How to Manage a Vixen and Her Cnhs. 7 1 



such as a vulnerable hen-roost or a fence well fur- 

 nished with game nests, but the birds are only 

 taken one by one, and, if the earth containing 

 her cubs is far distant, a great portion of her time 

 is occupied in passing to and fro. Wanton 

 damage to sitting game, such as the destruction 

 of a dozen nests over a limited area in one night, 

 is generally the work of a dog-fox, and not of a 

 vixen. Probably, the birds stolen from their nests 

 may all have disappeared, but if the ground near is 

 carefully searched they may be found hidden in 

 the vicinity ; if the dog-fox has done this, a vixen 

 may find the birds and transport them to her earth 

 one by one, but she never destroys several, and 

 buries them previous to taking them to her cubs. 

 What she catches is carried to them while still 

 possessing the warmth of life, for the vixen under- 

 stands the necessity of hot blood to her family. 

 Particular care has been taken to explain all this, 

 because, on a number of nests being found 

 destroyed, summary vengeance may be wreaked 

 on the nearest vixen with cubs, when she is not 

 in the least responsible. 



He who wishes to preserve both game and 

 foxes, with the least possible harm to the former, 

 must have at least one covert containing plenty 

 of rabbits, for, although a fox does not prefer 



