ANECDOTES OF FOXES 31 



alone being above the water, when all of a sudden it 

 dived, leaving the moss floating on the water, after 

 which performance he made off in the opposite direc- 

 tion to that from which the moss was floating to the 

 shore. The curiosity of the party who were watching 

 these manoeuvres being aroused, one of the gillies was 

 sent to go and get the moss, but when he did so he 

 was observed to drop it at once. When asked why he 

 did so, he answered that it " was just crawling with 

 fleas." ' 



I must give yet one more anecdote : ' A tame fox 

 in County Cork was noted for its cunning in various 

 ways. The hen-wife, who looked after it, discovered 

 that it was constantly seizing any of the ducks, chickens, 

 or other poultry which came within reach of its chain, 

 and so she was compelled to shorten the chain so as to 

 prevent these depredations. Somehow or other the 

 fox still managed to outwit her, and the chickens con- 

 tinued to disappear as before. So she decided to 

 watch. At last, one day, after having given him some 

 milk and porridge, of which he was especially fond, 

 and which she hoped might perhaps cure him of his 

 thieving propensities, her watching was well repaid, 

 for she saw the fox place some of its porridge within 

 reach of its shortened chain, and then retire to its 

 barrel and imitate her voice calling " Chick, chick," so 

 well, that one unfortunate bird went with a rush into 

 the trap, and before the hen-wife could realize what 

 had happened, it was seized and done for.' 



I have no space to relate any more of the hundreds 

 of dodges which foxes are up to, but it is ever a matter 

 for the most intense congratulation when one of these 

 wary old stagers is brought to book by fair hunting. 



