THE FOX AND MICE. 



183 



residing. In a large kennel, or bathering place, as it 

 is sometimes called, we discovered the skins of five 

 hedge-hogs, the mutilated remains of nearly a dozen 

 moles, four or five rats, rabbits' legs, the feathers of 

 small birds, two frogs, and the half consumed carcase 

 of one old solitary hen ; but it was evident from her 

 extreme age that she must have ceased to produce, 

 and consequently, would have been of no earthly use 

 to the farmer, from whom she had been taken. The 

 chief food of foxes, although I candidly allow that 

 they at times destroy game and poultry, consists of all 

 kinds of reptiles and insects, but more particularly 

 field mice, of which any one may be thoroughly 

 convinced, if he will take the trouble of either 

 examining the animals' billeting, or of following the 

 nightly track of one in the snow; he would then 

 plainly see how curiously they hunt and examine 

 every tuft of grass and stubble cock, and where they 

 pounce upon the mice and devour them. 



It would not be fair to mention names on such a 



