LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



placed it in the nest, it proceeded to clamber over 

 the others and tumble out the other side, while 

 the rest seemed to take it all as a matter of course, 

 and refused to stir. 



Two days later as I turned the corner of a 

 clump of young pines near there, I saw an old fox 

 standing perfectly motionless, facing me not 

 twenty yards away in the open, closely-cropped 

 pasture without so much as a thistle to hide 

 behind. It was then about five in the after- 

 noon and the sun shone full on him as he 

 stood on the further bank of a little brook that 

 flowed between us. In that position he had the 

 appearance of being of a very pale yellowish 

 buff, the black on his legs not being at all 

 noticeable, probably owing to the season. I was 

 particularly struck at the time by the size of ears, 

 which were erected to their utmost extent and 

 appeared to come together over the top of his 

 head almost to their tips. After we had eyed 

 each other for a few moments, he swung round 



36 



