. The pests of the farm; being an account of the various depredating animals, birds, and insects which annoy the American farmer . mislead an incidental observer. But by the fineness ofits fur, its liveliness of color, length of limbs and slenderness ofbody, as well as the form of its skull, it is obviously distinguished. Red foxes are very numerous in the middle and southern statesof the Union, and are everywhere notorious depredators on thepoultry-yards. Their haunts are most commonly in exceedinglydense thickets, where they can scarcely be followed, even by dogs. 28 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. L
. The pests of the farm; being an account of the various depredating animals, birds, and insects which annoy the American farmer . mislead an incidental observer. But by the fineness ofits fur, its liveliness of color, length of limbs and slenderness ofbody, as well as the form of its skull, it is obviously distinguished. Red foxes are very numerous in the middle and southern statesof the Union, and are everywhere notorious depredators on thepoultry-yards. Their haunts are most commonly in exceedinglydense thickets, where they can scarcely be followed, even by dogs. 28 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. Like all his kindred species, the red fox is distinguished by the--ion of keen senses and great sagacity or craftiness, whichenables him almost to hid defiance to traps, while his strength andswiftness of toot render it extremely difficult to capture him in thechase. Once fairly roused by the hounds, this animal dashes offwith great speed, and soon far outstrips pursuit, and did he notlose the advantage of his celerity by remitting his efforts, mightsoon render the exertions of the sportsman nugatory. But the ^ s ^;^>S2||. THE FOX. persevering hounds again and again drive him to his utmost speed,and eventually wear him down, though not until a wide extent ofcountry has been traversed, and huntsmen, horses and dogs havesuffered severely from fatigue. The general color of this fox when in full summer pelage, isbright ferruginous on the head, back and sides, but less brillianttowards the tail. Beneath the chin it is white, while the throatand neck are a dark gray, which color is continued along the an-terior part of the belly in a narrower stripe that passes along thebreast. The under parts of the body towards the tail are verypale red; and the anterior parts of the fore legs and feet,as well as the fronts of the inferior part of the hind legs, are QUADRUPEDS. 29 black. The tail is very bushy, but less ferruginous than the body,the hairs being mostly terminated with black, which
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