52 AMERICAN CROSS FOX. 



the fact. We witnessed a trial of speed between the mongrel grej-hound 

 already referred to in this article, and a Red Fox, in the morning, and 

 another between the same dog and a Cross Fox, about noon, on the same 

 day. The former was taken after an hoar's hard run in the snow, and the 

 latter in half that time, which we accounted for from the fact that the 

 Cross Fox was considerably the fattest, and from this circumstance be- 

 came tired out very soon. We purchased from a country lad a specimen 

 of the Cross Fox, in the fle.sh, which he told us he had caught with a 

 common cur dog, in the snow, which was then a foot in depth. 



In regard to the cunning of this variety, there may be some truth in 

 the general opinion, but this can be accounted for on natural principles : 

 the skin is considered very valuable, and the animal is always re- 

 garded as a curiosity ; hence the hunters make every endeavour to ob- 

 tain one when seen, and it would not be surprising if a constant succes- 

 sion of attempts to capture it, together with the instinctive desire for self- 

 preservation possessed by all animals, should sharpen its wits, and render 

 it more cautious and wild than those species that are less frequently mo- 

 lested. We remember an instance of this kind, which we will here relate. 



A Cross Fox, nearly black, was frequently seen in a particular cover. 

 We offered what was in those days considered a high premium, for the 

 animal in the flesh. The fox was accordingly chased, and shot at, by the 

 farmers' boys in the neighbourhood. The autumn and winter passed 

 away, nay, a whole year, and still the fox was going at large. It was at 

 last regarded by some of the more credulous as possessing a charmed 

 life, and it was thought that nothing but a silver ball could kill it. In the 

 spring, we induced one of our servants to dig for the yoxmg Foxes that had 

 been seen at the burrow which was known to be frequented by the Cross 

 . Fox. With an immense deal of labour and fatigue the young were dug 

 out from the side of a hill ; there were seven. Unfortunately we were 

 obliged to leave home and did not return until after they had been given 

 away, and were distributed about the neighbourhood. 



Three were said to have been black, the rest were red. The blackest 

 of the young whelps, was retained for us, and we frequently saw at the 

 house of a neighbour, another of the litter, that was red, and differed in 

 no respect from the common Red Fox. The older our little pet became, 

 the less it gre^v like the Black, and the more like the Cross Fox. It was, 

 very much to our regret, killed by a dog when about six months old, and 

 as far as we can now recollect, was nearly of the colour of the specimen 

 figured in our work. 



The following autumn, we determined to try our hand, at pro- 

 curing the enchanted fox which was the parent of these young varieties, 



