CHAPTER XXXVIL GROUND 

 VERMIN. 



THE Fox CONSIDERED AS VERMIN (Continued}. 



FROM what we have written concerning its haunts and 

 generally remarked habits, it will be seen that 

 more than ordinary means must be adopted to counteract 

 the so-called artfulness of the fox ; and we would, therefore, 

 not advise anyone to attempt the capture of this varmint 

 without first obtaining information of Jts natural history 

 and mode of life. Next to aptitude for learning signs 

 and proofs observable only by experienced eyes, a second 

 point of importance is nicety of manipulation of the means 

 immediately at hand, and the capability of determining 

 what is most suitable to the opportunity offered. It will 

 then be seen that the capture of a totally unpreserved 

 varmint fox becomes really a species of warfare in which 

 the cleverness and skill of man is matched against such 

 senses and acuteness of intellect as the fox is provided 

 with. 



The only trap which we would recommend for foxes is 

 the gin, and it may be relied on that this is the only 



