108 FIELD NOTES FOR THE YEAR. 



juniper, which is frequently six feet high, the staunch little 

 pack threading t'neir way through it. Across they go, and 

 over the swamps, the buck springing from hillock to hillock 

 wherever he can find footing. The beagles make their way 

 wonderfully, often in view, but as often tumbling into the 

 holes of water which they sometimes can scarcely get out of ; 

 however, I am generally at hand to help them, and once 

 again on terra firma, off they go headed by old " Durwood," 

 who begins now to think of killing. Straight through the 

 thicket where we first found, across a wide tract of smaller 

 and more open wood they run without a moment's check, 

 startling the blackcocks, who, rising as the hounds pass, 

 perch on the summits of the fir-trees, looking down with 

 wonder at what is going on. Away goes the roe, not fifty 

 yards ahead of his persevering little followers, and they are 

 now all in a wide tract of fir-wood, with the rankest heather 

 in it that I ever saw : straight through this they go to the very 

 sea-shore, putting up the curlews as they skirt the sands. 

 But it is of no use ; the beagles become more eager every 

 moment, and after half an hour's hard running round this 

 tract near the shore, the buck seems suddenly to change his 

 mind, and turns directly inland again, at a sharp angle to 

 his course. A short, but very short check ensues ; the 

 hounds are soon in full cry again, and after pressing him 

 hard through the cover, he is driven to some sandy hillocks 

 in the midst of the wilderness and here comes the trial of 

 the hounds. Up and down, and round and round every one 

 of these does the roe go at a foot's pace, but manag- 

 ing to keep always out of view ; by this he recovers wind ; 

 and, going slowly over the dry sand, leaves as little scent as 



It won't do, however : the beagles, headed by the old dog, 

 stick to his track, and wind in and out the hillocks after 

 him, keeping the scent in a manner that is quite incredible. 

 Away goes the buck again to try a new scheme. He sud- 

 denly dashes across a wide opening and gets to some high 

 close furze : through this he winds his way, followed, however, 

 by the relentless hounds, who, regardless of rabbits, &c., stick 

 to his scent, although it is getting colder and colder. The 

 evening is coming on, and the frost is becoming severer. The 

 rabbits, too, help to put the dogs out. But the roe is viewed 

 as he passes out of the furze, and we run him over some high 

 hillocks which have great clumps of furze on them. Here 



