COMMON FOX. 
3 
the Trent, and the Leicestershire portion -was bounded on the east by a line 
running through High Cross to Barton, in Nottinghamshire. . . . Previous to 
the time of Edgar, the district was greatly infested with Wolves.” Selden, 
in his notes to Drayton’s ‘Polyolbion’ (ix. 76), refers to the Manor of Piddlesey, 
in Leicestershire, which was held by one Henry of Angage per serjeantiam 
capiendi lupos, and quotes as his authority ‘ Hist. Leicesters. 27 Hen. Ill- 
in Archiv. Turr. Lend.’ For this last note I am indebted to Mr. J. E. Harting, 
F.L.S., F.Z.S. (see ‘ Extinct British Animals,’ p. 142). 
COMMON FOX. Vidpes cdopjex (Linnseus). 
In such a Fox-hunting county as Leicestershire, it is needless to say, 
the Fox is resident and generally distributed. — Mr. H. S. Davenport, writing 
from Ashlands, Billesdon, says : — “ We occasionally draw coverts blank, and 
find Foxes up great trees.” Mr. S. Shackelford, of Husband’s Bosworth, 
Rugby, writes as follows: — “In September, 1881, a friend and I were shooting 
over a large field of turnips in the parish of Saddington, accompanied by two 
beaters, a marker on Horseback, and a Spaniel Dog. On our first beat we put 
up three Foxes ; my friend then said : — ‘ It will be of little use walking over 
these turnips any longer, for we shall find no Birds, there being so many 
Foxes.’ I, however, persuaded him to try another beat ; we did so, and found 
a, good covey of Partridges, at which we had four barrels, my friend bringing 
down a brace, and I one Bird. My friend’s second Bird dropped from eighty 
to a hundred yards in front of us, when to our great amazement the last 
Fox we had started deliberately turned round, met us, fetched the wounded 
Bird, and ran off with it over a brook on to the brow of a hill, where we 
watched it enjoying its repast, notwithstanding all our shouting and the mounted 
marksman galloping after it as far as the fence by the brook.” The ‘ Illustrated 
Sporting and Dramatic News’ of 12th Nov., 1881, gave a full-page illustration 
of this occurrence, shewing one beater only, two Pointers, two guns, a mounted 
marker, and a Fox carrying off a Partridge in turnips; but no details were 
published, except that it was an actual occurrence, and that the Bird was a 
hen Pheasant ! 
The following incident, related by my friend Mr. Thos. Macaulay, 
IM.R.C.S.L., of KIbworth, occurred on the farm of Mr. J. Perkins, at Laughton 
who vouches for the facts : — A labourer at work in a ploughed field saw a 
Fox come through the hedge with a Rabbit in his mouth ; proceeding some 
distance into the field he laid the Rabbit down, and, scratching a hole, 
placed the Rabbit therein, covered it over, and then took his departm’e. So 
soon as the Fox was gone the man went to the place and took up the 
Rabbit. About an hour afterwards he saw two Foxes come into the field 
nnd go straight to the spot where he had seen the Rabbit buried. One of 
them began to search for the Rabbit, but not finding it, he cast round in 
