166 GRAY FOX. 



That this Fox occasionally gives chase to the gray rabbit, pursuing 

 him in the manner of the dog, we have strong reason to suspect. We on 

 one occasion observed a half-grovro rabbit dashing by us with great ra- 

 pidity, and running as if under the influence of fear ; an instant after- 

 wards a Fox followed, seeming to keep the object of his pursuit fairly in 

 sight ; scarcely had they entered the woods, when we heard the repeated 

 cry of the rabbit, resembling some'what that of a young child in pain, and 

 although we were not eye witnesses of his having captured it by sheer 

 speed, we have no doubt of the fact. We do not believe, however, that 

 the Fox is an enemy half as much to be dreaded by the family of hares 

 as either the Bay Ijiix, or the great horned owl, {Strix Virginianus.) 



In the Southern States this species is able to supply itself with a great 

 variety and abundance of food, and is consequently generalljf in good con- 

 dition and often quite fat. We have followed the track of the Gray Fox 

 in moist ground until it led us to the scattered remains of a marsh 

 htire, which no doubt the Fox had killed ; many nests of the fresh water 

 marsh hen {Rallus elegans) are torn to pieces and the eggs devoured by 

 this prowler. In Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, the meadow-mouse {Ar- 

 vicola Pennsylvanica,) is often eaten by this species, and in the Southern 

 States, the cotton-rat, and Florida rat, constitute no inconsiderable por- 

 tion of its food. We have seen places where the Gray Fox had been 

 scratching the decayed logs and the bark of trees in order to obtain in- 

 sects. 



This species is not confined exclusively to animal food ; a farmer of the 

 State of New York called our attention to a field of corn, (maize,) which 

 had sustained no inconsiderable injury from some unknown animals that 

 had been feeding on the unripe ears. The tracks in the field convinced 

 us that the depredation had been committed by Foxes, which was found to 

 be the case, and they were afterwards chased several successive mornings, 

 and three of them, apparently a brood of the previous spring, were captured. 



Although this Fox is nocturnal in his habits, Ave have frequently ob- 

 served him in search of food at all hours of the day ; in general, how- 

 ever, he lies concealed in some thicket, or in a large tuft of tall broom- 

 grass, till twilight invites him to renew his travels and adventures. 



On a cold starlight night in winter, we have frequently heard the 

 hoarse querulous bark of this species ; sometimes two of them some dis- 

 tance apart were answering each other in the manner of the dog. 



Although we have often seen this Fox fairly run down and killed by 

 hounds, without his having attempted to climb a tree, j^et it not unfre- 

 quently occurs that when his strength begins to fail he ascends one that 

 is small or sloping, and standing on some horizontal branch 20 or 30 



