1064 General Notes. [October, 
them on the log. I suppose the oil in his paw attracted the fish and 
baited them even better than a fly hook, and his toe nails were his 
hooks, and sharp ones, too, and once grabbed the fish were sure to 
stay. They also catch frogs in these forest brooks, and drink of the 
pure water in hot summer days, and love to lie and wallow in the 
muddy swamps as well as. our pigs in the mire. They often cross 
narrow places in lakes by swimming, and also rivers, and seem to 
love to take a turn in the water. I once saw one swimming from 
the mainland to the big island in Moosemaguntic lake, with 
just a streak of his back out of the water, looking like a dog 
moving along. Sometimes you see only their heads out of water; 
at other times half their bodies are to be seen. We account for 
this difference by condition. If fat, the grease helps buoy them 
up; if lean they sink lower in the water.—Lewiston Journal. 
Cunninc AS A Fox.—The term “cunning as a fox” is by no 
means an ill-jointed figure of speech. Those who know best the 
_ habits of the fox are the most ready to accord to him the well- 
earned epithet “ wily reynard.” Not only is he careful of his owt 
reputation and life, but he has a sort of a masonic solicitude for 
all of his craft. Two incidents, as related by eye-witnesses, will 
serve well to illustrate this. : 
Near the boyhood home of one of the writer’s old college pro- 
fessors there was a high hill. Its rocky sides were covered with 
tide of civilization to, 
more desolate solitudes. One old fox seemed to hold undisputed 
sway of the wily throne. On a smooth surface of the rock neat 
the summit she would remain for hours planning her campaign 
and nightly chy on neighboring farmyards, while (oan | 
be seen by the 
family, hence she reasoned that if fowl disappeared from ce 
the theft would be charged upen her, and her life bg 
sought. own [0 — 
Whatever her mental processes, she was never eee go 
molest the farmyards nearest her retreat, but would 0 ed 
miles from her home and there make havoc at the retain het 
some poor farmer. Her cunning enabled her to surely ee 
home and prolong her days. vew 
Another incident will show the solicitude that foxes P 
for another. In Northwestern Maine there lives an old hts is t 
has become an expert trapper. One of his chief delig hie 
distance any other man in the number of foxes capturs™ 
Pos 
