THE FOX. 3 



Here in the British Isles there were at one 

 time three quite distinct breeds, the '' grey- 

 hound," and the '^bulldog" (or '^ mastiff"), the 

 native foxes of the mountains, and what we 

 may call the ''common" or "ordinary" fox, 

 or that of the vale. These three have from 

 frequent importation and exportation become so 

 intermixed nowadays that in most places they 

 have lost their chief characteristics, and are 

 hardly distinguishable. 



The first mentioned animal is now prac- 

 tically only to be found, pure bred, in the 

 mountainous districts of England and Scotland, 

 though more common in Ireland, where fewer 

 strangers have been introduced, and a stout 

 hybrid is scattered pretty generally over the 

 greater part of the country, as the greyhound 

 often descends from the hills far into the 

 plains, not only in search of food, but when 

 " pairing," and there crosses with the lowland 

 fox, to whose progeny it transmits, to a 

 great extent, its strength and stamina, if not 

 its size. 



Frequently towards the end of the season, 

 and also at other times, one of these hardy 

 highlanders is found in the plains many miles 



B 2 



