FOXES AND FOX-FABMING 227 



dence. This is not easy, and a great deal de- 

 pends upon the personality of the man in 

 charge. One not thoroughly interested or not 

 naturally fond of animals, and therefore slow 

 to understand their ways, is not likely to suc- 

 ceed. Careful observation and a faculty of 

 intuition enables a good keeper to anticipate 

 the moods of the animals, and to interpret their 

 actions at critical times, so as to act quickly 

 and without violence. He knows just when the 

 foxes are getting too much food, just when the 

 sexes should be brought together or separated, 

 when the female becomes pregnant, when the 

 young should be born, when they need special 

 attention, and when they may safely be left to 

 the exclusive care of the mother. He is not 

 over-inquisitive as to the number of young that 

 are born, and seldom needs to disturb the anx- 

 ious parent, relying on her actions to show 

 whether the little ones are thriving. 



BREEDING FOR IMPROVED STOCK. 



Hope for increased profits in fox-raising lies 

 almost entirely in improving the stock, and 

 successively getting better and blacker coats, by 



