Fox-Hunting in New England. 



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sacred pledge. One often hears of silver foxes being seen, but, like 

 the big fish so often lost by anglers, they almost invariably get away. 



AFTER A BREAKFAST. 



Foxes are less rare in settled countries and on the borders of 

 civilization than in the wilderness, for, though they find no fewer 

 enemies, they find more abundant food in the open fields than in the 

 forest. The common field-mouse is a favorite in their bill-of-fare ; 

 and the farmer s lambs and the good wife's geese and turkeys never 

 come amiss therein. These are all more easily got than hares or 

 grouse. In justice to Reynard it must be said, however, that when 

 mice are plenty, lambs and poultry are seldom molested. In times 

 of scarcity, he takes kindly to beech-nuts in the fall, and fills him- 

 self with grasshoppers and such small deer in the summer. When 

 these fail, — why, what would you ? An honest fox must live. 



When not running before the hounds, he is seldom seen in day- 

 time, except it may be by some early riser whose sharp eye discerns 

 him in the dim dawn, moving in meadow or pasture, or picking his 

 stealthy way across lots to his home woods. In these woods he 

 spends his days, sleeping or prowling slyly about in quest of some 

 foolish hare or grouse. 



It is doubtful if the fox resorts to his burrows much except in 

 great stress of weather and during the breeding season, or when 

 driven to earth by relentless pursuit. For the most part, he takes 

 his hours of ease curled up on some knoll, rock, or stump, his dense 

 fur defying northern blasts and the " nipping and eager air" of the 

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