neck. The eyes were closed, the 

 jaws gaped, and the body hung limply down 

 from my hand : every appearance of death was 

 there. I laid him down on the ground, as I 

 thought, a corpse, but the instant I let go of his 

 neck, he jumped up and dashed off into the 

 covert. There was no doubt about it being a 

 case of shamming death, and the only question 

 is, had he reasoned with himself that this might 

 prove a means of escaping ? ^ 



^ The whole question of wild creatures * shamming death ' to 

 protect themselves or young is a very interesting one, to which the 

 close attention of naturalists may well be directed. Many instances 

 of quadrupeds, birds, and even insects (such as the humming-bird, 

 hawk-moth, and the magpie or currant moth), to all appearance 

 ' shamming death ' or disablement, have been given of late by 

 observers. — Eds. 



