HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 309 



alight on the hedges or places near him, and is 

 ready to spring upon such as are within his reach. 

 He rarely lies exposed, but chuses the cover of 

 some thick brake, where he is pretty secure from 

 being surprised. Crows, Magpies, and other birds, 

 which consider the Fox as a common enemy, will 

 often give notice of his retreat by the most clamor- 

 ous notes, and frequently follow him a considerable 

 way from tree to tree, repeating their outcries. 



Foxes produce but once a year, from three to six 

 young ones at a time. When the female is preg- 

 nant she retires, and seldom goes out of her hole, 

 where she prepares a bed for her young. She 

 comes in season in the winter; and young Foxes 

 are found in the month of April. If she perceive 

 that her habitation is discovered, she carries them 

 off, one by one, to a more secure retreat. The 

 young are brought forth blind, like puppies. They 

 grow eighteen months or two years, and live thir- 

 teen or fourteen years. - 



The Fox is frequently taken in traps ; but great 

 caution must be used to deceive this wily animal. 

 The trap must be placed in the midst of a field, 

 where there is neither hedge nor path near it, and 

 so nicely covered with mould, that not the least 

 vestige can be seen where it lies : about the trap, 

 and at a small distance from it, in different places, 

 a few pieces of cheese, or other strongly-scented 

 food, must be carelessly scattered : then with a 

 sheep's paunch, or some other animal substance, a 

 trail is made, of about a mile in length, to the 

 different places where the bait is laid, and from 

 thence to the trap : the shoes of the person who 

 carries the trail must be likewise well rubbed with 

 the paunch, that the Fox may not discover his 



