FOREST TITHES 
eggs before she commits herself to it ; but the fox 
knows the meaning of the cry, and profits by it. 
Although, as a rule, he prowls about in the night 
time, when his cubs begin to eat flesh and are 
hungry he is not particular as to the hour, provided 
the locality be a lonely one. I have known the hen's 
jubilant voice stopped abruptly, and on going to the 
spot whence it had sounded have found a few 
feathers and the marks of a hurried scuffle, but no 
fowl. 
During one bitter winter I was, in the pursuit of 
my calling, located in the heart of the moorlands, 
where my home for the time was in the cottage of a 
hearty old couple. After supper the three of us were 
wont to occupy the old-fashioned chimney settles 
' father ' and ' mother ' on one side of the fireplace, 
and I on the other. I happened to say that I had 
overheard some men complaining that they had 
tracked a fox, and found a couple of their fowls 
buried. 
' Ah ! ' said the old man, as he puffed slowly at 
his pipe, and patted the red-hot ash with his finger, 
' I killed a fox for that werry self-same thing ; but,' 
he added almost in a whisper, ' nobody knowed on it. 
You 'members it, mother?' 
' Massy, oh ! ' rejoined she, ' I wouldn't hev sich 
