Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-29

Putting the name Of the genus and
the specific name together the trans
lation of the gray fox's name is "ashy-
silver mouse killer" The average
length Of the gray fox is 80 inches
(Stone and Cram) and in build he Is
slighter, and lighter in weight, than
his cousin, the red fox.
The range is from New York and
New Jersey, south to Georgia, and in
the Mississippi valley north to Ten
nessee. He Is replaced in Florida and
in the west by slightly different varie-
ties.
The general color scheme is as fol-
lows:
General color, gray, hair-banded
black and white; darker on the back.
Sides of the neck, ears and band across
the breast rusty red; tips Of ears black,
feet and parts Of leg rusty, as well as
the under surface of the body. Inner
side Of legs, throat and breast white.
Tail much coarser than that Of the
red fox without the soft under fur"
(American Animals.)
The deep gloom Of virgin forest, a
waving straw field beyond stretching
east, with long shadows growing
quickly longer a worm fence between
field and forest; a half-mile away out
lines Of an old settlement rising amid
black locusts and just over the fence
in the field, his brush lifted, a short,
rasping bark or two, and then a gray
form melting into waving straw; the
picture is as clear as though 1t all took
place yesterday, instead Of nearly
forty years ago.
"On memory's wall" hangs another.
The gray Of dawn, mist rising from
nearby bottom and rolling in from the
tawny Saluda in rolls like huge
blankets; everything dripping wet,
yellowing leaves saturated with mist,
each bush and vine loaded with 1t and
when shaken throwing water off like
rain; from the branch bottom below,
echoing in and out amid hills came the
cry of hounds, now and then breaking
out loud and strong as the trail warm
ed; out of a second story window I
watched until bedraggled form came
through the cotton patch, hardly able
to drag himself along. the brush trail
ing on the ground; then over the fence
from below, first the leader, and then
the full pack, sweeping up like squad
ron of Jeb Stuart's cavalry. The gray
fox was trying to make the big barn,
under which he had probably found
shelter before, but the pack was too
fast for him, one young hound heading
him off. There was nothing for 1t but
a desperate race for the nearest branch
bottom, in which the briar patches Of
fered at least temporary security and
rest for another race. There were two
fences between and this offered slight
advantage. The fox would have won,
but a stray young hound, coming up
behind, cut across him, just as a
horseman, mounted on superb black
stallion, leaped the low field fence and
rode across the lower lawn, where the
young hound had just headed the fox
and closed on him as he reached the
fence. Then ensued. for few seconds
desperate struggle. 1t was an old
dog fox and the hound was just emerg-
ing from puppyhood and was badly
bitten-only a few seconds, however,
until the pack closed in and moment
after a tall man was holding aloft a
fox torn almost in half, as he sounded
his horn calling in the hunt.
In some portions Of eastern South
Carolina the gray fox Is so numerous
as to be a positive menace. OF all
the animals in the state the fox alone
is protected by law along with deer-a
game animal Whenever fox bill Is
introduced the entire general assem-
bly, gives ear. At one session an agri-
cultural committee laid aside every
thing and decided to extend protection
on foxes; each year has seen further
Drotection.