74 



QUADRUPEDS. 



carrying off one animal at a time, which he hides separately, 

 and making several journeys till the approach of the morn- 

 ing, or some movements advertise him to suspend his opera- 

 tions. In the same way he stealthily catches woodcocks 

 and thrushes. He hunts the young hares in the plains, seizes 

 old ones in their seats, and never loses those that are wounded 

 — digs out rabbits in their warrens — discovers the nests of 

 partridges and quails — seizes the hen on the eggs, and destroys 

 a vast quantity of game. The fox sleeps in a round form like 

 a dog ; but, when he only reposes, he extends his hind legs, 

 and lies on his belly. In this posture, he watches the birds 

 along the hedges, and meditates schemes for their surprise. 



The fox flies when he hears the explosion of a gun, or 

 smells gunpowder. He basks in the sun, and very much en- 

 joys the free air ; but always chooses some covered place to 

 be secure from surprise. His flesh is not so bad as that of 

 the wolf : dogs, and even men, eat it in France, and in many 

 other countries. 



Foxes produce but once a year, and the litter is generally 

 of four or five, seldom six, and never less than three. When 

 the female is full, she retires, and seldom goes out of her 

 hole, where she prepares a bed for her young. When dis- 

 turbed, she removes her young to another hole, one by one. 

 A fox in the first year is called a " cub in the second, a fox ; 

 and afterwards an old fox. 



The genus "Canis" is a very numerous family of animals, 

 and it has been remarked that no one tribe has a more deadly 

 animosity to each other. It is a fixed law of nature, that the 

 stronger animals live by devouring the weaker ; and even when 

 the cravings of nature are not pressing the constitutional 

 pugnacious disposition prompts most animals even of the 

 same genus and species to fight and kill each other. Very 

 many animals leave a scent or odour on their track, which is 

 supposed to proceed from the perspiration of their bodies ; 

 but no satisfactory reason has been given of this peculiarity. 

 Dogs are provided by nature with a number of very acute 

 olfactory nerves in the nose, evidently given them for the 

 purpose of following their prey, and which, joined to an un- 



