The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-09-27
TWO SMART FOXES.
rtsy Protected Their Home by an In
R.nious stratAgsm.

g.nious strstagsm.
IL IL doubtful II there Is any other
animal la the world so cunning as the
fox. 1t certainly exercises reason,
since 1t provides against new contin-
gencies as fast as they arise. Here Is
a story which exhibits almost human
calculation.
A pair OF red foxes took up their
home on a Dakota farm, on knoll In
q wheat-feld, where they began 10 rear
four little foxes.
Every day, while narrowing and
sowing wheat in the field" says the
farmer. IL saw the two old foxes lying
on the little mound In front OF their
home. The kits rolled about In the
sun, played with the bushy tails Of
their parents. and enjoyed themselves
apparently az much as a group OF kit
tens.
Zone morning neighbor came
10 work in field adjoining, bring
ing with him dog, and the
dog. with all the curiosity OF his
kind, soon began the investigation Of
both farms. lie was still a long dis
tance from the fox-don when j heard a
sharp, warning bark and saw the kits
disappear As / looked, the mother
fox lay ~ the mound, her ears erect,
her nose on the ground, all attention,
The father OF the family, with his big
tail swinging in the wind, trOtted
toward the dog.
"Can he intend 20 attack himp
wondered. had never heard Of such
a thing, and the dog, though not a
large one, was still larger than the
fox. But reynard knew his business
better than /. lie approached the in
truder until the dog saw him, when
both stopped for an instant, and then
the dog gave chase. The fox, with
bark Of defiance, turned and ran in u
direction away from his home.
"At first the dog seemed TO gain
rapidly upon the fox, but | watched
them for nearly mile before they dis
appeared In the prairie grass. and con-
cluded that the fox was able TO keep
out Of the others way.
''ln about an hour the dog returned
from "a fruitless chase, and for n time
he contentedly followed his master.
Then he began prowling around again.
"All this time the mOther-fOx had
remained on the mound, n picture Of
quiet vigilance; but now, as the dog
again venturcd Scar, she rose and
trottcd toward him, and the dog was
soon chasing her over the prairie.
Hardly had they disappeared when tho
oalc trotted back from some hiding
place and took the position vacated by
his mate. The dog returned after u
time, unsuccessful rs before.
During the day he was again and
again tempted TO chase. first by the
male and then by the female, and
while the one kept him busy, the other
watched over the young, who did not
show themselves after the first sight OF
tho dog.
at is hard TO say which we admired
most: the bravery Of the pair in chal-
longing the dog 10 "A race that would
have proved fatal had he caught them,
their ingenuity in taking turns, SO that
each might be fresh when chased,
their skill in leading him away from
their young. or their cleverness in
throwing him of their track when far
enough away. ."-Golden Jays.
President Diaa, during the four
yenrs of his administration in Mexico.
han rendered substantial services TO
science by encouraging archaeological
Investigation and taking measures for
the preservation of ancient monu-
monts and historical remains. Tho
ruins Of Xochicalco and the pyramids
of Tcotihuacan have been explored
and tho scarchcrs rewarded by many
interesting discoveries. An archno-
logical map Of the Republic has been
made and the palaces OF Militia In
closed, for their preservation. by o
great wall.