A VIXEN'S LARDER 



AyfRS. Lucock, of Denton, has given me the following account of a 

 "*■ vixen's housekeeping :- 



" About seven years ago, when we had a small farm and bred a few 

 animals and birds, we were overrun with foxes, the reason being that 

 they could jump the fence and so take sanctuary in the grounds of a near- 

 by mental hospital. They even came in daylight, and on one occasion 

 entered the laying ark run to get at the hens, who retreated to the laying 

 house. The cock then fought the fox at the entrance, and made so 

 much noise that we arrived in time to save the hens ; but the cock lost 

 his life, his head being bitten off. 



After that we sent for the hunt. They hunted across our fields, 

 and to our surprise ran a fox to earth about two fields from the house, 

 but informed us that they could do nothing further, as the warren was 

 so extensive. 



We then decided to dig the foxes out. The exits were stopped and 

 finally a fox and vixen and six half-grown cubs were unearthed. The 

 run was then dug right out, and off the main run was a side passage in 

 which were found many bones, and also several chickens and three of 

 our ducks, whole and in good condition. These had been taken three 

 weeks before and seemed to have been stored for the use of the young 

 family." 



Does this throw any light on the indiscriminate killing by foxes of 

 more than they can possibly eat ? 



Dorothy Day, b.a. (hons.). 



BETHERSDEN MARBLE 



TTHE Weald Clay, which constitutes the flatter regions of Kent, Surrey 

 -■- and Sussex, contains deposits of a hard fairly heavy concretion of 

 limestone and the small shells of Paludina or pond snails, which are also 

 found in the Jurassic and later formations. 



It has been dug at Petworth in Sussex, Bethersden in Kent and other 

 places for use as paving stones, or for building walls. Polished speci- 

 mens are sometimes found in Churches and as mantelpieces in such 

 mansions as Godinton. The closely grouped shells in section give a 

 highly variegated appearance. 



17 



