766 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



on a high road or dry path, and then leave it with a spring, 

 it is often the occasion of a long fault ; as the spring which 

 a hare makes on these occasions is hardly to be credited, any 

 more than her ingenuity in making it ; both are wonderful, 

 and exibit proofs of intelligence incomprehensible to man. 



" Let cavillers deny 

 That brutes have reason ; sure, 'tis something more : 

 'Tis Heaven directs, and stratagems inspire, 

 Beyond the short extent of human thought/' 



She frequently, after running a path a considerable way, will 

 make a double, and then stop till the hounds have passed 

 her ; she will then steal away as secretly as she can, and 

 return the same way she came : this is the greatest of all 

 trials for hounds. It is so hot a foil that in the best packs 

 there are not many hounds that can hunt it : you may follow 

 those hounds that can, and try to hit her off where she 

 breaks her foil, which in all probability she will soon do, as 

 she now seems to flatter herself that she is secure. When 

 the scent lies bad in cover, she will sometimes hunt the 

 hounds. 



'* The covert's utmost bound 

 Slily she skirts ; behind them cautious creeps, 

 And in that very track, so lately stained 

 By all the steaming crowd, seems to pursue 

 The foe she flies." 



When hounds are at a check, the huntsman should stand 

 still, nor should he permit his horse to move one way or the 

 other ; hounds lean naturally towards the scent, and, if he is 

 perfectly silent they will soon recover it. 



When the weather is fine good hounds seldom give up the 

 scent at head ; if they do, there is generally an obvious rea- 

 son for it ; and a good huntsman will turn his attention to 

 if; and if he does, it cannot fail to direct his cast. He 



