270 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
Herod in the wonders we have to tell concerning 7¢; so, that 
on the whole, the question of rivalry may be set: down as near 
about as long as it is short. 
Admitting all the champions of the Red Fox desire, the 
Gray Fox must be acknowledged to be smart, decidedly smart! 
Tt frequently climbs trees with an awkward readiness, particu- 
larly in the summer time—but its favorite resort is to holes. 
Indeed, from what I remember of the Gray Fox, I should say 
emphatically that it was “‘of the earth, earthy,” for in lime- 
stone regions, such as Kentucky, Tennessee, &c., where sinks 
or holes in the ground are abundant, the fellow only conde- 
scends to run for recreation, and takes to a hole precisely as 
soon as he becomes blown. 
An incident occurred in my own experience, and in the 
southern part of Kentucky, illustrating the astonishing saga- 
city of this fox. I was enthusiastically addicted to fox hunt- 
ing, and kept a fine pack of hounds. Several young men of 
the neighborhood kept packs of dogs also, and we used very 
frequently to meet, and join in the chase with all our forces. 
There was a certain briary old field of great extent, near 
the middle of which we could on any morning of the year, 
start a Gray Fox. After a chase of an hour or so, just 
enough to blow the dogs and horses well, we would invariably 
lose the fox at a given spot, the fence corner of a large planta- 
tion, which was opened into a heavy forest on one side of this 
old field! The frequency and certainty of fhis event became 
the standing joke of the country. Fox hunters from other 
neighborhoods would bring their pack for miles, to have a run 
out of this mysterious fox, in the hope of clearing up the 
mystery. But no. They were all baffled alike. We often. 
examined the ground critically, to find out, if possible, the 
mode of escape, but could discover nothing, that in any way 
accounted for it, or suggested any thing in regard toit. That 
it did not fly, was very sure; that it must escape along the 
fence in some way was equally so. My first idea was, that 
