THE FOX AS A CAPTIVE 123 



poultry within reach of his chain. Mr. St. John, 

 who was a most careful observer, tells of a captive 

 fox which would beguile fowls within his reach by 

 leaving some of his food as a bait. This story has 

 been ridiculed, but there is nothing incredible in it. 

 The fox is as likely to do this as to feign sleep so as 

 to lull the suspicions of his intended victims. This 

 trick captive foxes have often been observed to 

 practise. To an animal so active and so adventurous 

 as the fox, a great part of whose life is spent, and 

 whose happiness is found, in hunting his prey, well- 

 fed captivity must be dull. We can imagine that a 

 fox, if so elaborate a calculation were possible to 

 him, would greatly prefer freedom, with uncertain 

 meals and the chance of being hunted, to a dull and 

 prosperous captivity. 



Yet to this there are well-authenticated excep- 

 tions. Indeed it is most difficult to lay down the 

 law as to what a fox will or will not do. I began to 

 write this book with certain well-defined theories 

 about the fox, based on long interest and observa- 

 tion ; nevertheless, as these have been examined and 

 verification has been attempted, it has been neces- 

 sary to abandon some, modify others, and allow 

 exceptions in all cases. There are instances, then, of 

 foxes preferring the society of man and domestic 



