mselves down upon the water as before. This occurred so frequently,
that at last they scarcely troubled themselves to flutter out of the
way, even when about to be touched by the drifting bough.

The gentleman, meantime, marking the regular intervals at which the fir
branches succeeded each other in the same track, looked for a cause, and
perceived, at length, higher up the bank of the stream, a fox, which,
having evidently sent them adrift, was eagerly watching their progress
and the effect they produced. Satisfied with the result, cunning
Reynard at last selected a larger branch of spruce-fir than usual, and
couching himself down on it, set it adrift as he had done the others.
The birds, now well trained to indifference, scarcely moved till he was
in the midst of them, when, making rapid snaps right and left, he
secured two fine young ducks as his prey, and floated forward
triumphantly on his raft; while the surviving fowls, clamouring in
terror, took to flight, and returned no more to the spot.

THE LABOURER AND THE SLY FOX.

A labourer going to his work one morning, caught sight of a fox
stretched out at full length under a bush. Believing it to be dead, the
man drew it out by the tail, and swung it about to assure himself of the
fact. Perceiving no symptoms of life, he then threw it over his
shoulder, intending to make a cap of the skin, and ornament his cottage
wall with the brush. While the fox hung over one shoulder, his mattock
balanced it on the other. The point of the instrument, as he walked
along, every now and then struck against the ribs of the fox, which, not
so dead as the man supposed, objected to this proceeding, though he did
not mind being carried along with his head downward. Losing patience,
he gave a sharp snap at that portion of the labourer's body near which
his head hung. The man, startled by this sudden attack, threw fox and
mattock to the ground, when, turning round, he espied the live animal
making off at full speed.

THE FOX IN THE HEN-ROOST.

I cannot help fancying that Irish foxes are even more cunning than their
brethren in other parts of the world, I have heard so many accounts of
their wonderful doings.

Near Buttevant, where some of Mrs F--'s family resided, there happened
to be a hole in the thatch of the fowl-house. A fox, finding it out,
sprang down through the aperture, and slew and feasted all the night to
his heart's desire. The intruder, however, had not reflec