FOX CHANNEL, in the Hudson Bay, Canada, named after Luke Fox, who explored the region in 1631. The channel lies between Southampton Island and Baffin Land.
a name given by certain natural ists to the wild dogs of South America, because of their fox-like appearance. Among these are the crab-eating dog (C. cancrivorous) ; the zono, or Azara's dog (C. azarce), of which the °col peop of the pampas and southward is probably a local variety; the small-eared Brazilian dog (C. microtis, of Mivart), and two other aber rant Brazilian dogs (C. urostictus, and C. par videns) for which a separate genus (Notho cyon) has been proposed by Wortman. All these animals have a striking external resem blance in color and form to the foxes, and con nect them with the typical dogs. They are not well known, however. Consult Mivart in the (Proceedings) of the Zoological Society of Lon don (1890) ; Beddard, 'Mammalia) (1902), and writers upon the zoology of South America. See BUSH-DOG, a breed of hounds, concern ing whose origin practically nothing is known, save that they were probably first bred in Great Britain. This, perhaps the handsomest and most perfect of all hounds, is essentially a field dog, presenting an eminently powerful, well built appearance, with his clean-cut, compact body, and giving evidence of muscular strength and endurance in the hunt. The head is full, with a broad brow, a long, wide muzzle, and open nostrils. The ears are set low and lie close to the cheek. The eyes are soft and brown. The chest is broad, and the ribs are deep, so as to afford plenty of breathing space. The mus cular body is set on legs as straight as a post, and very strong; and the feet are round and cat-like. The color varies from black to tan and white, and the coat is hard, smooth and glossy. The American breed is lighter and finerin lines than the English fox-hound, has longer, thin ner and more pendant ears; a slightly narrower chest, and a rougher coat. He is used in fox hunting as is the English fox-hound; but is also employed in hunting the moose, and other large game, especially in the Canadian forests. See Don.
the chase of the fox with horses and hounds, as a recreation. This sport arose in England with the Restoration, when changes in customs and agricultural con ditions caused the disappearance of falconry, and has become surrounded by codes of social usage and of legal enactments. It flourished most in the south-central counties of and in Ireland, and some of the principal organ izations or "hunts" as the Belvoir, Quorn, Pytchley and Cottesmore, were founded early in the 17th century. A "hunt" is an association for the promotion and regular practice of the sport in• a certain district. It acquires a pack or several packs of fox-hounds (q.v.), kennels and perhaps a club-house, is directed by a "mas ter of foxhounds,* and served by paid em ployees, the principal of whom are the "hunts man" who arranges and leads the sport for the day, and the "whippers-in," who see that the dogs work properly.. These officials, and the sportsmen themselves wear (that is scar let) coats when in the field. The expenses are paid theoretically by annual subscriptions, eked out by casual •subscriptions for temporary privi leges, but usually they must be supplemented by a patron,— probably the "M. F. H.," who has inherited the dignity and its responsibilities from ancestors who founded the hunt. Any one may join in the chase, and at Melton Mow bray and other famous "meets" large numbers of outsiders arc often present. In these dis,
tricts foxes are carefully preserved, and the abode and habits of each family of them are studied with reference to the autumnal and win ter sport. At the appointed time the hunters, men and women, mounted and accompanied by a pack of from 25 to 40 hounds, are led by the huntsman toward the place where he expects to "find" a fox. There the dogs are loosed, and range about searching for the scent-traces in the air or on the ground left by the recent passage of the animal. When one finds a trail he gives tongue, the others come to his aid and the pack dash away following the scent. With a bugle-signal or cry of "Gone away!" the hunt follows as straight and fast as possible, keep ing to roads, lanes and gates where possible, but jumping fence and riding over grain-fields and meadows where needful, the hunt paying such damages as follow. This requires a horse of great speed and leaping power, and has de veloped the English thoroughbred hunter. When anyone catches sight of the fox he shouts hallos!*; and the ambition of all riders is to keep close to the racing animals and be on the spot, or "in at the death," when the fox is seized. It is then the duty of the huntsman, or the nearest rider, to save the body of the fox from the dogs, cut off its "brush" (tail), "pads') (feet), and "mask* (head) to be given as trophies to the foremost riders. The re mainder of the fox is cut up and given to the dogs on the spot. Instead of running "straight away" and leading a long chase the fox will often take refuge in a drain or other hole, un less it has been "stopped.* This is called "going to earth,* and he must then be ousted by the aid of a fox-terrier.
Fox-hunting has been carried wherever Eng lishmen have settled, but has found few parts of the world favorable to it. In some countries as on the North American prairies, in Califor nia, and also in Argentina, similar methods are adapted to the chase of other animals, as wolves or kangaroos. In the southern and eastern United States, however, where foxes abound, true fox-hunting has flourished ever since colonial days, when each man brought his own hound or hounds to the assembly; and is still pursued by several established clubs in Virginia, Maryland and southern Pennsylvania, where the nature of the country and the agri cultural habits of the people favor it. These clubs employ a modified form of hound better adapted to the faster and rougher work re quired of it than would be the English breed. A special strain, the Magnes hound, has been fostered by the Maryland clubs, the foremost of which is the Elkridge. More nearly conform ing to the English models is the establishment and hunting of the Meadowbrook Hunt,' on Long Island, N. Y., where, in a level open coun try, largely occupied by extensive estates and within easy reach of New York, the sport has flourished since about 1876, and is likely to be long maintained. The serious conditions of the great world war, and development of the feel ing that it is not altogether manly for a crowd of human beings to chase to the death one small timid animal, have led to a decline in the "sport." An extensive literature has grown up about this subject, and many thousands of titles would be required for its bibliography. A good gen eral view may be obtained by reading the vol umes devoted to the sport in the English minton Library' and in the American 'Sports man's Library.' Consult also 'Encyclopaedia of Sport' (1897).