THE FOX. 
859 
facing an enemy if they can help it, they 
have both courage and fortitude, and, when 
caught in a trap by the paw, have been 
known to gnaw the member off rather than 
be taken. They subsist upon birds and 
game of all sorts, eggs, rats and mice, and 
almost any thing of an animal kind, and, as 
we have seen, they will also eat fruit; but 
their favourite food is poultry, and they will 
run almost any risk to obtain it. It is a 
little singular, but quite consistent with 
their character, that in captivity they will 
hardly ever touch poultry, even when it 
comes in their way.” 
“Iliad a tame fox once,” said Sidney, 
“ but he got away after a while. I think 
they are apt to get away.” 
“ Yes: they are impatient of captivity 
and are always trying to escape. They are 
playful when young, and have many curious 
ways. They breed only once in the year, 
and have five or six cubs, which they nou¬ 
rish with the greatest affection : a female 
fox has even been known to steal a puppy 
and bring it up as her own. They have 
more intonations of voice than almost any 
other animal,—yelping and barking, mur- 
