thb: fox. 



289 



the badger will frequent the subterraneous retreats, 

 not only for temporary concealment, but also, for a 

 permanent abode : — and this, without disturbing 

 Reynard's family. 



In a like manner, we see amongst our own 

 species, people of very opposite characters, inhabit- 

 ing the same floor of a lodging house. 



From time immemorial, our fox-earths, here 

 at Walton Hall, have been famous in the annals 

 of vulpine venary. They had been made under 

 the roots of some fine old oak trees, on the side 

 of a verdant hill, rising gently from the lake. 

 In early youth, I would often mount into one of 

 these ancient sons of the forest on a moonlight 

 night, to watch the foxes at their vesper pastime. 

 Thus seated aloft, I could see the cubs as playful 

 as kittens, catching each other by their brushes, — 

 now standing on three legs, as if in the act of 

 listening, — then, performing somersets, sometimes 

 snarling, — sometimes barking ; and often playing 

 at a kind of hide and seek, as we used to do, when 

 I was a lad at school. 



On one occasion, whilst I was thus perched 

 aloft, old Reynard, brought a fine pike, weighing 

 I should say, full three pounds, to the mouth of 

 the hole, and instantly it was worried by the brood. 



At the final breaking up of these ancient fox- 



