THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 



15 



struggles to escape resulted in a badly mangled leg. Such accidents 

 can be avoided by making double-walled partitions, the walls sepa- 

 rated by at least 4 inches, or single-walled partitions of 1-inch net- 

 ting or of boards. The necessity of erecting double partitions is 

 overcome, however, by use of the plan illustrated in figure 14. 



The height of a fence depends somewhat upon the depth of the 

 snowfall. In Maine and the Maritime Provinces the usual height is 

 9 or 10 feet, while in Laborador it is 12 feet. 



To prevent foxes from digging out, the fence / / / 



turned abruptly inward at the surface (fig. 18) to form a mat 3 feet 

 wide, the inner edge of which is pinned firmly to the ground and 

 usually covered with earth or stone. A fence extended into the 

 ground must reach a depth of 4 or 5 feet if the soil is soft, and be 

 turned inward a foot at the bottom. If there is a subsoil of clay or 

 hardpan, the fence need not enter it more than 6 inches. Instead of 

 netting, the underground part of a fence may be made of 2-inch 

 creosoted planks. As foxes climb wire fences readily an inward over- 

 hang about 18 inches wide should be placed at the top to prevent 

 escape (figs. 15-20). When a fox has scrambled up to an overhang, 



Fig. 15. — Sections of yard and guard fences, with 

 frame supports. The yard fence, a, has a founda- 

 tion of creosoted planks. The guard fence, 6, rests 

 on stones and has a mat to prevent foxes from 

 digging out, and an outward overhang to keep out 

 dogs and other intruders. 



