22 FOXES AT HOME. 



ornamental water there, disappearing into 

 some rhododendron bushes. Whilst we were 

 wondering how to get him out, he suddenly 

 emerged from a clump of shrubs, and sitting 

 down on the gravel path, within full view of 

 the field, commenced coolly and unconcernedly 

 scratching his ear, whilst a couple of hounds 

 bayed frantically at him from outside the fence 

 not a dozen yards away, of whom he did not 

 take the slightest notice, but, after having his. 

 scratch, trotted away along the path, and came 

 out of the enclosure of his own accord on 

 the far side. 



The agility of foxes is quite remarkable, 

 this fox ran up the wire netting as if it were 

 nothing, whilst it effectually stopped the hounds. 

 In Ireland the large deer-park walls here and 

 there are of the greatest service to hunted 

 foxes, when they are able to place them 

 between themselves and the pack. 



Talking of foxes and deer-park walls remmds 

 me of an occasion, many years ago, when, in 

 the Ormond country, a fox escaped over the 

 deer-park wall at Prior Park just in front of 

 the hounds, one or two of whom, however,, 

 managed to get after him. The celebrated 



