34 FOXHUNTING ON LAKELAND FELLS 



teen pounds — with half the left ear gone, doubtless 

 the result of a fight. 



At his own pace a hill fox can go for ever, and 

 it is when scent is rather permanent than strong 

 that extra long runs take place. Even on the 

 roughest fells there is always some ground where 

 hounds can press their fox, and so by degrees get 

 on good terms with him. It is the pace which kills, 

 in addition to the superior condition of the hounds. 

 If a fox has gorged himself overnight, and hounds 

 find him early in the morning, he is not in con- 

 dition to show them a clean pair of heels, for he 

 cannot, hke a heron, Hghten himself by throwing 

 up his food. The consequence is, if hounds get 

 away on anything hke good terms, they burst 

 him in a very short time. On the other hand, 

 if he has come from a long distance in search of a 

 vixen, he is not hkely to have let hunger draw him 

 away from love-making, so should he be forced to 

 run for his life he can do it on an empty stomach, 

 and his course is likely to be in a bee-line back to 

 his own country. Then, if scent is good, the pace 

 wiU be a cracker, and many miles will be covered, 

 ere he is rolled over or run to ground. It 

 is in spring that most of the longest runs take 

 place, when the dog-foxes are on love-making 

 bent. 



The pace of a fox is very deceptive. He moves 

 with a ghding action that carries him swiftly over 



