THE FOX AS A CAPTIVE 133 



curiosity of the birds was played upon by showing 

 them a reddish dog or a tame fox. One of the latter 

 was used at the Berkeley Castle decoy, a generation 

 ago. 



It is quite possible that wild foxes practise on the 

 curiosity of wild ducks, for it is a fact that foxes do 

 manage to capture a good many of these wary birds. 

 By gambolling and playing on the bank, they bring 

 the ducks within reach of their spring, which is as 

 quick and as certain as that of a cat or a weasel. But 

 in both these instances there was of course no 

 domestication : it was only that man was making use 

 of the natural aptitudes of the fox and his stratagems 

 for his own purpose. 



The difference between the tame fox and the 

 domesticated dog is notable. In the dog the wild 

 traits are only, and often useless, survivals. The dog 

 buries his bone, though he has no experience of 

 hunger and probably knows the next day's dinner will 

 be forthcoming. He turns round on the hearthrug 

 because his ancestors prepared their lair in that way. 

 But this latter is not always quite a useless habit, for 

 I know a pet dog who thus habitually arranges his 

 rug to his liking in his basket. But in the fox all the 

 cunning, lurking ways of the beast of prey persist. The 

 lust of slaughter remains, even though he is well and 



