74 Game and Foxes. 



time will be spent in nursing them, and contributing 

 the warmth of her body for their benefit, so the 

 vixen's hunting excursions will be few and short. 

 Indeed, if she is fed at the earth during this 

 period, she will not trouble to travel far in search 

 of other food. Besides, there are no nests yet for 

 her to destroy, but on an estate where hares can 

 still be preserved, it is advisable to feed her, as in 

 a mild spring they are breeding freely ; if not 

 fed she is certain to hunt persistently the fallows, 

 wheat and seed fields in search of leverets. The 

 increase of hares will be considerably greater if 

 she is fed, but it is useless to provide cold carrion, 

 as she will refuse to touch it unless under 

 exceptional circumstances ; everything must be 

 freshly killed and still w^arm if possible, for 

 although w^hen hard pressed she will bring carrion 

 to her cubs, she cannot be expected to rest content 

 with such fare upon an estate where game is to be 

 had for the catching. If plenty of rabbits are 

 available there should be no diflficulty in pro- 

 viding suflBcient food for a vixen, and she 

 dearly loves rats — water-rats in particular. 

 Another reason a vixen should be allowed to 

 choose her own earth for the litter to be born 

 in is that when the cubs begin to come out to 

 play she is inclined to shift them to new and 



