THE FOX 133 



kennel, the scent does not exude from under him, 

 that is, from the ground he lies upon, until he 

 moves away, according to the old song — 



And Saucebox roars out in his kennel. 



But the most convincing and satisfactory proof, 

 that the scent does come from the touch of the 

 animal is that, when the ground carries after a 

 frost, there is even a burning scent on turf and 

 sound hard ground, until the hounds get on a 

 fallow or ploughed ground, when they will feel the 

 scent for a few paces only, and it will entirely go 

 until they are held across the ploughed field ; and 

 when they are again on turf or sound ground, or 

 going through the fence, they will hit off the scent 

 immediately, as the foot is clean and touches the 

 ground ; which is accounted for by the foxes' feet 

 gathering earth as soon as they tread on the 

 ploughed ground, which on being pressed adheres 

 to the bottom of the feet (which is called carry- 

 ing) ; consequently, prevents the feet from touching 

 the ground ; until this, which forms a clog and is 

 sticking to the feet, is worn off by a few steps 

 on the sound ground, after leaving the ploughed 

 land. 



Another proof that the scent by which the fox 

 is hunted by hounds does not come from the body, 



