A FOX'S BED. 77 



slipped into the ditch and away. The fox is, in fact, 

 quite as remarkable for boldness as for cunning. Last 

 summer I met a fine fox on the turnpike road and close 

 to a tollgate, in the middle of the day. He came at full 

 speed with a young rabbit in his jaws, evidently but just 

 captured, and did not perceive that he was observed till 

 within twenty yards, when, with a single bound he cleared 

 the sward beside the road, alighting with a crash in the 

 bushes, carrying his prey with him. 



Hares will sometimes, in like manner, come as it were 

 to meet people on country roads. Is it that the eyes, 

 being placed towards the side of the head, do not so 

 readily catch sight of dangers in front as on the flanks, 

 especially when the animal is absorbed in its purpose .-' 

 Hares are peculiarly fond of limping at dusk along lonely 

 roads. 



Foxes, when they roam from the woods into the 

 meadow-land, prefer to sleep during the day in those osier 

 beds which are found in the narrow corners formed by 

 the meanderings of the brooks. Between the willow- 

 wands there shoots up a thick undergrowth of sedges, 

 long coarse grass, and reeds ; and in these the fox makes 

 his bed, turning round and round till he has smoothed a 

 place and trampled down the grass ; then reclining, well 

 sheltered from the wind. A dog will turn round and 

 round in the same way before he lies down on the 

 hearthrug. 



