The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
X WITH A SYSTEM.
AN INSTANCE OF AhrAZING ANIMAL
CUNNING IN TIRGINI1.
II IL from tho Experience OF n Colonel whose
Close Observation Frustrated the Pusa-in-
the-Corner Tactics or u Fox syndicate OF
FIyr-Iiis Howard OF Five brushes.

FIve-Iiis Howard OF Five brushes.
Everybody knows that foxes arc smart" said
the Colonel, but everybody doesn't know how
particularly smart tho foxes down in Virginia
arc. We hunt the fox down there only with the
horse md hound. Any Chump can shoot n fox.
It takes n man to run one down n-horscback,
especially when the foxes IRE as smart as they
nrcin Virginia.
81 remember onco that a party of us started
n big fox down there, and he led us n beautiful
chase up hill and down dale. For five good miles
he kept u neat lead and then the dogs began to
press him close. When they were not more than
n half dozen rods behind him, and lie was evil
IDENTIFY getting very tired, he Owed into the end
of II hollow log. We OF course thought that his
brush was ours, but before the dogs got to the
old trunk out popped the fox ut tho other end of
It. The trunk was hollow NIL tho way through.
Away the fox went again as if Inc had n new
lease of life. He kept II big lead of the dogs and
hunters with apparent cnsc. For another five
miles we g~allopcd behind that rosky fox. lie
kept right on his course, bearing gradually
around TO tho direction In which tho chase
began. A t tho end of five miles the fox Jagged
again. md the dogs were showing the effects or
the run. But they were gaining rapidly on tho
tired fox, and it seemed that in n few seconds
moro he would be their prey, when no jumped,
or rather tumhlcd, into a ditch, which had n pc
culiGr overhanRing bank, under which he crept.
/ was riding in the lead, and when l saw how
neatly the fox had trapped himself, l couldn't
help but think he was n chump, and had no bust
ness to be fooling away our time. But before
the dogs reached the ditch, out came the fox,
just where he had entered. He leapcd from tho
ditch with the agility and case of a cat, and
away he went again, ut a pNcc that soon left
both dogs and hunters o good way in the rear.
"Our dogs were getting pretty we'll windcd,
but the nggravating tactics Of the fox put new
vim into them and they flcw across another five
mile stretch, the fox always in sight. Tho fox
was NOW bearing directly toward tho starting
point, which was II good ten miles away. When
the run had, covered another i've miles or 50 tho
fox gradually fell oil In his speed nnd again tn"
DOGS were closing mp on him with the same pros
poets of OVERLAPPING. him and rovcugins them,
selves. | was still riding in front, and =" cnderca
whether it could bc possible Tor that fox
10 outwit W. a third time. While I was, think;
loosely ut the edge OF the woods. He paused NJ
the brush pile, looked back TO sec hOw close the
dogs were on him, and thou crept quickly into
of sight under the pile. The dogs gave II yc!p OF
triumph, and ] Couldn't help shouting a little
cNultant!y myself. Tor we were within ten feet
Of the pile. and there didn't seem 10 be any pos
sihlc escape for the fox. The DOGS reached the
like II shot, out OF the other end of the pile
went the fox again. When The dogs saw
expressions Of astonishment and despair on
their faces. But there he was ~srooting away
again across the country as Il he hadn't run n
mile that day. The dogs soon recovered them
selves and oil they went on the trail in full cry.
But they couldn't lessen tho distance bet wccn
actually stopped and waited ,Or them. When
they got to within 4 hundred feet or 50 OF him.
mcnt, away Went lt"ynarG again, with the dogs
nj his heels. Another tivc-milc run took Us 10
within a short distance of tho cover where
most surprising animal began To lag and
show signs, OF wcnriness. A ,st"aGy run
pN ftgRn - INfl,Z Iuif told M l-aFG IfFsf mt
hounds, and there was no reason in the world, |
thought, why This fox shouldn't nov he at The
end OF his endurance. great ma he hla shown IL
TO be. There was IA thick copsc o. willow bushes
near where We had stG:tc! the fox, and tho
animal was makins directly FOR ii.
