Evening star., 1945-08-02
This and That
By Charles Z. TraceueU
LANGLEY PARK


Dear Sir:
I'VE live in open country miles from
the District line.
On some six occasions during the
present summer, we have been disturbed
around dawn by an animal which we
aHectlonately call the barking cat
Its bark, repeated about 10 times in
20 seconds, during its jaunt around the
mouse, can be exactly simulated by in
haIlng and sharply and loudly whisper
Ing the monosyllable wa (the letter a.
as In wag), opening ones mouth to the
widest extent in doing so.
Some weeks ago when our friend paid
us visit after dawn hoped from bed
to window and described in the bare
light what thought to be large GIN
ger cat we have seen several times IN
daytime. but was our nocturnal prowler
he?
Gould our guest not be gray or red
fox or wildcat, or something else IN
four paws?
Very truly yours, L. M. c."
Malcolm Davis of the National Zoo
logical Park says the animal Is red
fox, and we are inclined to agree with
him.
Mr.. Davis, who has been around in
his time, and knows the sounds of hun
dreds of animals and birds, says there is
a red fox at the Zoo which makes the
"wa-wa-wa" Sound at him every time
he passes its den.
AS described by our correspondent, the
cry Is much like that made by a small
boy initiating machine gun!
1t is interesting to know that red
foxes come so close to the borders of the
District Of Columbia, and even at times
are In 1t, especially in Rock Creek Park.
Racoons and opossums are still left in
small numbers in our wooded areas.
Cows may be heard mooing in both
nearby Maryland and Virginia, and at
the height Of the big rain one Sunday
a black horse came clop-clopping along
our sidewalk all by himself.
"Wa-wa-wa-wa" is fox for chicken.
When he makes that noise, he is after
some food for his young in the den.
The red fox is a good father and hus-
band, taking home all Of the food he
finds, to be shared with his mate and
babies.
The male Is about So inches long, the
female somewhat smaller.
The animals eat wide variety OF
food, including woodchuck. hare, rabbit.
mouse and now and then a young lamb.
Other foods are chicken, partridge. fish.
crabs. frogs, beetles, mice and other de-
structive rodents.
Chickens are favorites, both In song
and story and actuality. The red foxs
destruction of rodents is held to offset
his chicken catching. After all, If
chickens are kept properly, there is not
much chance for fox to get at them.
Around here the dog-and man-are
the fox's worst enemies. In the wilds
both wolves and lynxes can catch them.
:. The fox is subject to rabies, and in
summer is covered with fleas. The odor
of the foxs den is not nice.
-Four to nine cubs make up a litter.
They are born in the first week of April.
the mating having taken place late in
February or early March.
The eyes Of the cubs open at about the
ninth day. The babies remain in the
den until they are month old, and
with the parents until cold weather sets
in. They are about full grown by Sep
tember.
The color is beautiful, bright yellow
rufous above, white underneath, feet
black We don't know whether it is
national pride or not, but most Amer
ican hunting experts believe that the
American red fox is far superior to the
English fox in speed, endurance, cum
ming and resource
This unusual animal often curls up in
a ball in the sun to sleep and then re-
sembles an old field stone. His admirers
say he knows 1t, too. 1t is not for moth
ing that the fox has reputation for
cunning the world over.