FOXES FOXHOUNDS & FOX-HUNTING 



bing purposes. In the fell country of Cumberland 

 and Westmorland, these rock earths locally known 

 as " borrans," are regularly used. Very 

 often the fell fox cubs in a comparatively simple 

 earth, though nearly always in rocky ground, and 

 removes her offspring to more impregnable sur- 

 roundings as they grow older. The fact that 

 the eyesight of fox cubs matures slowly, may be 

 a provision of Nature to prevent the youngsters 

 from crawling out of the earth, and so exposing 

 themselves to danger, as they would be apt to do 

 were they born with their eyes open. 



If the vixen has reason to think that the breed- 

 ing earth has been discovered, she will at once 

 move the cubs to another hiding place. Foxes 

 are not over cleanly in their habits, and what with 

 the excrement of the cubs, plus feathers, wool, 

 and portions of buried and rotting food about a 

 breeding earth, disease would be apt to attack 

 the young foxes, did not their mother occasionally 

 move them. 



The presence of a vixen and her family in a 

 badger earth must prove distinctly disconcerting 

 to Mr. Brock, who is scrupulously clean in his 

 habits. That the two do occupy the same earth 

 at times we have ample evidence. Nor is all 

 invariably at peace when this happens. The 

 badger, with his tough hide, weight, and armament 

 of teeth, is powerful enough to kill the biggest 

 fox, all of which seems to point to the fact that as 

 a rule he makes no open opposition to the advent 

 of the vixen. Now and then however, friction 

 is aroused, the result being a slain fox or a 

 murdered litter. The late Tom Firr, huntsman 

 to the Quom, recorded several instances of vixens 

 and cubs falling victims to the badger. As to 



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