officers and Hunt Assistants 265 



timid animal and almost anything turns his course once 

 he is on the way, he hates to break covert, and will often 

 return to it even if he has to run among the riders and the 

 hounds themselves to accomplish his purpose. In the 

 former case, of course our huntsman has sent the first 

 whipper-in ahead to take up a position on the opposite 

 side of the covert in the best position attainable to view a 

 fox away when he breaks. Approaching covert down- 

 wind also affords him an opportunity to go away in the 

 other direction, — up-wind, — which, giving him more 

 timely warning of approaching danger, is his natural way 

 of travelling. Leaving very little scent behind him when 

 he begins to travel and when sleeping quietly, the fox 

 seems to know that hounds may fairly run over him with- 

 out detecting him, and the huntsman finds it very impor- 

 tant to make the best of a light scent on a day when scent 

 is likely to be poor. In such cases the covert is drawn up- 

 wind, to get the hounds as close on their fox as possible. 

 It is considered justifiable by most huntsmen, when the 

 first whipper-in or a rider views away a fox under such con- 

 ditions, to " lift " the hounds on, out of covert, as quickly, 

 and lay them to the line as far ahead, as possible. The 

 fox may have broken covert up-wind, but it is only a mat- 

 ter of time when he turns short down-wind, probably 

 owing to his being persuaded that since he really is pur- 

 sued, it is the better part of valour to trust to luck for what 

 may be ahead and put himself sharp down-wind in order 

 to keep the longest ear to the hounds and what is coming 

 after. A fox is crafty in this also, that he dislikes being 

 made to do anything not in his first matured plan. This 



