FOX 
ternal oneSy the kinds are extremely diftindl:, though 
no defcripdon can give the juft difcriminations. 
The Fox has ever been famous for liis cunning 
and artifices; and he in a great meafure merits 
the reputation he has acquired. Without attempt- 
ing to oppofe either the dogs or the fhepherds, 
without attacking the flock, or alarming the vil- 
lage, he finds an eafier way of fubfiftence, and 
gains by addrefs what is denied to his ftrength or 
courage. Prudent, patient, and vigilant, he waits 
the opportunity of depredation, and varies his con- 
du6l on every occafion. Self-prefervation feems 
to be his aftuating principle; for, though nearly 
as indefatigable, and adlually more fwifr, than the 
wolf, he does not entirely rely on either, but forms 
himfelf an afylum, to which he may retire in cafe 
of neceffity, where he Ihelters himfelf from danger, 
and rears his young. 
It is almoft invariably true that, among the hu- 
man race, thofe who lead a domeftic life are more 
civilized, and more endowed with wifdom, than 
fuch as wander from place to place: thus, among 
the inferior ranks of animated nature, we may fup- 
pofe that thofe who take pofleffion of an home, 
poffefs a fuperior degree of infhindl. The choice 
of fituation, the art of making it convenient, of 
concealing it's entrance, and fecuring it againft 
more powerful animals, are all fo many indica- 
tions of induftry and fagacity. The Fox poflTefles 
all thefe qualities in an eminent degree, and 
turns them to his advantage. He generally keeps 
his kennel at the edge of a wood, and yet within an 
eafy journey of fome farm-houfe or cottage: from 
thence he liftens to the crowing of the cock, and 
the cackling of the domeftic fov/ls ; he fcents them 
at a diftance; he feizes his opportunity, conceals 
his approaches, creeps flily along, attacks his prey, 
and ieldom returns without his booty. If he gets 
into the farm-yard unmolefted, he begins to level 
all the poultry without rcmorfe; and, carrying off 
a part of the fpoil, hides it at fome convenient dif- 
tance, and then returns to the charge. In this 
manner, he brings them one by one, and thrufts 
them into the earth with his nofe; and afterwards, 
at his leifure, he hides them more compleatly, by 
covering them with loofe earth ; in which condi- 
tion they remain till the calls of hunger ftimulate 
him to pay them another vifit. The fame arts are 
praftifed by him when he finds birds entangled in 
Ipringes laid for them by the fowler ; he very ex- 
pertly liberates them from the fnares, hides them 
for a few days, and knows exaftly when and where 
to avail himfelf of this buried treafure. He is 
equally alert in feizing young hares and rabbits, 
before they have fufficient ftrength to efcape from 
him; and, when the old ones are wounded and fa- 
tigued, he feldom fails to difcovcr them in their 
moments of diftrefs, and to render them his prey. 
He iikewife fearches out for birds nefts; feizes the 
partridge and the quail while fitting; and deftroys 
a large quantity of game. The wolf, indeed, is 
the moft injurious to the peafant; but the Fox to 
the gentleman. In fhort, nothing which can be 
eaten feems to come amifs to him ; rats, mice, fer- 
pents, toads, and lizards, all become the prey of 
this unfeeling glutton. When urged by hunger, 
he will even feed on vegetables and iniefts; and 
thofe Foxes which live near the fea-coafts, for 
want of more defireable food, will eat crabs, 
flirimps, and ftiell-fifti. In vain does the poor 
hedge-hog roll itfelf up in a ball, to oppofe him ; 
this determined plunderer never defifts from teaz- 
FOX 
ing the poor animal, till it is obliged (;o cxieiul it- 
felf, when he inftantly devours it. Walps and vvik^ 
bees are attacked with equal fuccefs : thougli ac 
firft they fly out on their invader, and aftuaJly 
oblige him to retire, their triumph is but fliort; for 
the Fox, rolling himfelf on the ground, cruflies 
fuch as ftick to his fkin ; and then returning to the 
charge, by unremitted perfeverance, and a repeti- 
tion of the fame expedient, he obliges them to 
abandon their combs, and then eagerly devours 
both wax and hone}\ 
The chace of the Fox is more pleafant and 
amufing, and requires lefs preparation, than that 
of the wolf. As dogs have a natural repugnance 
to purfue the wolf, lb they are equally alert in the 
chace of the Fox, preferring it even to the hare or 
the buck. The inftant the Fox perceives himfelf 
purfued, he makes for his kennel, and takes refuge 
at it's bottom, where for a fhort time he lofes the 
cry of his enemies; but the whole pack foon reach- 
ing it's mouth, redouble their veheitience and 
rage; and the little tarrier, which is ufually an affo- 
ciate in the chace, boldly ventures in. It fre- 
quently happens that the kennel is fonried under 
a rock, or among the roots of old trees; and in 
fuch cafes the Fox cannot be dug out, nor is the 
tarrier able to contend with him at the bottom of 
his hole. By this prudent feledion of fituation, 
he generally remains fecure; but as this choice is 
rather accidental than intended, he is commonly 
dug out ; and then the hunters ufually carry him in 
a bag to fome open country, znd there liberate him 
before the expeftant hounds. The hounds and 
the hunters eagerly purfue; the former from an in- 
nate principle, and the latter under the impulfe of 
a temporary frenzy, which agitates the body, and 
prevents the mind from making any reilcdlion on 
the futility of the purfuit. What adds to this en- 
tertainment, is the ftrong fcent the Fox leaves, 
which always keeps the hounds in full cry; but 
though his fcent is much ftronger than tliat of the 
hare, it is much fooner evaporated. His various 
fhifts to efcape, when every retreat is cut off to his 
kennel, are ingenious and furprizing: he always 
chufes the moft fylvan fhades, and purfues thofe 
patlis which are entangled v/ith thorns and briars ; 
he does not double, nor adopt any of the unavail- 
ing eftbrts of the hare; but flies in a dircdl line be- 
fore the hounds, where the fcent is lefs liable to re- 
main ; and, at laft, when overtaken, he defends 
himfelf with delperate obftinacy, and fights with 
' filcnt courage to the very laft gafp. 
The firft year, the Fox is called a cub; the fe- 
cond, a Fox; and the third, an old Fox. He ]» 
eighteen months, or two years old, before he ar- 
rives at his full fize <' 1 perfection ; and, if un- 
molefted, will live frc i twelve to fourteen years. 
As the Fox is inimical to all other animals, 
the various tribes of nature, which in any degree 
poftefs his ftrength, are at variance with him. 
The dog, as already obferved, hunts him with pe- 
culiar acrimony; and the wolf, which is a ftili 
more potent and neceffitous enemy, purfijes hirrt 
to his very retreat. Some authors gravely inform 
us, that the Fox, in order to keep the wolf at a 
diftance, lays at the mouth of his kennel a certain 
herb, to which the other has a particular averfion. 
This fabulous ftory, however, at leaft implies, 
that thefe two animals are as inimical to each other 
as they are to all the reft of animated nature. 
But the Fox is not hunted by quadrupeds alone: 
for thofe birds Vi^hich know him to be their im- 
placable 
