132 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



will recollect the following exclamation, when the 

 fox was in hand : " Now, I don't care if I never 

 kill another fox ! " — and yet this one would, it 

 appeared, have gone to ground in five minutes 

 after being found, if he could. The foregoing 

 anecdote not only proves that the best foxes do 

 go to ground early, but also that it is more than 

 probable that many of the best foxes generally lie 

 under ground, when there are large earths. The 

 remedy for which will be proposed hereafter (vide 

 Earth-stopping). It will probably be noticed that 

 in the above run the scent was good — ^which of 

 course a fox must be aware of, as he lives by 

 hunting — and this was probably the cause of his 

 trying to go to ground. There is little doubt that 

 on many days when hounds cannot find, and on 

 which days the scent has been proved to be capital, 

 foxes are under ground ; they are not afraid to 

 stay above ground in bad scenting weather, but 

 take care to be out of the way in good. And on 

 those days, if a pack of hounds come suddenly 

 upon him — ^that is, to draw the cover where he is 

 lying, before he has an opportunity to steal off — 

 it will often be observed that he will lie till they 

 almost tread on him, if late in the day and no 

 drag ; which is one proof that the scent does not 

 come from the body or breath of the animal, but 

 from the touch. And by his lying quiet in his 



