244 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



own consideration ; but having had occasion to differ, 

 most materially, from the Diary upon the nature of 

 scent, which forms the burden of this chapter, I cannot 

 conclude the disquisition without reference to one of 

 those novelties which I have pronounced to be utterly 

 beyond comprehension. 



The fifth chapter of this Diary of a Huntsman, 

 professes to be a Glossary of " Hunting Terms ;" the 

 preceding chapter having offered an explanation of 

 " Huntsman's Language." Casting my eye over these 

 valuable elucidations, being attracted to the article of 

 " Moving Scent" (page 125), I was struck by the appear- 

 ance of a word, which, as pertaining to the vocabulary 

 of a sportsman, or being applicable to hounds, " shewed 

 strangely to my sight." — " Metal." — " When hounds are 

 very fresh, and fly for a short distance on a wrong scent, 

 or without one, it is called all metal" Now what kind 

 of metal is here meant, the writer alone can explain. 

 To call a hound as good as gold, is no uncommon ex- 

 pression ; but neither to this precious commodity, nor 

 to silver, platina, tin, iron, lead, or copper, can this 

 flying on a wrong scent, have either direct, or indirect 

 affinity, unless in connexion with the fact, that metals 

 of all kinds are almost impervious to the effect of dew. 

 Can it be that they have too much brass, or, after all, is 

 this metal the predominant material, and is the compo- 



