THE FOX 79 



and left about twenty yards from where he was 

 working. When he went for his midday meal 

 he found the handkerchief half-way out of the 

 basket and the mutton-bone missing which was 

 to have been part of his dinner, a strong smell 

 of fox in the basket leaving no doubt who had 

 been the thief. Some people go so far as to 

 say that foxes like the society of human beings, 

 but that I am not quite sure about. We 

 must remember that the animal we all do our 

 best to protect and look after during the 

 summer, lives under very different circumstances 

 from his ancestor of two hundred years ago, 

 against whom was every man's hand. Both 

 animals and birds soon find out when they are 

 not molested. The wary old blackcock will 

 allow you to get within a few yards in the 

 summer-time ; the wood-pigeon, shyest of all 

 birds, has become in the London parks as tame 

 as the house -sparrow ; and hares will hardly 

 take the trouble to get out of your way, if 

 they are free from dogs or guns for a few 

 years. 



The question is often asked, * What can I do 

 to have foxes in my covert ? ' The first thing to 



