WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 191 



second time. The fox remained there all day, and 

 of course " made tracks " at night, knowing that his 

 presence had been discovered by the commotion and 

 talking at the mouth of his cave. He might easily 

 have been captured, but that was not attempted on 

 account of the hunt. 



Though the fox as a general rule sleeps during the 

 day, he does not always, but sometimes makes a suc- 

 cessful foray in broad daylight. Fowls, for instance, 

 at night roost in the sheds at some height from the 

 ground often the sheds are contrived specially to 

 protect them but in the day they roam about in 

 the vicinity of the rickyards where they are kept. 

 They will make runs down the centre of a double - 

 mound hedge, and while thus rambling occasionally 

 stroll into the jaws of their foe, who has been patiently 

 waiting hidden in the long grass and underwood. 

 In the day, too, rabbits often sit out in a bunch of 

 grass, or dry furrow, a long way from the " bury." 

 Their form is usually within a few paces of a well- 

 marked " run ; " they follow the run out into the field, 

 and then leave it and go among the grass at one side. 

 The run, therefore, sometimes acts as a guide to the 

 fox, who, sheltered by the tall bennets and thick 

 bunches, occasionally glides up it in the daytime to 

 his prey. 



There is sure to be a snake or two in the grass of 

 the orchard during the summer, especially if there 

 chance to be an old manure-heap anywhere near ; 

 for that is the place in which they like to leave their 



