The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-21

Let us take q glance at the private
life of our foxes, The vixen lays up
her cubs in early spring, in mild WIN
ters very often in January and Febru-
airy, but / should say that most cubs
are born in March and April. She
chooses a nice quiet place to draw her
earth; often some cornfield Is chosen
that has been already sown, for foxes
are very clever, and soon discover that
a field that has been worked Is not
likely to be disturbed for some time,
She selects a suitable bank and in that
produces her cubs, which average, as
rule. from five to seven in number. AT
first, of course, they eat nothing, but
live entirely upon their mothers milk,
like puppies, but soon they require
more nourishment, and nature prompts
their fond parent to provide them with
something more substantial. This she
does by eating small rabbits, birds,
rats and beetles, which on arriving
home she casts up for her family in ex
actly the same way as a dog does for
her young. AS soon as they grow big
enough to come out of the earth and
play about, the vixen removes them to
another earth where there is a plenti-
full 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 their fami-
ly, and they both bring in young birds
rabbits, etc. A fox larder is one Of the
most wonderful sights know Of, and
certainly our friend Reynard is very
catholic in his tastes, for nothing
comes amiss to him. from beetle or
cockchafer to young lamb. Rabbits
also form large item in his bill of
fare, but mo1es and rats are the staple
food so that it is not all damage that
our little Red Rover accomplishes. No
doubt hungry vixen Is not particular
but one cannot blame her If she helps
herself a bit too freely, for it 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 were brought to the
house, They were too young to do well
without their mother. and with one ex
ception 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 happi-
ly. This cub grew up, and used to
come in to dessert with the rest of the
dogs, and would sit up and smoke a
pipe They all lived in the pantry, and
were quite a happy family, living to-
gether until the cub was a year old,
when 1t broke its chain and escaped.
| After three or four days 1t returned,
and from time to time used to go and
come at It's will; but alas one day new
er returned! never heard of her
death so we may hope. she lived to a
| good old age. In the Fitzwiliam coun-
try / once saw very pretty fox that
had three white pads but I never saw
ii but once again. In Devonshire a fox
used always to live on the top Of a
pheasant stack in one of the coverts:
he was always to be found there, and
in the summer did not mind people
walking past the stack; but directly
the hunting season began, the shutting
of the gate was quite enough for our
friend, who left at once, He was hunt
ed for several seasons, but never
caught He was a very beautiful fox,
with a great deal of white about his
throat and neck.-The Country House
(England).