160 The Hunting Countries of England. 



sufficient readiness to avoid a fall. Kuts made by 

 timber carts or the passage of heavy guns, are, again, 

 very frequent and often deep ; and, altogether, horses 

 have every opportunity given them of blundering on 

 to their heads, or of learning to know better. It is a 

 maxim of the country that if a horse can keep his legs 

 intact for one season, he will probably go on unharmed 

 for many a year. A small horse and a compact one is 

 the best mount, and least liable to accident. Hounds 

 will sometimes run very fast ; for on a favourable day 

 scent not only hangs to the footfall or floats in the air, 

 but clings to the heather which Reynard has perhaps 

 brushed as he passed. Thus it is often possible to 

 drag up to a fox for a mile or two before he is un- 

 kennelled ; and it not unfrequently happens that a fox 

 will lie close till the pack is all round him, when he 

 runs a great chance of being chopped by jumping up 

 in the midst. Once afoot he can keep going for a long 

 time before hounds — for he belongs to a sturdy breed 

 that is accustomed to travel wide for its food. When 

 pressed, he will keep as much as possible to the tracks 

 or paths, where any such exist among the heather. 

 With such a mass of covert, whether wood or heather, 

 spread over the country, it will be easily understood 

 that difficulty must often exist in hitting upon the 

 foxes — even in districts where they are known to be 

 plentiful. In the early part of the season a litter is 

 generally to be found settled together somewhere in 

 the neighbourhood of its birthplace. But once dis- 

 persed, it may remain widely scattered; and hours 

 may sometimes be spent in drawing over ground 

 where plenty of foxes have been only recently seen. 



