38 THE FOX 



one of his brothers or sisters, more likely the latter 

 (for the vixen has probably a much stronger instinct 

 for going to ground than the dog fox) has slipped into 

 a drain or rabbit-hole, as his or her powers were fail- 

 ing, and thus escaped. Having done this once it will 

 be tried again and again. Going to ground is a habit 

 that grows on foxes. It is natural to adopt in times 

 of danger a method of escape which has proved itself 

 to be useful before. 



Mr. Tom Smith, of Craven and Pytchley fame, 

 had a theory that foxes knew when.it was a good 

 scenting day, and promptly went to ground to avoid 

 danger. I do not doubt that foxes have an idea of the 

 scenting properties of the day, but I do not think 

 they go as far as this. Yet Mr. Tom Smith was a 

 most careful observer, and no huntsman has ever 

 understood the nature of the fox better. At all 

 events, the fox who escapes by flight is a much more 

 valuable animal to the hunt than one who goes to 

 ground. Nevertheless it must not be too readily 

 assumed that the fox who goes to ground is a bad one. 



Foxes are not always judicious in the places they 

 choose as refuges, and it would probably astonish us 

 if we could know how many lose their lives in drains. 

 I have seen as many as six foxes dislodged from a 

 drain, out of which they could not have escaped. 



