HIND-HUNTING. 147 



days the huntsman often begins his work at 

 nine in the morning. 



When a hind has been found, and the 

 hounds are following, she not only depends 

 on speed, but gives every possible trouble 

 by doubling. She will go round and round 

 a field, like an old hare, and then leave 

 it by a great leap to foil them. At these 

 breaks of the scent the hounds are checked, 

 and sometimes the young hounds will begin 

 to run it back the wrong way ; they are 

 then said to ' hunt heel.' The ancient term 

 was to ' hunt counter,' a term constantly 

 found in old books and plays to express the 

 sense of travelling with the back to the 

 object sought. The hounds are then follow- 

 ing the ' heel ' of the deer. Older hounds 

 on coming to a check, when they lese the 

 scent, cast round, that is, make a small circle 

 till they find it again, and some are very 

 clever at this. 



Sometimes if the snow is deep — not 

 thawins — a hound will thrust his nose 



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