•26 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



animals within his reach, by imitating their voices: this is 

 confirmed by Captain Lyon, who states, "that while tent- 

 ing, we observed a Fox prowling on a hill side, and heard 

 him for several hours afterwards in difierent places, imi- 

 tating the cry of a brent goose." Crantz, in his History of 

 Greenland, informs us, that this species also exert an extra- 

 ordinary degree of cunning in their mode of obtaining fish. 

 They go into the water, and make a splash with their feet 

 in order to excite their curiosity, and when they come up, 

 seize them. The mode in which some species entrap 

 water fowl is also extremely ingenious. They advance a 

 little way into the water and afterwards retire, playing a 

 thousand antic tricks on the banks. The fowl approach, 

 and when they come near, the animal ceases, that he may 

 not alarm them, moving only his tail about, and that very 

 gently, till the birds approach so near that he is enabled to 

 seize one or more.* But these are trifling displays of in- 

 genuity in comparison to some which are related of these 

 animals. Thus, Pliny says, that such is the sagacity of 

 Foxes that they will not venture on any piece of ice until 

 they have ascertained its thickness and strength, by apply- 

 ing their ear to it. A late traveller in Norway, we believe 

 Capell Brooke, states that the Foxes of the North Cape 

 take sea fowl by letting one of their companions over the 

 edge of a clilTby his tail, and where this does not enable 

 them to reach their prey, that a line is formed of no incon- 

 siderable length, by seizing each other's tails in their 

 mouths. That credulous author, Pontoppidan, also informs 

 us, " that a certain person was surprised on seeing a Fox 

 near a fisherman's house, laying a parcel of fishes' heads in 

 a row; he waited the event, the Fox hid himself behind 

 them, and made a booty of the first crow that came for a 

 bit of them." 



This character of cunning and extreme prudence in the 

 Fox, renders him extremely difficult to be destroyed, or 

 taken. As soon as he has acquired a little experience, he 

 is not to be deceived by the snares laid for him, and the 

 moment he recognizes them, nothing can induce him to 

 approach them, even when suffering the severest pangs of 

 hunger. The scent which the Fox leaves behind him 

 being exceeding strong, he appears sensible of that cir- 

 cumstance, and uses every artifice to bewilder his pursuers 

 and throw them out of their track. He generally takes 

 advantage of the wind, and often crosses rivers, swims 

 down small streams or runs along the top of a wall, in 

 order to interrupt the continuity of the scent, and puzzle 

 the dogs. This timid and prudential character, however, 

 completely disappears in the female when she has young 

 ones to nurse and defend. Maternal instinct, which is 



» Charlevoix Travels, i. 207. 



forcibly felt by all species of animals, and effaces for a 

 time their natural propensities, is peculiarly striking in the 

 Fox. There is no sentiment so universal in its nature and 

 so wholly disinterested as this; none in which personal 

 danger is so completely unheeded and disregarded. A 

 mother never hesitates an instant in facing the most appal- 

 ling danger, or enduring the utmost privations, risking 

 every thing, even life itself, for the preservation of her 

 infant offspring. She that at other times was timid and 

 gentle, now becomes bold, fierce, and resolute; unshaken 

 by all that is trying, undeterred by all that is menacing. 

 Thus the female Fox watches with unceasing care over her 

 young, assiduously providing for all their wants, and ex- 

 hibiting a fearlessness wholly different from her usual dis- 

 position. Goldsmith relates a remarkable instance of this 

 parental affection, which he says occurred near Chelmsford, 

 in England. " A she Fox that had, as it would seem, but 

 one cub, was unkennelled b}' a gentleman's hounds and 

 hotly pursued. The poor animal, braving every danger, 

 rather than leave her cub to be worried by the dogs, took 

 it up in her mouth and ran with it in this way for some 

 miles. At last, taking her way through a farmer's yard, 

 she was assaulted by a mastiff, and at length obliged to drop 

 her cub." 



The Fox goes with young about three months, and the 

 litter is composed of from three to eight. The cubs, like 

 puppies, are covered with hair, and are born blind. They 

 remain in the burrow about three or four months, and soon 

 after abandon their parents; at two years of age their 

 growth is completed. 



As the vicinity of the Fox is productive of mischief and 

 destruction, and as its cunning and sagacity augment its 

 resources against danger, its chase has always afforded a 

 subject of amusement and occupation. Many crowned 

 heads have been passionately devoted to this sport. Among 

 others, Louis XIII. of France, gave it the preference over 

 all others, and brought to perfection the employment of 

 the hound, instead of the terrier, which had heretofore been 

 constantly used for this purpose. This invigorating and 

 healthful exercise is pursued with great ardour in some 

 parts of our country, particularly in the southern States. 

 From Custis's Recollections of Washington, it appears that 

 previous to 1787, he was a keen Fox hunter; this bold and 

 animating sport being well suited to his temperament, and 

 his fondness for equestrian feats. His habit was to hunt 

 three times a week; as is well known, Washington was a 

 skilful and fearless rider, and ridiculed the idea of being 

 unhorsed, provided the animal kept on his legs, he 

 always followed the hounds, through all difficulties; was 

 invariably in at the death, yielding to no man the honor of 

 the brush. 



