Fox And Geese. Take a piece of well-seasoned wood, about nine inches 6quare, and cut off the corners, so as to make it octagonal; then draw, cut into the wood, and afterwards paint, or simply paint, the figure shown in the accompanying diagram, and bore a hole at the junction of the lines, as indicated by the O's and O's in the figure. Fix four or eight small feet to the board, and then prepare the eighteen men.

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The men are divided into seventeen geese and one fox, the latter of which is distinguished by its size and colour. The men may be cut out of a piece of wood, and should be somewhat like the annexed figure and size. They may be turned for a few pence.

Instead of having a wooden board, the above figure may be drawn upon a piece of cardboard, and chequer or draught-men used instead of the others, distinguishing the fox by placing one man above the other, the same as a king in draughts.

Sometimes this game is played with sixteen men instead of eighteen - viz. fifteen geese and one fox.

When about to play, arrange the fox in the centre of the board, as indicated by the square black mark, and the geese at the stations or points marked thus - O ; if seventeen men are used, the two extra geese must be placed in the two blank points - O.

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The fox can move both ways, either backwards or forwards; the geese can only move forward, in the direction of the right lines; but they cannot pass over two spots at one time.

The object of the game is, for the geese to pen up the fox so that he cannot move, and for the fox to reduce the number of the geese by taking as many as he can, which he does by jumping over every one that has a point or hole before or behind him that is not filled up.

The geese cannot take the fox if he stands close to them; but the fox may always take the geese, provided there is a blank point before or behind it, as described above.

Neither fox or geese can move more than from one point to another at a time, unless previously agreed upon, and they must always keep along the line.

If a skilful player has the geese, the fox is almost sure to be penned up, and therefore the fox should not be too hasty in his moves.