152 THE FOX IN SUMMER 



the gift fox into Mr. Hazey's preserves. From this 

 I gather that there is much difference between the 

 scent of the Leadenhall gentleman and that of the 

 genuine article. This, of course, by no means proves 

 that wild foxes have not all the same scent ; but it 

 happens that the casual manner in which I once saw 

 a keen pack of foxhounds hunt a bagman first set 

 me thinking that all wild dog foxes might not throw 

 out the same odour, and subsequent observations 

 have satisfied me that they do not. 



But to what purpose, these reflections upon scent? 

 What is the use of bothering about the matter? 

 After all, it is not in our power to alter it ; and, if 

 we could, we should probably do harm. How many 

 of us would come out hunting if we knew a bad- 

 scenting day was before us ? And yet what fun we 

 have, what pretty hound work we oftentimes 

 witness, what lots of sociability we enjoy, even on 

 a bad-scenting day ! For my part, I think that 

 much of the wondrous enchantment connected with 

 the chase would be lost were we always sure " to 

 ride to a scent breast high." Hunting rises superior 

 to all other pastimes by reason of its infinite variety ; 

 and anticipation is not the least of its pleasures — the 

 anticipation of sport which is so largely dependent 

 upon this perplexing scent. 



To whom, then, can these reflections be of any 

 sort of benefit? 



From my window, as I pen these words, the sight 

 of the eternal rain pelting upon the brown surface 

 of a Highland lochy, and the dense wet mist on the 

 moors has brought sorrow to my soul. But lo ! a 



