34 FOXES AT HOME. 



terrier at the mouth of a hole for the work of a 

 fox ; a dog always begins to scratch at the top 

 of the hole, whereas a fox invariably works 

 away from underneath. Thus the tendency of 

 an earth made entirely by a fox is to run deeper 

 and deeper, enlarged here and there to enable 

 them to curl up or turn round, and earths in 

 which vixens lay up their cubs year after year 

 often run very deep indeed from the con- 

 tinually " cleaning out " process. 



A vixen prefers to lay up her cubs m a single 

 hole if possible, in order, I suppose, to avoid 

 the draughts occasioned by many entrances, 

 which make the chambers cold, and when using 

 a large earth always sticks to one hole, and 

 works into it right away beyond all the others, 

 where the cubs can be snug and warm. The 

 branch holes, however, have their uses later on, 

 as they act as store rooms for all the superfluous 

 food brought in by the vixen, thus keeping the 

 main hole clear» These larders, however, after 

 a while become so very offensive from decaying 

 rabbit skins, wings of fowl, &c., which the cubs 

 have been unable to eat, that the vixen has 

 eventually to shift them to other quarters. 



Vixens before laying up their cubs frequently 



