THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 231 



which all must admit, that when the ground is in such 

 a state that a pedestrian might carry off nearly enough 

 land upon his shoes, to entitle him to a vote for the 

 county, that the feet of a fox, or hounds, are in like 

 manner encumbered. It is also evident (for I do not, 

 by any means, deny that there is, in proportion, as 

 much scent in the pad as in any other part,) that when 

 a fox takes with him, instead of lea\ing behind, those 

 portions of the earth immediately subjected to contact 

 with that matter which he, 



" Through the network of his skin, perspires ;" 



there must be far less scent than when there is the 

 effect of contagion from the earth, to add to the in- 

 fection of the air; but because many hounds require 

 to be lifted over ground that carries, does it prove 

 that there is no scent " from the body or breath of 

 the animal, but from the touch" ? On the contrary, 

 unless it is pretended that every particle of scent is lost 

 on such occasions, it goes to prove, that the only scent 

 with which many other hounds can, and do, persevere 

 (hounds, I mean, which are not constantly lifted), not- 

 withstanding the clogs which prevent the feet of the fox 

 from touching the ground, must be in the air. 



Mr. Smith proceeds to say, that " another proof, that 

 the scent by which the fox is hunted, does not come 

 from the body but from the touch, is, that when hounds 



