Running with the Fox by David Macdonald lands on the shelves of my shop.
Unwin Hyman, 1987, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Black & White Drawings; Diagrams;
From the cover: From an early age, David Macdonald fell under the spell of foxes. He tried to observe them from a crudely-constructed hide and when this failed, he made plaster-casts of fox paw prints. The secretive life-style of the animal intrigued him. Yet its reputation was inconsistent: was it the epitome of cunning, the villain of childhood fables, the scourge of the hen run, or a noble quarry? What was behind the myth behind the fox?
On reaching Oxford University, Macdonald decided to devote his time to the study of foxes. His research was unusual: he did not restrict himself to books, but instead resolved to gain first-hand experience by watching this animal. He learnt the technique of following foxes through the night, recording every aspect of their behaviour and discovering facts that other naturalists had failed to notice.
He relied on the latest technology of radio-tagging, night-vision binoculars and often simply on his own extraordinarily tough attitude towards physical discomfort. During his 15-year study in farmland, mountainside and suburban sprawl, the author came to employ many of the same skills as the red fox. He learnt to lie motionless for hours in freezing conditions, he tracked and stalked from dusk till dawn and, keeping always in the cover of the woodlands edge, he learnt the art of running with the fox.
At times, he was able to observe his wild subjects at excitingly close quarters by means of a succession of hand-reared cubs (which acted as spies in the world of wild foxes). One of these, his vixen Niff, was the subject of the acclaimed BBC film The Night of the Fox.
Now, as an Oxford research fellow and the worlds leading authority on the red fox, David Macdonald has written the story of his lifes work. So vividly does he transport us into the world of the fox that you can hear the eerie screams of courting vixens, smell the pungent scent which hangs in the damp morning air and share his elation at seeing cubs gambolling in the long grass.
His painstaking observation reveals the true nature of the beast quite different to its folkloric image. Running with the Fox is a stunningly original insight into one of our most adaptable and beautiful animals.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Small damp stain to the upper board matched on the reverse of the upper panel. Text complete, clean and tight.
Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 224 pages. Index. 10″ x 7¾”.
Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!
Fact or Fable Book Shop 