24, THE LIFE OF A FOX.

us, that we soon took little notice of them,
except by going from one part of the wood to
the other. Indeed we were rather benefited by
them than otherwise, for we occasionally picked
up a wounded or dead bird, hare, or rabbit, and
after eating as much as we could, we always
buried the remainder, scratching a hole in the
ground with our claws, and covering it over
with earth. Even this made us enemies ; for
when by accident the dogs smelt it, and drew it
out, the keepers immediately told their master
that if they were not allowed to kill the foxes,
there would not be a head of game left.

Constant disturbance after this induced us to
return to the strong gorse where we had pre-
viously been, and which was nearly impenetrable
by shooters ; but we had not been here more
than a few days, when, about ten o’clock in the
morning, towards the end of October, I was
again alarmed by hearing Foster the hunts-
man’s now well-known voice; “Sawyer, get round
the other side of the covert: if an old fox breaks
away, let him go, stop the hounds, and clap them

12