THE FOX 73 



The fact that any dry, hard surface is unfavorable 

 to the hound, suggests, in a measure, the explana 

 tion of the wonderful faculty that all dogs in a 

 degree possess to track an animal by the scent of 

 the foot alone. Did you ever think why a dog's 

 nose is always wet ? Examine the nose of a fox 

 hound, for instance; how very moist and sensitive! 

 Cause this moisture to dry up, and the dog would 

 be as powerless to track an animal as you are! The 

 nose of the cat, you may observe, is but a little 

 moist, and, as you know, her sense of smell is far 

 inferior to that of the dog. Moisten your own nos 

 trils and lips, and this sense is plainly sharpened. 

 The sweat of a dog's nose, therefore, is no doubt a 

 vital element in its power, and, without taking a 

 very long logical stride, we may infer how a damp, 

 rough surface aids him in tracking game. 



A fox hunt in this country is, of course, quite a 

 different thing from what it is in England, where 

 all the squires and noblemen of a borough, superbly 

 mounted, go riding over the country, guided by the 

 yelling hounds, till the fox is literally run down 

 and murdered. Here the hunter prefers a rough, 

 mountainous country, and, as probably most persons 

 know, takes advantage of the disposition of the fox, 

 when pursued by the hound, to play or circle around 

 a ridge or bold point, and, taking his stand near the 

 run-way shoots him down. 



I recently had the pleasure of a turn with some 

 experienced hunters. As we ascended the ridge 

 toward the mountain, keeping in our ears the uncer- 



