116 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Acute scent of the blood-hound. 



the northern parts of the kingdom, and are used 

 in pursuit of deer that have been previously 

 wounded ; they are also occasionally employed 

 in discovering deer-stealers, whom they easily 

 trace by the blood that issues from the wounds 

 of their victims. 



Mr. Boyle informs us, that a person of quality, 

 to make trial whether a young blood-hound were 

 well instructed, caused one of his servants to walk 

 to a town four miles off, and then to a market- 

 ,town three miles from thence. The dog, with- 

 out seeing the man he was to pursue, followed 

 him by the scent to the above-mentioned places, 

 notwithstanding the multitude of market-people 

 that went along the same road, and of travellers 

 that had occasion to cross it; and when he came 

 to the chief market-town, he passed through the 

 streets without taking notice of any of the peo- 

 ple there ; and ceased not till he had gone to the 

 house where the man he sought rested himself, 

 and where he found him in an upper room, to 

 the wonder of those who had accompanied him 

 in this pursuit. 



Soraerville, in speaking of these animals, has 

 beautifully described their mode of pursuing the 

 nightly spoiler : 



" Soon the sagacious brute, bis curling tail 

 Flourish'd in air, low bending, plies around 

 .His busy nose, the steaming vapour snuffs 

 Inquisitive, nor leaves one turf untried, 

 Till, conscious of the recent stains, his heart 

 Peat* quick ; his snuffling nose, his active tail, 



