FOXES, CATS, AND LAMBS.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—Some months ago a letter appeared in your paper on the subject of foxes, and lambs, and cats, and I have been trying to write my experiences on the subject, but till I read a letter in your issue of August 25th on the subject of the fox and cat, I thought they 'could not interest you. One summer morning, in Co. Kildare, I watched a scene very similar to the one described by your correspondent, but my fox was not so rash, Or perhaps he was not so hungry,. for there was no fight. It was very early, shortly after sunrise, in June or July, and my stable cat was sitting on one of the garden-paths, with its back to a flower border, and facing the grass lawn ; in the grass was a large dog fox, walking backwards and forwards in a half-circle about three yards from the cat ; the cat did not seem the least perturbed, it did not rise or show any signs of fight, but just moved its body round so as to keep its face to the fax. I watched the performance for some little
time, and at last the fox decided that he was not "taking any," and he loped off. I cannot believe now that foxes kill many cats, as your correspondent seemed to think ; nor does my experience as regards lambs agree with his. There were no fewer than three litters of cubs in the fields with my ewes and lambs on one occasion ; I did not lose a. lamb. There was always at least. one litter in a wood on the lands, and I have only once seen a lamb's leg at the mouth of the earth ; the remains of many hares, some rabbits and an occasional fowl of sorts, but as I say, only once any sigh of a lamb.-7-
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