15 MAY 1947, Page 17

Lake Foxes

While on the subject of more or less deleterious animals I may be allowed, in spite of its sanctity, to deprecate the fox. On many of the fells of Cumberland and Westmorland the sheep have suffered terribly ; and when ewe and lamb have both managed to survive both are weak. Normally the Herdwich dam is so lusty a defender of its young that it will keep the fox at bay, and very few single lambs (though twins are more .vulnerable) are killed. But this spring the weakness of both mother and child has been exploited by the foxes, and the losses have been great among the few survivors from the weather. The inevitable result has been more widespread use of poison and " They love not poison who do poison need."

Especially those who possess dogs.