THE FOX 267 



of or seen again ; at least such is known to be the 

 case \\ath those that have been marked. 



It may possibly be suggested that it would be 

 easy for some person to come in the night and take 

 away this vixen fox. This is a mistake, for she 

 would di'aw into the earth the whole chain, six feet 

 mthin the opening of the drain or earth, when any 

 person approached her ; and it would be necessary 

 for them to dig her out, which would be no easy 

 task. But it should be recollected that a fox in 

 this state is not a wild animal, and a person would 

 be just as liable to be prosecuted for steahng it, as 

 he would be for breaking open a stable and steal- 

 ing a horse ; or how does it happen that tame foxes 

 which are chained up in yards, etc., are never stolen 

 in preference to a dog ? One is a sure sale, the 

 other not. 



One of the great objections against turning down 

 foxes is that they are generally infected with 

 mange, most particularly those purchased of regular 

 fox-sellers, or, more properly, of those receivers of 

 stolen goods, for such they are. This, when easily 

 and satisfactorily explained, 'v\dll probably be the 

 means of deterring some masters of hounds from 

 encouraging so nefarious, unhandsome, and dis- 

 honourable a practice, that is, supposing these 



