1 6 Game and Foxes. 



no better plan than this of safeguarding a nest in 

 a bunch of nettles, thistles, tuft of grass, &c., 

 which is in danger of being trampled underfoot by 

 cattle in an open field. 



A certain keeper in Leicestershire is most 

 successful in saving his partridge nests from 

 destruction, although in the centre of one of the 

 most fashionable hunts, and in a country teeming 

 with foxes, and not too much game for them to 

 live upon. He carefully watches each nest for 

 the critical hatching period to arrive, and then at 

 night places beside each a lump of dried cowdung, 

 which is set on fire. This smoulders all through 

 the hours of darkness, shows a faint glow, and 

 yields quite a small continuous cloud of smoke. 

 The cowdung for this purpose he collects from 

 feeding cattle in winter, and it is carefully uried 

 and stored away for use. Should it not smoulder 

 freely it is dipped in a weak solution of saltpetre 

 and water and again dried. A slight wind only 

 serves to make it even better, but if rain should 

 be falling the dung must be placed beneath a 

 slate, ridge-tile, or other shelter. It is a 4 old fox 

 which will approach near this smouldering dung, 

 and it would be a simple matter to add something 

 which would enable it to emit a much more 

 powerful odour. Probably lots of readers will be 



