Crass I. BK Q> ee 
fhell fifth. In France and Italy, it does incredible 
damage in the vineyards, by feeding on the grapes, 
of which it is very fond.. The fox is a great de- 
ftroyer of rats, and field mice; and like the cat, 
will play with them a confiderable time, before it 
puts them to death. 
When the fox has acquired a larger prey than it 
can devour at once, it never begins to feed till it 
has fecured the reft, which it does with great addrefs. 
it digs holes in different places, returns to the 
fpot where it had left the booty ; and (fuppofing a 
whole flock of poultry to have been its prey) will 
bring them one by one, and thruft them in with 
its nofe, and then conceal them by ramming the 
Joofe earth on them, till the calls of hunger incite 
him to pay them another vifit. 
Of all animals the fox has the moft fignificant 
eye, by which it exprefles every paffion of love, 
fear, hatred, &c. It is remarkably playful, but 
like all other favage creatures half reclamed, will 
on the left offence bite thofe it is moft familiar with. 
It is a great admirer of its bufhy tail, with which 
it frequently amufes and exercifes itfelf by running 
in circles to catch it: and in cold weather wraps it 
round its nofe. 
The fmell of this animal in general 1s very ftrong, 
but that of the urine is moft remarkably foetid. 
This feems fo offenfive even to itfelf, that ic will 
take the trouble of digging a hole in the ground, 
ftretching its body at fulllength over it, and there, 
after 
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