Quadrupeds, 7099 



there, and no doubt the old fox led the young ones to some move con- 

 cealed retreat, of which there is one only a field or two distant. That 

 this has been the case there can be little or no doubt, the young foxes 

 being old and strong enough now to feed themselves, with little or no 

 aid from the old fox or the man ; but their new place of concealment 

 must have been selected for them by the former, for until they thus 

 bodily decamped they never were known to go further away from the 

 earth they were bred in than a few yards at a time, and were totally 

 unacquainted with the nature of the country around. I have more 

 recently been assured that they have taken up their abode in a small 

 cover a few hundred yards distant from their former home, but in which 

 no earth for them to retreat into has been discovered ; I am therefore 

 inclined to think this forced emigration from their birth-place is not 

 intended to last for any great length of time, and ere long a return 

 home may be expected, the corn-fields and vegetation in general being 

 still so backward as to afford little or no shelter to the young foxes, 

 who, in warm dry weather, are very fond of making themselves a 

 play-ground and summer haunt in the centre of some quiet corn-field 

 or other sequestered spot, where they can lay about and enjoy the 

 sun's warmth unmolested by the intrusion of any unwelcome visitor, 

 either biped or quadruped. Whether pater famil las in the present 

 case deems his duties towards his progeny to have been sufficiently 

 performed, and therefore that it is unnecessary for him to look further 

 after their future welfare, may be doubtful ; but now that they have 

 lost that almost indispensable advantage to all young families, the pru- 

 dent advice and caution of an experienced mother, I have some appre- 

 hensions as to their being able to escape the dangers attendant upon 

 their early entrance into active life ; curiosity may induce them to 

 venture a trifle too near the rabbit-catchers' concealed trap, though 

 properly set, so that no old fox would be deluded into its fatal grasp ; 

 or their presumptive boldness may cause them incautiously to seek a 

 too early acquaintance with the inmates of the neighbouring poultry 

 yard, before being avvare of the guardian terrier or other dog placed 

 there in watch fill anticipation of some such midnight visitation. If, 

 however, they are lucky enough to escape these and similar evils inci- 

 dent to early life they may then hope to prove their gratitude for the 

 care bestowed upon them, by producing themselves in good health and 

 condition towards the beginning or middle of October, when called 

 i. upon by a gentle admonition of the huntsman's horn to come forth 

 and show themselves to their admiring friends. 



That these young foxes were long supi)orted and fed by the old 



