MAMMALIA 1 3 



the parishes. In the parish of Orton, Westmorland, only a 

 shilling was given for a fox's head between 163G and 1670. 

 The Cartmell accounts for June 13, 1653, show that half- 

 a-crown was the rate paid for every Fox whose mask was pro- 

 duced before the wardens : ' To Willm Kilner for killinge of foxes, 

 £0, 10s. Ocl. P d to Tho. Atkinson and Edwa. Newbie for the 

 like £0, 2s. 6d. P d for drinke to ye hunters for killinge a foxe, 

 £0, 0s. 6d.' 



Some question of the rate of head-money to be given must 

 have arisen at this vestry meeting, because it supplies a special 

 memorandum: ' A.D. 1653. It is ordered and agreed that 

 Willm Killner shall paye to the hunters for killinge of foxes 

 xxj d., and likewise that the Churchwardens shall paye to them 

 xxiij d. more furth of ye xx tie (twenty) M'ke Caste, and that the 

 hunters shall have v s. for eache olde foxe and for every younge 

 one xij d/ Canon Bardsley cites a few entries from the accounts 

 of Ulverston parish, which prove that five shillings was com- 

 monly paid for these animals in the next century : * 1728 . . . 

 to one ffox head, 5s. 1729. A fox cub, 5s. 1741. Jan. 12, 

 paid Saml Gawith for ffox heads, 15s. 1742. ffeb. 13, to 

 Thomas Postlethwaite for killing fox 5s.' The zeal of the 

 churchwardens abated at the close of the last century ; but 

 among various entries in the accounts of the churchwardens of 

 Dalton in Furness for 1789 we have an item : ' Killinge 1 old 

 fox and 3 young ones, £0, 5s. 6d.' 



Numbers of Foxes were killed in the wild dales which Kendal 

 parish once included in its area. From 1700 to 1718 the price 

 claimed for a fox head in this part of Westmorland was a 

 shilling, subsequently it rose to five shillings. Thus at Easter 

 1732: ' April 11. Pd. to Leo Cowperthwaite, chaple warden 

 for Overstaveley, for a fox head, £0, 5s. Od. Pd. James 

 Garnett for a Cubb hd., £0, 0s. 6d.' 



The Keswick men at one time tried cub-hunting for a few 

 seasons. In 1723 they killed thirteen cubs and only three old 

 foxes. In 1725 they claimed head-money for twelve cubs and 

 only one old fox. But they soon found that killing cubs was 

 unremunerative. The churchwardens of Crosthwaite Church at 

 this period gave three shillings and fourpence for an old fox, 



