DUNFORD'S FARM TO MARQUETTE 301 



Notwithstanding that my friend's dog kept the foxes 

 out of the farm-yard, these cunning animals contrived to 

 form a burrow under the boards seven feet long, and com- 

 ing up through the floor of the hen-roost sometimes killed 

 as many as a dozen fowls and ducks in a night, carrying 

 away one or two, and simply eating the heads off the 

 others. A concealed trap was placed in this burrow. It 

 caught one fox, and then these remarkable animals formed 

 a new burrow, avoiding the old one. In a short time 

 they had destroyed half the poultry on the farm ; and it 

 became necessary to try other means of driving them 

 away ; for few could be trapped, even in the forest, and 

 only a few shot without organising an extensive drive. 



The plough was therefore brought out, and four or 

 five deep furrows ploughed across the ground, converging 

 on the hen-roost. In these furrows steel spring-traps 

 were placed covered with earth. Now foxes when abroad, 

 and especially when foraging round farms or habitations, 

 will always take advantage of the ground for concealment. 

 They will run along ditches, the bottom of hedges, and 

 behind walls, well knowing what excellent protection from 

 the sisfht of enemies these afford. Ploughed furrows are 

 particularly used by them. They will go much out of 

 their way to avoid open meadows, and approach a farm 

 in the furrows of a ploughed field. 



It was a knowledge of this trait of the fox that in- 

 duced Mr. Dunford to adopt these trenches as a means of 

 protecting his fowls. The first night after they were 

 formed, three foxes — two red and a grey — were taken. 

 They were all caught by the fore-leg, and two of them 

 simulated death when discovered. The third howled 

 dreadfully, and made frantic efforts to escape. None of 

 them attempted to bite. Two nights later another red 

 fox was caught ; but after this none approached the farm. 

 They were fairly alarmed, and kept away. The intel- 

 ligence of these animals must, consequently, be very great. 

 The men on the farm asserted that after such a lesson as 



