THE LIFE OF A FOX. 31

asleep; though we foxes, however it may seem,
are seldom otherwise than wide awake.

When the month of February arrived, I
showed my gallantry by going and visiting an
interesting young friend of mine of the other
sex in a large covert some distance off, and
there, to my chagrin, I met no less than three
rivals, bos

One morning we were surprised by hearing the
voice of Foster, drawing the covert with his hounds,
and giving his peculiar “ E-dhoick! e-dhoick!
kille-kid—hoick! (probably for Eloo-in-hoick !)”
It seems that none of us felt very comfortable or
much at home here, and all must have left our
kennel about the same time; for the hounds were
soon divided into several packs, and running in
full cry in different directions. Fortunately those
that were following me were stopped ; at which
I rejoiced not a little, having travelled twenty
‘miles the night before, besides my wanderings in
and about the covert. These travellings and wan-
derings are the cause why so many more of us
dog-foxes are killed by hounds in the month of

c 4