6z FEBRUARY . 



danger. If you do not believe, the experience of a 

 Cotswold shepherd, who watches his flocks both by 

 day and night, will convince. 



One of the best of springs in regard to weather proved 

 to be one of the worst in all his long records. He 

 lost a number of lambs, killed and devoured by foxes 

 and, he avers, by badgers. Now, for myself, I lived for 

 many years in the heart of a hunting county. Every little 

 wood and often the small spinney held its fox. Who 

 ever heard of drawing Gidding Gorse or Salome Wood 

 or Barnwell Wold blank ? I have seen foxes feeding 

 out of a pig s trough. I have found one dead in a 

 spinney, killed by a trap set for a rat in an outhouse up 

 against a cottage. I have watched cubs playing in 

 assembly and streaking across a riding as numerous 

 almost as rabbits ; but once only and that instance was 

 doubtful did I hear of the fox coming down like a wolf 

 on the fold. As for the badger, the idea of defence from 

 such an enemy never entered my shepherd s head. 



The experiences of the Cotswold shepherd are of a 

 different colour. He has seen enough of marauding fox 

 and badger to have studied the nicer points of their 

 strategy or tactics. The Cotswold fox rarely attacks an 

 only child. He selects twins, not from motives of com 

 parative humanity, as humanitarians are capable of argu 

 ing, but because success is easier to attain. The maternal 

 ewe is watchful and courageous, and is endowed with a 

 hereditary fear or suspicion of the dog tribe. The most 

 beloved sheep dog, however obedient and gentle, is not 

 allowed among the lambs for the reason that some ewes 

 will attack him with silly savagery and endanger the 

 breakdown even of his learned and inherited docility. 

 This Cotswold shepherd left his dog by the gate when 

 he went among the lambs and ewes, communicating with 



