170 The Fox Terrier. 



it needful to train his terriers by progressive steps like 

 others have done. 



" A hundred anecdotes might be related of the wondrous 

 sagacity displayed in chase by Russell's terriers, but as 

 Tip's name has been already mentioned, one of his many 

 feats will suffice to show, not merely the large amount of 

 instinctive faculty, but the almost reasoning power with 

 which that dog was endowed. 



" Russell himself told me the story, as some thirty years 

 ago, in going to cover, he drew my attention to a deep 

 combe not far from Lidcote Hall, the seat of Sir Hugh, and 

 the birthplace of poor Amy Robsart. 



u ' Do you see,' he said, ' that dark patch of hanging 

 gorse hemmed in on the northern side by yonder knoll ? 

 Well, I've seen many a good run from that sheltered nook. 

 On one occasion, however, I had found a fox, which, in 

 spite of a trimming scent, contrived to beat us by reaching 

 Gray's Holts, and going to ground before we could catch 

 him. Now those earths are fathomless, and interminable 

 as the Catacombs of St. Calixtus. They are so called Gray 

 from the old Devonshire name signifying a badger, a 

 number of those animals having long occupied that spot. 

 Consequently, such a fortress once gained is not easily to 

 be stormed even by Tip or the stoutest foe. 



" 'Again we found that fox a second time, and now, while 

 the hounds were in close pursuit and driving hard, to my 

 infinite surprise I saw Tip going off at full speed in quite a 

 different direction. 



" ' " He's off, sir, to Gray's Holts. I know he is," shouted 

 Jack Yelland, the whip, as he called my attention to the 

 line of country the dog was then taking. That proved to 

 be the case. The fox had scarcely been ten minutes on 



