NATURAL HISTORY. 227 



contrives for himself an asylum, to which he retires in 

 cases of necessity, and in which, sheltered from dan- 

 ger, he brings up his young. 



The fox generally fixes his residence at the edge of 

 a wood, and yet not far removed from some cottage, 

 or some hamlet. He listens to the crowing of the 

 cock, and the cackling of other domestic fowls. Even 

 at a considerable distance he scents them, and seizes 

 his opportunity. If he be able to get into the yard, 

 he begins by levelling all the poultry without remorse. 

 After this, he carries off' a part of the spoil, hides it at 

 some convenient distance, and again returns to the 

 charge. Taking off another fowl in the same manner 

 he hides that also, though not in the same place ; and 

 in this manner perseveres, till, warned by the approach 

 of day, or the noise of the family, he finally retires. 

 He practises the same arts when he finds birds en- 

 tangled in springs laid for them by the fowler, whom 

 the fox anticipating, very expertly snatches the birds 

 out of the snare, conceals them in different places, 

 leaves them there sometimes for two or three days, 

 and is never at a loss to recover his hidden treasure. 

 He is equally alert in seizing the young hares and rab- 

 bits, before they have strength to escape him ; and 

 when the old ones are wounded and fatigued, he is 

 sure to seize them in the moments of distress. In the 

 same manner he finds out the nests of the partridge 

 and the quail, and seizes the dam while sitting. 



The fox is so voracious, that when he has no better 

 food, he devours rats, mice, lizards, toads, and ser- 

 pents. Insects and shell-fish sometimes serve him for 

 food. In vain does the hedge-hog roll itself up into a 

 ball to oppose him. The wasp and the wild bee are 

 attacked by him with equal success. Though at first 



