MOUNTAIN FOXES 



THE fell fox of the northern hills is an entirely 

 different animal from the covert-fed animal of the 

 South and Midlands. It is of the " greyhound " 

 variety, and endowed with great powers of speed 

 and endurance. It is on this account that so few 

 of the northern hill -country foxes are killed in the 

 legitimate fashion. Although the Cumbrian yeomen 

 are keen sportsmen the hill foxes are hunted for 

 reasons far other than those of sport pure and simple. 

 Vulpicide is not even a crime, a price being set 

 upon the head of the fox by the wardens of every 

 mountain church. And this, when the crags afford 

 such harbour, and the holdings are essentially sheep- 

 farms, must necessarily be done. With no game- 

 preserving, and but little life on the mountains, the 

 foxes prove very destructive in winter. When other 

 supplies fail, and Reynard is denied the barnyard, he 

 has recourse to the small black-faced sheep. These, 

 from their small size, are not difficult to overcome, 

 especially if dog and vixen hunt in company; and 

 it is evident, from their shambles, that they find 

 mountain mutton very toothsome. It is this 



penchant that makes the hill farmer so persistent an 



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