CUBDOM. 37 



Owl said, '' Kiss my fluffy face ! " I am sure if 

 a little cub made the same request no one could 

 resist it I Vixens when they think they will not 

 be disturbed lay down their cubs in most extra- 

 ordinary and unlikely places. One has even 

 been known to have her litter underneath the 

 floor of the library in a g/^ntleman's house, to 

 which she had gained access through an old 

 ventilating shaft ! 



The number of cubs in a litter varies from 

 three to about eight or nine ; five is the average, 

 though three or four are common, whilst six and 

 seven are large litters. In the spring of 1901 a 

 vixen here had eight cubs, and last year the 

 same vixen, I am certain, went one better and 

 had nine in the same earth. But this is very 

 exceptional, and I never care to see a litter of 

 more than five, as the fewer there are the 

 stronger they are, and it insures a healthy 

 stock. In a very large litter there must be a 

 few weakly ones, generally vixens, and these 

 have to wait for their food till the others are 

 satisfied, so they get the worst of everything, 

 and have to put up with the scraps. A vixen, 

 however, always errs on the right side in 

 replenishing her larder, and, if she has five cubs, 



