308 Frerp Museum or Natura. History — Zooey, Vor. XI. 
The Red Fox has justly acquired a reputation for shrewdness and 
cunning and an ability to avoid traps and generally take care of himself 
not exceeded by any of our mammals, as anyone who is well acquainted 
with him can testify. 
For many years the writer had a somewhat unusual opportunity for 
observing these animals at his country estate at Great Island, Massa- 
chusetts, where, as no dogs were allowed in the Deer Park, a thickly 
wooded enclosure of some 175 acres, it was considered a most desirable 
residence by Foxes, especially as there was a good supply of Hares, Rab- 
bits, quail and pheasants to be found there. We knew of several dens 
which seemed to be always occupied. Young Foxes were seen playing 
about them each spring and we often heard them barking in the evening. 
One of these dens was under a huge split boulder in open ground on a 
sandy peninsular covered with coarse beach grass at least half a mile 
from trees; the others were burrows in the ground in the deep woods. 
Their numbers apparently increased rapidly, as did also the mortality 
among the pheasants and Hares, and it was therefore decided to exter- 
minate them. As no attempt had been made to shoot them, they had 
become quite bold and were often seen trotting leisurely through the 
woods or standing watching us from a distance, but after two or three 
were shot, the others became very shy. During the winter the man in 
charge of the place kept a dozen or more traps constantly baited, with 
the result that some twenty Skunks and other mammals were caught, 
but no Foxes. During the next few years, while several were shot anda 
. few trapped, their numbers did not seem to decrease materially and all 
efforts to exterminate them by shooting or trapping proved unavailing.* 
The Red Fox makes its home in burrows in the ground and at times 
in holes in rocks or ledges, or hollow stumps, and the young, which 
generally number from 4 to 8, are born late in March or early in April. 
It is both nocturnal and diurnal in its habits and is practically omniv- 
orous. Its well-known fondness for poultry is too proverbial to require 
comment, and it preys upon Muskrats, Rabbits, Skunks, Mice, Rats, 
birds’ eggs, etc., etc., as well as fish; and it is said to eat grapes and 
other fruit. 
Regarding their depredations in the poultry yard, Stone and Cram 
say,f ‘“‘I have known a fox to kill three or four full grown fowls in an 
* This was undertaken as an experiment to learn if Foxes could be exterminated 
or driven away from a place, which they liked, by non-scientific means, such as would 
be employed by the average farmer, including shooting with rifle or shot-gun and 
trapping with various kinds of traps using both live and dead bait, including Mice, 
chickens, Rabbits, etc., but the use of hounds, poison and prepared scents being 
barred. The area in question consisted of woodland connected with the mainland 
by a treeless, sandy peninsular some two miles in length. 
} American Animals, 1902, pp. 266-267. 
