I 4 THE FOX 



it there were four chicks neatly packed under the 

 wing. 



Pictures and a once familiar nursery song represent 

 the fox as catching birds by the neck and swinging 

 them over his shoulder. I have never seen a fox do 

 this. A fox carries its prey in its mouth exactly as a 

 retriever does, and the habit I am describing accounts 

 for this. Since then I have heard of a grey hen 

 ound in Norway with eleven small capercailzie and 

 a mouse under its wing, and no doubt this is a 

 common habit, for again the advantage of it is so 

 obvious where a vixen has herself and four or five 

 hungry cubs to feed. 



Nearly all the Canida lay up their young in 

 burrows, and the fox generally, but not invariably, 

 does this. Looking at the animal's limbs, made as 

 they are for activity and speed, we should naturally 

 conclude that it was not an accomplished excavator. 

 The fox either takes advantage of natural caves and 

 crevices, which it enlarges if necessary, or he enters 

 on the labours of the badger or the rabbit. In some 

 cases where the soil is unsuitable also I think in 

 districts where the earths are much disturbed the 

 vixen fox makes a nest for her cubs above ground. 

 Stub-bred foxes are not uncommon in the Oakley 

 and Fitzwilliam and in parts of the Craven countries. 



