'24S THE FOX. 



and talents for depredation did not bear greatly too 

 •much the marks of knavery and falsehood *. 



THE FOX'f'. 



The Fox is a native of almost every quarter of 

 the globe ; and is of so wild and savage a nature, 

 that it is impossible fully to tame him. He is es- 

 teemed the most sagacious and most crafty of al! 

 beasts of prey. The former quality he shews in his 

 mode of providing himself an asylum, where he 

 retires from pressing dangers, dwells, and brings up 

 his young ; and his craftiness is discovered by his 

 schemes to catch Lambs, Geese, Hens, and all kinds 

 of small birds. The Fox, when this is possible, 

 fixes his abode on the border of a wood, in tlie 

 neighbourhood of some farm or village. He listens 

 to the crowing of the Cocks, and the cries of the 

 poultry. He scents them at a distance ; he chuses 

 his time with judgment ; he conceals his road as 

 well as his design ; he slips forward with caution, 

 sometimes even trailing his body ; and seldom 

 makes a fruitless expedition. If he can leap the 

 wall, or creep in underneath, lie ravages the court- 

 yard, puts all to death, and retires sofdy with 

 liis prey; which he either hides under herbage, 

 or carries off to his kennel. He returns in a fcv/ 

 minutes for more ; which he carries off or conceals 

 in the same manner, but in a diiferent place. In 



* Sonnini, it. G*2. 

 t Sykokyms.—- Caais Vulpcs, Iw'/i/.'—Rcnard. Buffi*v. i?r» 



