17 



of the wire. If stones are placed alon^^ the edge of the wire, they 

 make no effort to dig at all, as tunneling undei* seems never to occur 

 to them. So far as known none have escaped hy digging, but a few 

 have managed to climb out. The overhanging wire at the top effect- 

 ually prevents this at most times, but an unusually heavy drift of 

 snow in winter sometimes enables them to reach an elevation from 

 which they can leap to the top and scramble out. In several cases, 

 however, they have returned to the inclosures and climbed back or 

 have been caught in traps set for them nearby. When at large, foxes 

 do not often climb trees, but in confinement they do so readily and 

 voluntarily, often lying curled up in the thick branches of a spruce 

 or fir for hours. 



Although in general of suspicious nature and inclined to be un- 

 friendly to man, foxes in confinement usually maintain good relations 

 among themselves. If well fed, they seldom fight, or if they do it is 

 without fatalities. In a few cases two or more have turned upon a 

 fellow captive and killed or badly crippled it, but usually this has 

 been due to underfeeding or to improper handling during the rutting 

 season. Except Avhen young, they snap and bite at their keeper if he 

 attempts to handle them; so they are separated or transferred by 

 driving them from one inclosure to another through gates arranged 

 for this purpose. When this is not feasible, they may be driven into 

 boxes and so moved. They stand shipment well and may be boxed 

 and sent on a journey of several days by rail with perfect safety. 

 Foxes have been shipped even so far as from Alaska to Maine, but 

 unless specially cared for in transit they do not often survive such a 

 long journey. 



DISEASE. 



So far as known, fatal disease has been so rare as to be negligible 

 in any general consideration of fox raising. Here and there an 

 animal has died of some unknown internal complaint, but no par- 

 ticular disease has manifested itself. Nothing in the nature of an 

 epidemic has thus far appeared, and even minor diseases have been 

 exceedingly few. Improper feeding causes temporary bowel trou- 

 bles and a few foxes are reported to have died from a " dizziness in 

 the head," supposed to have been caused by eating too much meat. 

 Fleas occasionally have px^oved troublesome and may even cause the 

 death of young animals. No doubt foxes may contract mange and 

 other diseases to which dogs are subject, but if kept in cleanly quar- 

 ters and fed properly they are reasonably safe. 



CAUSES OF FAILURE. 



The principal cause of failure in attempts to breed foxes appears 

 to have been lack of close personal attention. This is required even 



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