The Lamar register., 1896-06-20
FOX STORIES.
nov tn. Mother Looks After Her
Cubs.


House. The vixen lays up her cubs in
early spring. in mild winters very often
in January and February. but should
say that most Cubs are born in March
and April She chooses nice. quiet
place to draw her earth; often some
cornheid IL chosen that has been al
ready sown. for foxes are very clever
and soon discover that field that has
been worked is not likely 10 be dis
turbed for some time. She selects a
suitable bank and In that produces her
cubs, which average. as a rule, from
ave to seven In number. AT first, OF
course. they eat nothing but live en-
tireiy upon their mothers milk. like
puppies. but soon they require more
nourishment and nature prompts their
fond parent to provide them with some
thing more substantial. ThIs she does
by eating small rabbits. birds. rats and
beetles which on arriving horne she
casts up for her family in exactly the
came way as dog does for her young.
As soon as the cubs grow big enough
TO come out OF the earth and play abou,
the vixen removes them to another
earth where there Is a pientifal supply
OF water-as little foxes are thirsty
little souls and require plenty OF drink
One Of the most charming sighte Is 70
see a family OF baby foxes az play. The
Vixsn Is now assisted By her spouse In
providing Tor her family. and they
both bring In young birds. rabbits. etc
A fox larder ia one OF the mos; wonder
tnl sights l know OF. and certainly our
friend reynRrd is very catholic In his
tastes. for nothing comes amiss to him,
from beetle or eoekshafer 10 young
lamb. Rabbits also form = large Item
In his bill Of fare. but moles and rats are
the staple food. 80 that Il is not all dam
age that our little Red Rover accom-
piishe= No doubt a hungry vixen Is
not particular. but one cannot blame
her n she helps herself bit too freely
sor 1. Is hard for her to travel far for
her young ones support
Fox stories that have happened with
In my knowledge have been many and
various On one occasion a very nice
litter OF cubs was brought TO tho house.
They we're too young to do well wIthou,
their mother and with one exception
they all died: but this little survivor
was adopted by PomeraniSn dog.
who at the tlmo had Hitter OF puppies,
and took TO her founding quite hap
PLY. This cub grew up and used 10
come In TO dessert with the rest Of the
dogs and would sit up and smoke 3
pipe. They all lived in the pantry and
were quite a happy family. living to-
sether until the cub was year old.
when IT broke It's chain and escaped.
After three or four days 1t returned
and from time to time used to 70 and
come at It's viii; but, alas. one day
never returned never heard OF her
death. so We may hope she lived to \
good old age. In the Fitzwilliam eoun-
try once saw a very pretty fox that
had three white pads. but I never saw
1t but once again. In Dsvonshire q
FOX used always to live on the top OF a
pheasant stack In one OF the coverts
be was always 10 be found there and
In the summer did not mind people
walking past the stack. but directly
the hunting season began the shuttine
OF the gate was quite enough for our
friend. who left at once. He was
hunted for several seasons. but never
caught He was a very beautiful fox
with a great deal OF white about his
throat and neck.