Originally published in 1906. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are now republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. PREFACE: Exceptional opportunities of observing foxes in their native haunts from year to year opportanities denied to many of which I gladly took every advantage. One has been able ill the early summer to sit for hours and watch the cubs at play, with nothing to disturb the solitude save, perhaps, the occasional harsh screech of a passing jay, or the hoarse croak of a carrion crow in the distant pine woods, making it difficult to realise that one was within a i-rlile or so of what, I regret to say, may almost llour be considered a suburb of London. As one lies in bed at night one frequently hears the foxes barking far out on the heath- a weird sound, which reminds us of how lonely and lovely this country must have been some 150 years, or less, ago, in the exciting days of Dick Turpin, mail coaches, and the high-aymen of Bagshot Heath. All this is changing rapidly alas too rapidly and soon I fear the bark of the fox will here be heard no more, and the bricks of the builder will have taken the place of the pine trees and the heather...