MANGE IN FOXES, 99 



fresh cubs was really quite sickening. But still 

 there was a bright lining to the dark cloud— the 

 consoling fact that it coiUd be done, and that it 

 was still possible to repair the misfortune ; not 

 like the previous year when in September it was 

 too late to do anything, whilst now it was only 

 April. It certainly meant a certain amount of 

 trouble ; but of what account is trouble in the 

 interests of sport ? 



Having made up one's mind how to act, the 

 only thing to be done was to set about it as 

 quickly as possible, so a night or two after the 

 other vixen had escaped I went up to the earth 

 to shoot this one, as it was a disagreeable task 

 1 would not allow the keeper to perform. 

 Having taken up a convenient position at dark 

 within easy range of the earth, what was my 

 astonishment when out came the other vixen ! 

 She had shifted her cubs into the earth with the 

 second lot. Poor brute! One felt like a 

 murderer as one pressed the trigger, but she 

 dropped like a stone without kick or struggle. 

 Tis very easy to kill a fox. Two nights after- 

 wards I got the second vixen, and then 

 nothing remained but to get hold of 

 the poor little cubs. " Brailsfords " traps, in 



