316 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



very likely, because you see we must liave a clever 

 man for a huntsman, while, you know, any cl — d 

 fool does for a parson ! " 



The curate stuck spurs to his beast and vanished, 

 and the mighty hunter pursued his way to tlie 

 kennels without further vexation. 



To recur as^ain to scent. There have been writers 

 who, as previously alluded to, because their pointers 

 could not find a dead or wounded bird, mooted it 

 as their opinion that creatures had the power of with- 

 holding their scent, and thus leaving no intimation 

 to the dog as to where they had fallen or hidden 

 themselves. I sim^^ly recur to this childish idea, to 

 show how few there are wise enough to take charge 

 of the much more gifted dog. I do not think that 

 '^fear" in the common course of nature takes from 

 the fetid exhalations of tlie breath or body of the 

 frightened thing ; perhaps it would be a mercy in 

 some human instances if it did. The idea of a 

 power being given to the brain and form of birds to 

 shut off scent as if it were steam, is so preposterous 

 that I am almost ashamed of having alluded to it ; 

 but, perhaps, in this true liistory it may be right to 

 illustrate it witli a few of the ridiculous imagings of 

 others, who, tliough they may liavc taken pen in 



