CURIOUS CREATURES. 127 



Craftiness. It has been observed, that this animal applies 

 its ear to the ice, for the purpose of testing its thickness ; 

 hence it is, that the inhabitants will never cross frozen 

 rivers and lakes, until the foxes have passed over them 

 and returned." 



The Fox is most abundant in the northern parts of 

 Europe, and therefore we hear more about him from the 

 pages of Olaus Magnus, Gessner, and Topsell. 



The former says : " When the fox is pressed with 



hunger, Cold and Snow, and he comes near men's houses, 

 he will bark like a dog, that house creatures may come 

 nearer to him with more confidence. Also, he will faign 

 himself dead, and lie on his back, drawing in his breath, 

 and lolling out his tongue. The birds coming down, 

 unawares, to feed on the carkasse, are snapt up by him, 

 with open mouth. Moreover, when he is hungry, and 

 finds nothing to eat, he rolls himself in red earth, that 

 he may appear bloody ; and, casting himself on the 

 earth, he holds his breath, and when the birds see that 



