GRE YHO UND FOXES 27 



could do in trying to circumvent the ' monarch of the 

 glen.' 



I have had even more experience of the ways and 

 habits of the 'greyhound ' foxes of the Highlands than 

 of our own little animals, which, as common poultry 

 thieves, are not fit to be compared with the bold and 

 noble 'greyhound' Highland foxes. I have known 

 such foxes, and they still exist in one or two places in 

 the Highlands, to be as large as any wolf I ever 

 saw. I was oblip:ed on one occasion to leave a hind, 

 which I had shot, out during the night. The next 

 day, when we went to get it, we found nothing left but 

 the bones, which were scattered about all over the 

 place, and I shall never forget the size of the tracks 

 made by the foxes round the remnant of the carcase. 

 They resembled the tracks of large dogs. We saw 

 one of them disappearing over the hill, and it was as 

 large as an average-sized greyhound, but its tracks 

 were double the size of what a greyhound's would be. 

 This fox is now nearly white. If I ever do get the 

 chance of a shot at the hoary scoundrel I will most 

 certainly send him to London, as a curiosity, for the 

 benefit of some of my readers. I am quite sure that 

 such foxes could not only kill a young fawn or a hind 

 at any time of the year, but even a wounded stag, if 

 driven to desperation by hunger. Until I saw them I 

 never could have believed that such monster foxes 

 existed. I sent some greyhound foxes to Ireland, and 

 also some to England, I can only say, as regards 

 those which were sent to Ireland, that they could not 

 be caught, apropos cf which I may mention that the 

 Meath hounds ran one of those which we turned 

 down in Kilcarty for five hours. If these large 



