124 THE FOX 



animals to the wild life of the woods. There is, 

 for example, the case of a fox cub which was kept 

 with another fox in confinement. Every day the cub 

 was allowed a run in a walled garden from which 

 escape was supposed to be impossible. One day, 

 however, some strangers came in with his master, and 

 the fox, seized with a sudden panic, scrambled over 

 the wall into the next garden. There he was attacked 

 and chased by two dogs. Once more he scaled the 

 wall and was next seen at some distance from his 

 home. He then tried to take refuge in another 

 garden, but here the house-dog and the cat both flew 

 at him, and at last he disappeared into a small wood. 

 He was given up for lost, but to the surprise of every- 

 one he was found asleep in his usual resting-place 

 the next morning. Here was a case of voluntary 

 return to captivity. Incidentally, we see how a wild 

 animal like the fox keeps his wits about him, for 

 the cub knew how to find his way back. One might 

 have supposed that the strangeness of the outer world 

 and the perils he encountered would have confused 

 him. Even a dog when thoroughly frightened is lost 

 sometimes. But this fox came back to his home, 

 retaining his sense of direction and a memory of 

 the landmarks by which he could trace his way, 

 although to do this he had to climb a high fence and 



