90 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



being disturbed elsewhere, and they then remain 

 till about June 28th. 



"Nearly every year it is the same, but I am 

 inclined to think this year they were either born 

 in the earth, or else brought there at once ; but it 

 has not been so in other years. I believe most 

 cubs are born in a hole opened out, or scratched 

 by the vixen in the spring, and seldom in an 

 artificial earth. 



" If there are rabbits enough for plenty of food 

 foxes generally keep within a few miles of where 

 they were bred, and when hounds are after them, 

 certainly for the first season, they will run past, 

 or round, or go to ground where they were 

 born. I have known one old fox stay about 

 until his fifth season, beating hounds many 

 times, but they killed him at last after a very fast 

 run, the pace beating him, and I now have his 

 head. I knew him well from a cub, and so also 

 did several men about the place. 



" It is difficult to tell a run fox from a fresh 

 one when hunting, but I can always do so for 

 certain if I can get a look at the fox before he 

 knows he is observed. Then he puts on a spurt, 

 and is a different animal to all appearance in a 

 moment, although if very tired he soon settles 

 down to a beaten gait again. 



" It seems to me more foxes lie out in the 

 fields than used to be the case, probably owing to 

 so much game being reared, and consequent 

 shooting in woods and coverts ; or else because it 

 may be that the foxes bred in the open have a 

 better chance of growing up, and that these 

 remain in the open fields." 



These remarks from a very keen observer are 

 well worth attention, A fox-cub's menu is a very 



