SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 417 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



The wiliness and caution of foxes — Easily scared from poultry and 

 pheasant pens — Ill-founded charges against rooks — Gamekeepers 

 and poachers — Travelling in the last century — Old fox and dairy- 

 maid — Innocency of cubs — Feathered game on the wing, before 

 they have left home — The gamekeeper's scapegoat. 



There is not an animal with which we are ac- 

 quainted more cautious in his movements than the 

 fox — from this peculiarity called " wily," an epithet 

 he is most justly entitled to. Perhaps we might 

 make exception in favour of deer, as they appear 

 equally on the move when danger threatens them. 

 Deerstalkers have discovered the inutility of at- 

 tempting to gain a near proximity to a wild stag 

 down wind, even when apparently sleeping on his 

 bed of heather. The slightest taint or si mavis 

 scent emanating from mankind, borne upon the 

 breeze, rouses him in a moment from his lethargy ; 

 and, springing to his feet, he looks around for a 

 second, then gallops away to some rising ground, 

 where he may watch more securely the advent of 

 his enemy. Although unseen, equally avoided is the 

 track of man by the wily fox. Poachers and keepers 

 are so well acquainted with this fact, that, when 

 setting traps for them, they generally besmear their 

 shoes with sheep^s offal, to nullify their own scent ; 

 and we have heard fox-stealers sav, that when setting 



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