land, when, being pursued very hotly, the fox leaped on to the top of
a turf-stack, where he laid himself down quite flat. At last, one of the
hounds perceived him, and he was obliged again to run. After this, he
climbed up a stone wall, whence he sprang on to the roof of a cabin near
by, and mounting to the chimney top, from thence inspected his enemies.
An old hound, however, followed him, and was on the point of seizing
him, when Reynard dropped down the chimney into the lap of an old woman,
who was smoking her pipe at the corner. The hound did not dare to
follow, but the sportsmen came up, and entering the cabin, found it in
possession of the fox; the frightened woman and children huddled into
one corner, and the fox (who was taken alive) grinning at them.

In all ages of fable, the fox has been the principal hero. The most
ancient fables on record, those of Lokman, the Arabian, from whom AEsop
took most of his, gives him a very conspicuous place among the crafty
courtiers of the lion. The chief phrase of which the wily flatterer
makes use, as he bows with affected humility to his sovereign, is, "Oh,
Father of Beauty," by which indirect compliment he generally gains his
wishes. The early German writers have also chosen him as the principal
hero of various histories, and the poem of "Reynard, the Fox," will
live as long as printers and illustrators exercise their art and talent.

The Arctic fox is smaller than ours; even the soles of his feet are
covered with fur, like those of the hare, and he is altogether more
thickly clothed. He has often been supposed to be pied in colour, but
this is only in process of turning to the hue of winter. He is in these
climates a much more gregarious animal, and several families live in the
same earth. Bishop Heber mentions one in India, which feeds chiefly on
field-mice and white ants, and this probably is the species of which the
natives say, that he can turn nine times within the space of his own
length. He is about half the size of the European.

Much valuable fur is derived both from European and American foxes,
where there is a great variety of colour, not depending on temperature.

In Ireland there is a small animal called a fox, which does not eat
flesh, but contents itself with vegetables, and is so perfectly
harmless, that it roams about, unmolested even by dogs.

HYAENAS.

There cannot be a much more uninteresting animal than the hard-hided,
knock-kneed Hyaena