Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-01-04
A TALK ABOUT FOXES.

How few people know what an
interesting chap the fox is, said the
naturalist in the New York Sun
They know him only by reputa ion
and that a chicken-thief which he is.
But he has lots Of points, tell you.
A merry, sly dog is reynafd. All sum
mer he lives in luxurious ease, roam
ing the woods and sauntering by the
pearly brooks, or basking in the noon
day sun.
He loves fish; and going down to
the stream he waits till he spies
plump trout. It's | over in a twinkle.
A leap, snap, and off he trots with
his juicy morsel. A stupid crawtish
snoozes by his hole near the waters
edge. Reynard drops his tail in the
water and tickles him with it. The
angered crustacean comes out Of his
hiding place and is seized and crushed
armor and all. When the ripening
corn is ready to drop, and the luscious
fruits have reached their maturity, and
all nature is plethoric with ripening
fullness, then Master Fox is in clover.
Timid rabbits prick up their ears and
run unconscious of danger, along the
hillside the quails skulk noiselessly
in the wheat stubble; birds pour forth
their notes Of praise-and he catches
them all He loves fruits, stealthily
stealing into orchards, where apples
and plump pears tempt, and in the
vineyard he fairly revels in grapes
His cubs grow fat and saucy. He
shows them how to pilfer honey, and
when the busy bees have laid up
winter store he crawls to the hives
near the garden feuce and jumping
up to the small opening licks the
sweet drops with pure delight. Out
come the stinging, humming honey
makers, and settle like pail on his
thick pelt; but he doubles up in
twinkling and rolling over and over
crushes them by the score and eats
them as a relish.
Cunning? No animal beats him.
Look at his brainy head. His delicate
ears-broad below to catch every
sound from the highest note OF the
shrill warbler to the low grooming OF
the cricket, or the distant murmur Of
storm, or the fevered pants OF the
prancing hounds, and tapering SO
sharply to point that they can shape
themselves to every wave Of air that
makes the tiniest rustic of noise. Note
the crafty calculation and foresight
Of the low, fiat brow. WHAT a rose.
Now full of resolute purpose pointing
straight forward, and anon turning
up with concentrated malice and
scorn. The eye, deep set, a regular
robbers eye, lacking the soft beauty
Of the timid deer, or the fascinating
glare of the cats, yet 1t trembles with
modest humility or glares with muir
derous rage, flashing fire aud venge
ance. Energy and self-control speak
in the thin, cynical lips, and the
mouth opens from ear to ear. He can
leap. crawl, run and swim with the
velocity of lightning, and his wiry
body is carried so noiselessly along
that scarce trace is left. His delicate
footballs echo no response even among
the dead leaves Of the forest. His
walk is treacherous his glance sinister.
Selling bunch Of grain in his mouth,
he will swim into the midst Of flock
of ducks and seize the plumpest for
dinner.
He will feign death like a 'possum,
and even the hounds teeth and the
flash of gunpowder have failed to
arouse him A farmer surprised one
in a hen-roost. Believing that the
fox was dead from over-eating the
farmer kicked the stiffened body on
the floor, picked it up by the tail and
flung it out in the barnyard. In
jiffy the fox gathered up his legs and
escaped.
He is voracious, is reynard. When
hunger-pressed, and gaunt and lean
from starvation, he'll not refuse SER
pents, and toads and moles aud rats.
He has been known to attack and Kill
young calves aud lambs, and if the
sesshore il near will revel in oysters
and shellfish. A group OF rabbits are
feeding in clover patch. He'll crawl
along, nibbling the juicy flowers until
near enough to make grab. He'll
stalk bird with his hind legs drag
ging behind him, until near enough
to make spring. How farmers dread
his inroads in the poultry yard. Fas-
ten the yard up tight and he will bur
row winding passage into the ground
beneath and suddenly appear among
the drowsy chickens and stupid gesee,
whose shrill and alarmed cries arouse
the farmer from his bed to sally forth
finding all safe. Then the fox will
sneak back and pack away the plump
est pullet or fattest goose.
February is the month when rey-
nard goes a wooing, and wide range
he takes, flirting and toying with any
vixen that chances in his way. 1t is
fully sixty days before mamma clears
the brush all out of her turrow and
brings forth her young, froea three to