218 FAMILIAR LIFE m FIELD AND FOREST. 



Not only are we apt to lose sight of the beneficent 

 phase of wild life, but we are quite as prone to for- 

 get that it possesses any joy. We think the fox 

 struggles for existence. What does he know about 

 struggling for food and shelter ? It is a joy to him 

 to creep stealthily and noiselessly upon liis victim, to 

 gain his dinner by his wits, and to feel the satisfac- 

 tion of an appeased hunger. A glimpse of a family 

 of foxes reveals anything but the serious side of 

 life. Nothing in the wide world is more attractive- 

 ly bright than the face of a young fox, and three or 

 four of the little creatures at play are even jollier and 

 prettier than as many kittens. 



But when he is hunted by dogs the fox's struggle 

 has begun in earnest, for it is a desperate and hopeless 

 one. He leads the dog a chase over hill and dale to 

 utter exhaustion, and at the end uses his needlelike 

 teeth to no purpose ; after facing each other for a 

 brief space with panting jaws, the dog makes a lunge 

 at the fox, seizes him by the throat, perhaps gives 

 him one shake, and all is over. 



When Reynard is trapped, a vei-y moderate but 

 sharp blow on the muzzle with a heavy stick finishes 

 him with equal dispatch ; at best one can not lielp 

 feeling a bit remorseful after the deed is done, be- 

 cause it was so easily accomplished. But what a 

 beauty he is ! The ears and the long hairs of the 



