Pacific Rural Press, Volume 60, Number 25, 22 December 1900 — How Foxes Get Rid of Fleas. [ARTICLE]

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How Foxes Get Rid of Fleas.

By an old hunter and naturalist of local repute a story has been told here confirming as absolutely true and trustworthy the published account, which has had few believers until now, of how foxes rid themselves of fleas. The fox, according to the book narrative, backs slowly into a stream of water with a portion of the pelt of a rabbit in his mouth, after the fox has made a meal of the rabbit. The water drives the fleas first up the fox's legs and then towards his head and finally out on the piece of rabbit fur, and then the fox drops the fur, and his pests are done for. The local hunter and naturalist referred to, strange to say, had never heard or read of this story when he told of the actions of the fox which he observed in the waters of the Patapsco river. The little animal, he stated, backed into the river slowly with so much deliberation that he wondered what it meant. It carried something— he did not know what —in its mouth, and dropped the something when out in deep water. Then the fox hurried away. The object left floated near to the observer, and he hauled it ashore with a stick. Fleas literally swarmed through the object, which was found to be a bit of raw rabbit fur. The observer had a puzzling mystery explained to him. He says his admiration for the shrewdness of the fox grows more and more as he grows older and learns his ways.—Baltimore Sun. Tn a small provincial theater a soldier, arriving late, found all the cheaper seats occupied. Seeing, however, a few of the more expensive places vacant, he made towards them. 11 Here, where are you going ? " called an attendant after him. "Where am I going ?" replied the Tommy, cheerfully. "Where a good soldier should go—to the front of course." "Look here, sir!" exclaimed the maiden lady, " I want you to take back that parrot you sold me. I find it swears very badly." " Well, madam," replied the dealer, " it's a very young bird ; it'll learn to swear more perfectly when it's bit older." —Philadelphia Press.