THE FOX 259 



to reach him in his kennel during some part of the 

 day if possible, to which he retm*ns as soon as 

 dayhght appears, and is seldom seen after dusk in 

 the morning, unless he is disturbed or in quest of a 

 vixen in the month of February ; but cubs are apt 

 to move in the daytime when they are nearly half- 

 grown, until they have been hunted or frightened. 

 Foxes, in some countries where there are forests 

 with old trees, or pollards covered with ivy, are 

 often known to be found lying in them, having 

 made their kennel a considerable height from the 

 ground, in proof of which the following fact 

 happened to the writer, when he had just killed a 

 fox, although after a good run, in Savernake forest. 

 The keeper came up and said, " Sir, here is 

 another ready for you up in an oak-tree ! " The 

 novelty of the thing induced him against his better 

 judgment to see the result of turning him off his 

 roost. The hounds were taken aside some distance, 

 and a man cUmbed up the tree ; but the fox, which 

 could be seen, did not move tiU the man shook the 

 ivy on which he lay, when off he jumped, and had 

 not the under branches saved him he must have 

 been killed. As it was, he rebounded on reaching 

 the ground, three feet at least, and away he went, 

 none the worse for his flight. The hounds were 



