84 



HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 





' Earth" of the Fox. 



climate, it digs to a considerable depth ; and it is rather remark- 

 able that a solitary burrow is seldom found, twenty or thirty 

 Foxes generally sinking their tunnels in close proximity to each 

 other. 



Perhaps this semi -sociality may be accounted for in a very 

 simple manner, namely, the suitability of some particular piece 

 of ground, to which the Foxes flock by instinct, and in which 

 they drive as many burrows as the ground will accommodate. 

 This conjecture is the more likely to be true, because sandy spots 

 are always' chosen for this purpose, where twenty or thirty bur- 

 rows are often sunk in close proximity to each other. Such 

 spots would be peculiarly suitable to the Fox, because the sandy 

 soil is not so likely to be hardened by the frost as that of a more 

 compact and watery nature, and would be easily thrown out by 

 the small though powerful feet of the animal. 



