THE FOX. 
ii 
the water ; and the burrow rises gradually upwards, so that at 
the extremity the animal is lodged on dry ground. It is in- 
stinctively careful to avoid too close a proximity to the surface 
of the earth, lest the roof of its home might fall, and disclose 
the interior to the unwelcome light. 
The Fox is a well-known burro wer, its 6 earth ’ being familiar 
to many by sight, and to all by name. 
Few persons, who do not know the history of the Fox, would 
believe it to be capable of forming excavations of such extent. 
The fore feet of the mole are clearly formed for digging, their 
sharp claws penetrating the earth, their broad palms acting as 
shovels, and their powerful muscles giving the needful force. 
These limbs are essentially used for digging, and are but little 
employed as means of locomotion. But the Fox is an admirable 
runner, as any hunter can avouch, and its fore limbs are formed 
for speed and endurance, their length enduing them with the 
one quality, and their muscular lightness with the other. Yet, 
just as the digging limbs of the mole are used for locomotion, 
and enable the animal to proceed at no contemptible speed ; so 
the running limbs of the Fox are used for digging, and enable 
the creature to excavate burrows of no contemptible dimensions. 
The Arctic Fox ( Vulftes lagopus ), an animal which dwells in 
the polar regions, is notable for the extent and structure of the 
burrow. In order to shield itself from the inclemency of the 
climate, it digs to a considerable depth ; and it is rather remark- 
able that a solitary burrow is seldom found, twenty or thirty 
Foxes generally sinking their tunnels in close proximity to each 
other. 
Perhaps this semi-sociality may be accounted for in a very 
simple manner, namely, the suitability of some particular piece 
of ground, to which the Foxes flock by instinct, and in which 
they drive as many burrows as the ground will accommodate. 
This conjecture is the more likely to be true, because sandy 
spots are always chosen for this purpose, where twenty or thirty 
burrows are often sunk in close proximity to each other. Such 
spots would be peculiarly suitable to the Fox, because the sandy 
