152 FOXES AT HOME. 



the spade for about that distance (Fig. 4) ; 

 this will make a small natural hole with earth 

 overhead, and induce the foxes to continue the 

 excavation. 



The upper trench should now be filled in and 

 the soil rammed down hard, otherwise in very 

 wet weather the rain may percolate down into 

 the earth through the loose soil and make 

 it damp, and, in order to still further prevent 

 this, the surface should be elevated about 

 six inches or so above, and overlapping, the 

 -sides of the original trench (see Fig. 2) ; the 

 rain will, therefore, run off on either side of 

 the excavated earth, which will remain dry. 

 In front of the mouth of the earth a heap 

 of sand should be thrown, to give it a 

 natural appearance, as if it had been drawn 

 out of it, and where the cubs can lie and 

 bask in the sun. A few young rabbits may, 

 with advantage, be turned into the earth, 

 and the foxes, if there are any about, will 

 soon find them there, and, going m after 

 them and seeing how nice and snug it is, 

 will probably take to it as soon as the 

 smell of the fresh earth has worn off. If 

 there are no foxes about, some cubs had 



