CHAPTER XI 



* FOXES AND THE EVERLASTING QUESTION 



How some foxes were well looked after No cause, no conflict Give 

 and take Commercial aspect of hunting and shooting The fox- 

 tax Suggestions Foxes and partridges Rabbits, foxes, and 

 birds Which pays the labourer best, hunting or shooting ? 



IT is not difficult to guess what sort of heads 

 keepers would demand, if favoured after the manner 

 of Herod's niece, when partridges and pheasants 

 are sitting. Enough to say that the heads would 

 have long pointed noses, and that the keepers 

 themselves would be quite willing to perform the 

 office of executioner. This reminds me of the 

 eccentric custom of a keeper who now has followed 

 his foxes to unearthly hunting-grounds. He pre- 

 ceded me years ago on an estate on which foxes 

 were supposed to be well looked after. And it 

 seemed, from all accounts, that this old keeper 

 looked after them right well. It came about that 

 he was leaving. Shortly before he was to leave 

 he happened to be passing the time of day with a 

 shepherd. The shepherd remarked casually that 

 he wondered what there was in a hollow oak in the 



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