41 G SYSTEil OF KENNEL AND 



niving at tlicir destruction by their "keepers, or, 

 what is tantamouut to the same thing, asking no 

 questions. Let them follow the example of the 

 gentleman we have above cited. Eather than per- 

 mit the cubs and foxes to be killed, they may 

 protect them to this extent, without the hollow 

 profession of preserving them. There are, we know, 

 many game preservers who act fairly and above- 

 ground towards foxes — and we give them all honour 

 for this forbearance and kind consideration of their 

 neighbours' sport — but there are others who had 

 rather that the foxes which visit their coverts should 

 be put underground. 



The only time of the year when foxes do commit 

 depredations upon pheasants is wdien the hen birds 

 are sitting upon their nests outside the preserves ; 

 and a hungry vixen with cubs may occasionally fall 

 upon one or two in her rambles. Yet very rarely 

 indeed does this occur where there are rabbits, which 

 are certainly the favourite food of foxes. In fact, 

 we have often w^atched the movements of vixen 

 foxes when leaving their cubs in search of prey, and 

 their first have been invariably directed in pursuit of 

 rabbits. There is, moreover, a natural protection to 

 all birds sitting on their nests in the absence of any 

 scent from their bodies to attract their enemies to 

 the spot. 



