THE FOX 205 



Pontoppidan informs us, that when a fox observes an otter 

 go into the water to fish, he will frequently hide himself be- 

 hind a stone ; and when the otter comes to shore with his 

 prey, will make such a spring upon him, that the affrighted 

 animal runs off, and leaves his booty behind. Mr. Bingley 

 quotes this anecdote, but without giving much credit to it. 



In Smith's Directory for destroying vermin, we find it said 

 that the fox exhibits a great degree of cunning in digging 

 young rabbits out of their burrows. He does not try to enter 

 the hole ; for in this case he would not only have to enlarge 

 it, but have also to dig several feet along the ground, under 

 the surface of the earth ; but he follows their scent above, 

 till he comes to the end, where they lie ; and then scratching 

 up the earth, descends immediately upon and devours them. 



BufTon considered that the fox ought to be placed among 

 the higher order of quadrupeds, from the great care and 

 dexterity they show in the construction of their habitations. 

 Some of them are 'placed in extraordinary situations, a fox 

 having been known to let himself drop from the edge of a 

 precipice on a projecting piece of rock just below it, from 

 which he got into his hole or den. These dens are some- 

 times provided with outlets, by which the fox may effect his 

 escape. 



Buff on says that foxes are so fond of honey, that they will 

 sometimes attack bee-hives, and even the nests of wasps, for 

 the sake of what they can find to eat ; and that they fre- 

 quently meet with so rough a reception as to be obliged to 

 roll themselves on the ground, to get rid of the insects that 

 are stinging them. They then, he says, return to the charge, 

 and generally succeed in securing the combs. I have, how- 

 ever, kept bees where there were many foxes in the neigh- 

 borhood, who could have gained access to my hives without 

 any difficulty. I never had any reason to suspect that they 

 in any way molested them, nor did it ever fall in my way to 

 hear an instance of this having happened in this country. 



