nclusion that the
only way to improve conditions in this line was to breed some of the
animals in captivity. We did not then know of any enterprise of that
kind, but I remembered in the zoological gardens at Washington seeing
a healthy batch of young fox pups born in captivity.

Life is short. Things have to be crowded into it. So we started that
year an experimental fox farm at St. Anthony. A few uprights from the
woods and some rolls of wire are a fox farm. We put it close by the
hospital, thinking that it would be less trouble. The idea, we rejoice
to know, was perfectly right; but we had neither time, study, nor
experience to teach us how to manage the animals. Very soon we had a
dozen couples, red, white, patch, and one silver pair. Some of the
young fox pups were very tame, for I find an old record written by a
professor of Harvard University, while he was on board the Strathcona
on one trip when we were bringing some of the little creatures to St.
Anthony. He describes the state of affairs as follows: "Dr. Grenfell
at one time had fifteen little foxes aboard which he was carrying to
St. Anthony to start a fox farm there. Some of these little animals
had been brought aboard in blubber casks, and their coats were very
sticky. After a few days they were very tame and played with the dogs;
were all over the deck, fell down the companionway, were always having
their tails and feet stepped on, and yelping for pain, when not
yelling for food. The long-suffering seaman who took care of them
said, 'I been cleaned out that fox box. It do be shockin'. I been in a
courageous turmoil my time, but dis be the head smell ever I
witnessed.'"

When the farm was erected, every schooner entering the harbour was
interested in it, and a deep-cut pathway soon developed as the crews
went up to see the animals. The reds and one patch were very tame, and
always came out to greet us. One of the reds loved nothing better than
to be caught and hugged, and squealed with delight like a child when
you took notice of it. The whites, and still more the silvers, were
always very shy; and though we never reared a single pup, there were
some born and destroyed by the old ones.

As the years passed we decided to close up the little farm,
particularly after a certain kind of sickness which resembled
strychnine poisoning had attacked and destroyed three of the animals
which were especial pets. We then converted the farm into a garden
with a glass h