II 4 THE FOX 



common fox have the distinctive odour except the 

 little Bengal fox. The Arctic fox which, however, 

 is a separate species has it not, and the Eastern foxes 

 have it to a much less degree than those of Europe 

 or America. We are prepared therefore to find that 

 the foxes we hunt differ to a considerable extent in the 

 trace they leave. The secretion of the scent depends 

 on the individual animal, on its strength and maturity, 

 and probably to a certain extent upon its sex. I 

 think dog foxes have generally a stronger scent than 

 vixens. Thus it is quite possible to hunt two foxes 

 consecutively under apparently similar conditions 

 and to find that hounds can scarcely hunt one fox at 

 all but will run eagerly after the other. We say that 

 scent has improved, and so no doubt it has, but, in 

 fact, we have before us a fox with more and stronger 

 secretions. A fox that lies still apparently gives no 

 scent at all, and as we know a hound may actually sniff 

 at a bush under which a fox is lying and pass it by. 



When, however, the fox is in motion and he grows 

 warm with pursuit the scent becomes stronger; but 

 as soon as he begins to tire and his strength to fail, 

 the scent grows fainter and sometimes ceases altogether 

 to be emitted. A fresh fox will lead most hounds 

 astray from the line, the trail of the newly aroused 

 animal being so much more attractive than that of 



