TRACKS IN THE SNOW 289 



the snow has fallen. The first tracks to learn 

 are those which are most common. Do not scorn 

 famiharity with the tracks of the house cat, and of 

 the different kinds of dogs ; a perfect knowledge of 

 them may save you much mortification. A friend 

 of mine spent hours in following the trail of what 

 he thought was a fox ; he was much disgusted 

 to find it led to his neighbour's back door. 

 Where a fox's and a dog's feet are about the same 

 size they are not by any means easily distinguished. 

 Some writers say that the fox's track is not nearly 

 so clumsy as that of a dog, but that seems to be a 

 purely imaginary difference ; the only difference I 

 have ever been able to discover is that the fox's 

 footprints are, if anything, more nearly in alignment. 

 As a rule a fox's gait is a stealthy walk when 

 hunting, or a trot when pursued. The length of 

 the step when walking is about one foot. But 

 it must be borne in mind that all animals vary in 

 their methods of walking and running according 

 to the condition of the snow : deep, soft snow 

 causing a jumping gait, even among animals which 

 habitually walk or trot. If you have ever hunted 

 a fox, and, as is usually the case, lost him, even 

 with good dogs, let me advise you to take the first 

 opportunity of following the tracks (in the snow) 

 of a fox and the pursuing dogs. Your admiration 

 for the fox will certainly increase, such clever 

 manoeuvring as the wily animal exhibits will 

 astonish you, and no longer will you feel ashamed 

 of your dogs and of yourself at being outwitted. 

 During the winter months foxes live principally 

 on rabbits and mice, and if you follow a trail 



W.L.C. u 



