74 The Gamekeeper at Home. 



ing a twig, the fox was up in a second, and snarled 

 and snapped at his face, then slipped into the ditch 

 and away. The fox is, in fact, quite as remarkable 

 for boldness as for cunning. Last summer I met a 

 fine fox on the turnpike road and close to a tollgate, 

 in the middle of the day. He came at full speed with 

 a young rabbit in his jaws, evidently but just captured, 

 and did not perceive that he was observed till within 

 twenty yards, when, with a single bound he cleared 

 the sward beside the road, alighting with a crash in 

 the bushes, carrying his prey with him. 



Hares will sometimes, in like manner, come as it 

 were to meet people on country roads. Is it that the 

 eyes, being placed towards the side of the head, do 

 not so readily catch sight of dangers in front as on the 

 flanks, especially when the animal is absorbed in its 

 purpose ? Hares are peculiarly fond of limping at 

 dusk along lonely roads. 



Foxes, when they roam from the woods into the 

 meadow-land, prefer to sleep during the day in those 

 osier beds which are found in the narrow corners 

 formed by the meanderings of the brooks. Between 

 the willow-wands there shoots up a thick undergrowth 

 of sedges, long coarse grass, and reeds ; and in these 

 the fox makes his bed, turning round and round 

 till he has smoothed a place and trampled down the 

 grass ; then reclining, well sheltered from the wind. 



