38 FOXES AT HOME. 



generally supplies sufficient food for eight or 

 ten! 



The sex of cubs in a litter is very variable. I 

 have known a litter all dogs, and another all 

 vixens, but I think as a rule the dogs prepon- 

 derate. In a five litter there are generally three 

 (and sometimes four) dogs, just the reverse of 

 a sparrow-hawk's brood, where the five young 

 ones are almost invariably three hens and two 

 cocks. 



Foxes will not breed in confinement, at least 

 I have never known an instance, although I 

 have kept tame dogs and vixens together for 

 the whole season without result, and as they 

 were quite as tame as any dog and would follow 

 me about and come at once at my w^histle, fear 

 could not have been a factor in the case. I 

 have also known a tame vixen to be chained up 

 for weeks in a covert full of dog foxes to no 

 purpose, though an ordinary bitch similarly 

 treated has often been successfully crossed with 

 the dog fox, the whelps taking after their sire 

 both in colour and habits. 



It is not at all an easy matter at first to tell 

 for certain when a vixen has actually laid up her 

 cubs, unless you are lucky enough to listen at 



