Foxwarren Park



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This enclosure is surrounded by a fox-proof fence which, where it passes

the garden, is completely hidden by passing along a cutting, an ideal

arrangement allowing an unobstructed view from the house and garden.


This enclosure is a very beautiful and most interesting place in

which all of the mammals and birds have done remarkably well.

Wallabies have increased greatly in numbers, and at the present time

every female has a large “ Joey ” in her pouch if it has not already

left this. Spotted deer and hog deer have increased from three or

four to a herd, and the same may be said of blackbuck. Amongst

quite a large flock of Sarus Cranes are some with full powers of

flight, and to see these sailing down the valley in full flight is a

wonderful sight.


Chukar Partridges are all over the place, both inside and outside

the enclosure, all now paired and nesting. It is strange that this

species appears to be always tame and will merely move out of one’s

way with a protesting and almost hostile gesture. There are Pheasants

here too, three hen Monauls are either sitting or conducting their

chicks through the undergrowth while their husbands have had to

be confined on account of their murderous tendencies towards other

kinds of pheasants. Junglefowl, both Red and Grey, inhabit the woods,

both inside and outside the fence.


One descends from the high ground, passing plantations of small

birches, clumps of gorse and bracken, beneath pine trees and oaks,

stopping on the way to admire the wallabies with their heavily-laden

pouches, or startled at the sudden springing up of a Chinese water

deer, of which there are many in the enclosure, which will lie until

nearly trodden upon, and then dash off like huge hares. We come to

the Waterfowl ponds, which have been cleverly formed from a stream

supplied by a ram which ensures a continuous supply of fresh water.

Like the rest of the collection, the Waterfowl are of many kinds, and

some very rare. The Pink-headed Duck, to be seen nowhere else in

Europe, is represented here by several males with brilliant pink heads

and blackish bodies, and one female. There is quite a little flock of

Cotton Teal, most difficult to import but thriving at Foxwarren.

Mandarins are really establishing themselves, several full-winged birds

breeding in barrels fastened in the trees from which the ducklings



