Grumberg watches his protégés with jealous care, and intends to offer them to a zoological garden in Stockholm; but on the night of the departure the foxes, who for a long time past had been working to effect their escape by gnawing through the boards of the cage, made good their escape and fled into the mountains, pursued by the sailors, who gave chase. They are not caught yet. I much doubt whether Grumberg will be able to catch them again next summer. But who knows; Fate is so fitful! You ought, said some one, to have attached a “favour” to their tails, so as to recognise them again. I, on my part, remarked that these young foxes might, perhaps, have been acquainted with La Fontaine’s fable, entitled “The Little Fish and the Fisherman,” and that they would be sure to return to him as soon as they had grown to a reasonable size. And I amused myself by producing a revised copy of this fable, specially re-edited to meet the circumstances. TRANSLATION. The little fox will grow a big fox, Provided God will grant him life; But to release him in the meantime I think would be foolish indeed. Two foxes that were but foxlets, as yet, Quite young little things, Were captured by chance By the good Doctor Grumberg On the Isles of Spitzbergen. “All is fish that comes to the net,” said he, on beholding his prey. They will serve to start a collection; Let us make a pretty cage for them. One of these foxlets, regretting his captivity, said to him, in his own fashion,— “What are you going to do with us? We should make a very poor present for a small museum. “Let us grow up into foxes; you can catch us later on, some fine day, and a good museum will pay you a good price for us. “Whereas, in order to make a gift worth giving, you would have to get about a hundred of our size, which gift, after all, would be little worth.” Little worth? “Well then,” replied the hunter, “that may be. “My good friend, Renard, you who preach so well, you must go into the cage; and you may say what you like, it will be made at once. “‘One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,’—one is sure and the other is not.” But the two foxlets, deaf to these remarks,—possibly they did not understand the doctor’s language,—worked so hard and so well, that one day the learned man, in search of curiosities, found an empty cage. The amiable Dr. Ekelund has rarely had any occasion to act in his professional character, as apart from a few jammed fingers and other minor injuries the state of health is excellent. Hence he employs his leisure time in pulling nails out of cases, or else he prepares for stuffing the birds of various species which he has killed when out hunting. During the inflation of the balloon, he superintends the action of the gas apparatus, and takes turns in this duty with Professor Arrhénius and Stake.