III he eyer gets into that tang!c,' said I, he
surely hnsnt strength enough 10 worry his way
well, he did get into that tanGlc, some way
or other. and as the dogs ran up and were sur
rounding it out he jumped again. and on Ike
the wind he went over. the same course We hnd
started on IN the morning. The dogs howicd in
dismay. The hunters swore. and even Tho
on the part OF that fox. But it wouldn't do to
let him defeat W., and go on we went again in
his wake. / need only say that the fox led us TO
the hollow trunk again. into which 1t crawlrd,
tired out. and out OF the other end Of which it
went again. epparently refreshed and rested; 10
the ditch, to the brush Pile. to the tmi2!r" OF will
lows; and then II started 10 have the chase all
oyer again for the third time. But we had to
and there was the 10. starting away FOR another
tw!.nty.milc run as fT'sh as a d"isy!
inc tllttbItltl illlE Is IL SDOOh ION. CA
claimed one disguised hunter.
That opinion was, shared by Others, and We
ever lost II fox. Bat we went out the next day
and the next day, and tried TO run that foN
down. Exactly the same experience followed.
they Hl declared that they didn't intend to wear
oGt their horse. and dogs chasing q apr4h fox
out alone. ] started tho fox as usual. Tho no!-
low trec episode followed. Then tho act ut
the ditch; later. the feat with the brush ril".
/ had uIulp M NV mind that mt tn, Tangled
willows would solve the problem. and GoG that
GHnrgosc ! had taken NIX rGy9iyer T'qn%, When
end tho ,chnso right there " pniiin~ a hal!
through him From Inc brush pile the, fox lei
Us to the willow. as usual. As he loilcd toward
thci:l ] noticed for the first time that at The root
OF his tail n patch OF his fur had been rubbed OF
OF inches across. Tie fox entered the thick vii.
lows. and rode up TO send n bullet through
] was about to shoot him when | noticed that he
didn't have any bare spot al ne root Of his tail:
Then, for tho tira! line. u dark s%mspicion seized
upon me. didn't shoot, hut !c' the fox so On.
with tho dogs utter him. disinoIntcd, tied my
horse, and took immediate nasures 20 soc II ny
suspicious were correct. kicked and pounded
against those willows. and presently out crcpt -
fox. ne was tired and he had a bare spot ut tho
",Ahu." said !. Il thought SOL
t;o mT me tire, raSa, y9x i ,ri"" h i% GEL Snd "bW Nv 9m} :! emp
sat sst"d liy IG and Toh mi e l' for " a long nS tine, Hinnn AID ! I'D BY
md BY l heard my dogs in the distance, heldinG
nT, the c9ptsc; ! cE wG'k How my WY ito i the
| $3.50 ''i''t, '''' . 'AA.'tA = w
there long when tho dogs drew near the spot in
full cry. Into tho tan{lc came . foT, tired and
painting. Bat il was plain that he had expected
10 find something there that wasn't there, and
the nstonislIncnt on hi face was somothing well
worth seeing. But before the fox had time to
mako any plans | necked him mud dragged him
out for ito dogs 10 settle with. and they did
II In short order. Convinced now that
/ rode on to tic hollow tree trunk,
/ STATIONED the dogs at the hole nj one end md
ramIEcd u long stick in 40 the o.b"r end. Pop !
went Il fox, right among tho dogs, and in less
than fftoon seconds | had another brush to hang
at my saddle. Thou we went ON 10 the ditch
with the ovGrhnnging bank. My dogs seemed to
have got an mixing of the situation themselves
by this time. and when We got ia the ditch. pcil
nell they went into it, From beneath he over.
hanging ,hnnk Ihey dragged another fox, and
perhaps they didn't take u little rccompcnso out
OF HIS hide. The brush pile yielded us n nth
fox, and with tho five trophies ! went homo.
"The fox had played II on us by huving n fresh
one stationed every tyo miles on the course, 10
take the place of the tired one. and IN bet there
isn't another place outside OF Virginia where
foxes Grow smart enough TO think OF II scheme
like that"