34 BRITAXNY AXD THE CHASE. 



went. " No wolf to-day," said I to my friend, " unless he 

 be a greater fool than I take him for;" and so it proved. 

 At cross-roads a halt was made, and a comicil called to 

 examine the numerous relics of the coproliie order usually 

 deposited there. These were handled and smelt at, and 

 finally pronounced to be the visiting cards of Monsieur 

 Loup. There was, however, no doubt that he had been 

 there, as on the previous night he had killed eleven sheep 

 on a neighbouring farm, leaving the carcasses for the 

 farmer ; for the wolf is a dainty eater, and only picks a 

 bit here and there as suits his palate. As soon as we 

 arrived at the forest, we received the reports of the piqueurs 

 or keepers, and all was satisfactory ; the wolf, or rather 

 wolves, had been there, and had not been seen to go away. 

 The gentlemen v>dth guns were then posted at the discre- 

 tion of the louvetier, and the dogs were uncoupled and 

 turned in. The horns sounded, the dogs bayed, men 

 halloed, and all was excitement. In such a chase they 

 converse by means of the horn, having distinct points or 

 onots for each • phrase ; for instance, one blast announces a 

 wolf, another a fox, another a hare, and so on, even down 

 to the discovery of a coprolite ! With all this, and the 

 natural communicativeness of the nation, it may be ima- 

 gined that there is no lack of blasting among them. At 

 my particular request, I got posted alone in a quiet nook, 

 and had hopes that by keeping still I might have some 

 chance of seeing his majesty. The horns were sounding 

 furiously; "There must be something," and I anxiously 

 looked out. But an hour passed, the horns as lively as 

 ever, but no wolf; another hour, and still plenty of music, 



