THE EARTH-STOPPER 99 



reynard to bolt out of one hole while the foxhunting " navies" 

 are busy at another, but those holes are made by the 

 " bunnies," not by the foxes : reynard is there only a lodger. 

 Speaking of his domestic habits, Daniel says further, " The 

 idea of a settled place of abode indicates a singular attention 

 to self ; the choice of a situation and of rendering that abode 

 commodious, and of concealing the avenues to it, imply a 

 superior degree of sentiment ; the fox is endowed with this 

 quality, and manages it with advantage ; he prefers the covers 

 near dwellings, where he listens to the cries of the poultry ; in 

 his attacks upon them he chooses the time with judgment, 

 and concealing his road, slips forward with caution, and 

 seldom makes a fruitless expedition." Daniel had not been 

 much of a fox-man, we think, or else the animal must have 

 changed its habits a good deal since his book was written. 

 We have often seen foxes found in covers in the neighbour- 

 hood of farm-houses, but we do not remember at this moment 

 ever seeing an earth at all that would be called close to farm 

 buildings. Daniel's book, however, was written forty years 

 ago, since when foxhunting has undergone considerable 

 change, particularly the lodging — we might almost say the 

 domestication of foxes. We have now all sorts of artificial 

 contrivances, from the fagot cover down to Mr. Smith's 

 masonic drain. In Daniel's time, indeed, it seems to have 

 been a " moot " point whether foxes were entitled to protection 

 or not, just as we have heard people contend for the right to 

 shoot persons who have the luck to be outlawed. Daniel 

 says, " The destruction and preservation of foxes are points 

 upon which there is a difference of opinion ; the law holds out 

 a reward for the death of the aiiiinal, to be paid by the church- 

 wardens of every parish, whilst the foxhunters and their 

 friends use all possible exertions to protect the breed and 

 increase their numbers." He then gives the letter of a noble- 

 man to his agent in Leicestershire, desiring the agent to show 



