276 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



by, and see a vixen and half a dozen hungry 

 cubs in the midst of their tame pheasants, and 

 some argue that, if they kill the vixen, the cubs 

 can't get much, only what I bring, them, and 

 there's no vixen to kill the hen birds or their 

 nests, so don't tell me that, Wilkins.' 



I say that you will lose in both ways, you will 

 lose in young tame birds and young foxes, by 

 shooting the vixen. " What," says you, " I 

 would like you to explain that.'' I will tr}- and 

 do so. 



If you have no vixen, the cubs have no mother 

 to lead them away to other covers some miles 

 off from your's, which she will do if you spare 

 her life. The vixen knew where these covers 

 were, but the cubs don't know anything about 

 them, and they never will, unless they get hunted 

 to them, which is not likely to happen, for they 

 will probably be killed by the hounds before 

 they can find out these covers. Thus your 

 cubs keep to the woods where they were bred 

 and you have them always at home in your own 

 woods, right in amongst your young tame birds, 

 night and day. Six or seven young cubs, 



