COCK-TAIUS STORY 59 



till morning. On the following night he removed 

 her to a short distance from the spot where she 

 was left the night before. After doing the same 

 for several nights he took her home, and in nine 

 weeks after that she produced four young ones, all 

 of which are now hving, and much like a fox. My 

 father was a brown terrier, and my mother may be 

 seen at any time, as she is fastened up by a chain 

 in the inn-yard at INIarket Harborough. The hair 

 on her back and sides is thick, and stands nearly 

 upright like that of a fox. The hairs upon the 

 upper side of the tail are not so long and full as 

 those of a fox, but the under part and the sides are 

 the same ; the tips of them are black. Her legs 

 and feet are black, and the latter are round hke 

 yours, with a little tan -colour behind the knee- 

 joint. Her ears are pointed, and when she is at 

 rest laid back, but when she is roused pricked up 

 like your own. All these properties you may be- 

 hold in me, but not exactly in an equal degree. 

 The most remarkable difference between ourselves 

 and you is this, that neither my mother nor myself 

 are endued with the strong odour peculiar to the 

 fox. JMy mother has never been let loose by the 

 consent of her keepers, even in the inn-yard ; but 

 having once got loose by accident, when about two 



