Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-08-06
FOX STORIES.


Cubs.
Let us take a glance at the private
life of our foxes, says the Country
House. The vixen lays up her cubs in
early spring, in mild winters very often
in January and February, but l should
say that most cubs are born in March
and April. She chooses nice, quiet
place to draw her earth: often some
cornfield is chosen that has been al
ready sown. for foxes are very clever
and soon discover that n field that has
been worked is not likely to be dis
turbed for some time. She selects
suitable bank and i'll that produces her
| cubs, which average, as rule. from
five to seven in number. At first, of
! course. they eat nothing but live en-
! tirely upon their mothers milk like
/ puppies. but soon they require more
nourishment and nature prompts their
fond percent TO provide them with some
thing more substantial. This she does
by eating small rabbits, birds, rats and
beetles. which on arriving home she
! casts up for her family in exactly the
same way as a dog does for her young,
AS soon as the cubs grow big enough
to come out OF the earth and play about
I the vixen removes them to another
earth where there Is a plentiful supply
of water-as little foxes are thirsty
! little souls and require plenty OF drink
One of the most charming sights is to
see family of baby foxes at play. The
vixen is now assisted by her spouse in
providing for her family. and they
both bring in young birds, rabbits. etc.
A fox larder is one of the most wonder
full sights know of. and certainly our
friend reynard is very catholic in his
tastes, for nothing comes amiss to him.
from a beetle or cockshafer 10 Young
lamb. Rabbits also form a large item
in his bill Of fare. but moles anu rats are
the staple food so that it is not all dam
age that our little Red Rover accom-
plishes. No doubt a hungry vixen lie
not particular. but one cannot blame
her If she helps herself a bit too freely
for it is hard for her to travel far fol
her young ones support.
Fox stories that have happened with.
in my knowledge have been many and
various. On one occasion very nice
litter Of cubs was brough, 10 tho house
They were too young to 10 well without
their mother and with one exception
they all died; but this little survivor
was adopted by a Pomeranian dog
who at the time had litter Of puppies
and took to her founding quite hap
> PLY. This cub grew up and used Il
come in to dessert with the rest OF tn.
pipe. They all lived in the pantry ant
II were quite happy family, living to
: gether until the cub was Il year Old
j. when it broke its chain and escaped
After three or four days 1t returnc,
: and from time to time used to 60 an
" come at its Will: but alas, one da
5 never returned! never heard OF he
1t death, so we may hope she lived to
U good old age. In the Fitzwilliam eau,
> try | once saw a very pretty fox tina
y had three white pads, bu; | never sa,
e it but once again. In Devonshire
u fox used always to live on ;he top Of
d pheasant stack in one of tho covert.
u he was always to be found there an
u in the summer did not mind peopl
A. walking past the stack: but Direct
} the hunting season began the shuttil
ie of the gate was quite enough for OF
H. friend. who left at once. He va
II hunted for several seasons, but new,
IT, caught. He was very beautiful 70
T. with a great deal OF white about h
H. throat and neck.