The National tribune., 1902-04-10
THE GRAY FOX.
Personality and Habits OF the Daring Free
booter of New England.
Country Life in AmericG.)

Country Life in America)
Up in the northwest corner Of Con-
necticut is tract OF country that might
well be called ''the White Mountains of
, Southern New England" From the val
| ley of the HOusatonic River there are al
most sheer activities of upwards of 900
feet, and one may find almost any sort
of picturesqueness that is desired-preci-
| pices, mountain-torrents, ice-gOrges, trout
| brooks, forests, swamps, and vistaS of
winding river with the splendid hills as Il
background. Here, within two or three
hours ride Of New York City, various wild
mammals still continue i'll gOOdly number.
| Foxes and wildcats wage war on farmers
chickens, and i'll their turn are Outwitted
by the trapper, along with minks, rae
coons, skunks, and occasionally an otter
Doubtless, the red fox has always
abounded, but it was only 20 years ago
according to expert trapper testimony
that the gray fox began to poke his griz-
/ zled nose into this preempted territory.
/ lie liked it and the flavor of Connecticut
chickens so, although naturally Of South
ern predictions, he has made himself
thoroughly at home, and is now nearly as
numerous as his red cousin.
Judging by mere appearances, one would
incline to believe that nearly all the foxes
of the region are now grays, for the gray
| is given to appearance, after the bOdest
| fashion, seeming to court publicity, while
the red has far greater dread of man,
and carefully holds himself aloof. Last
of chicken killing in the yards of
the residences along the main street
Of the village of Kent. About dusk
there would arise clamor from
some roost or coop. The family
would dash out to see dim gray form
bound lightly over the fence, and find,
next morning, the remains of the victim
only few rods away i'll some field of corn
or tobacco. So bold did he grow that he
would rush the hens by daylight before
the owners very eyes. Soon the whole
neighbOrhoOd was laying" for him. One
night he put foot into one of my traps, but
when L examined it in the morning, only
a few gray hairs were left to tell the
tale. After a while matters became
rather warm for him, and he evidently de-
cided to bestow his attentions elsewhere.
This proceeding is characteristic of the
gray fox. No red would dream of daring
such impertinence. But the gray, if he
takes the notion, will trot boldly up to a
house i'll broad daylight, trusting to his
legs to speed him safely OH his way i'll
case his appetite receives checkmate.
Late i'll March or early i'll April the
young grays come into the world i'll the
learn TO spread CONSERVATION among the
humber creatures around them, wild and
domestic They like woods, rocks, and
hills The red fox inhabits prairie or open
country, as well as the woods, in some
parts of his habitat, but the gray would
pine amid such banenness. Hence the
species is often known as the wood gray
i'll recognition of these tastes and habits.
The further careers of our young grays
however. illustrates .Ihe truth that fear
after all, may be Il wholesome thing. Ii
is better to lose fat than life. Even fox
craft cannot match, that of man. Man
sets his wits to work; the red fox loses
fat, but many Il gray his pelt. Gray can
run fast enough 10 get to his hole when
the dog barks, but not when the trar
snaps If he had a little more of the
grace of reverence ill his makeup, it would
be better for him. So for every red that
is caught, the trapper gets Il dozen grays
in this locality.
My friend. Mr.. +. III. Austin, of Gay