118 THE LIFE OF A FOX 



hounds, for as they live by the use of their noses, 

 thev cannot but know their danger of being hunted 

 on such days. " 



The hounds were taken on some distance towards 

 another covert, but on passing by a small piece of 

 fforse, not half an acre across, thev were taken 

 quietly to it, and m a short time killed a fox 

 which had not moved from his kenneL This 

 created some amusement at the expense of the 

 gentleman who had stated his behef that it was 

 a good scenting day, and some one said — 



" Xow, what do you think r " 



" \Vhy, that I am now more sure of it : for if 

 this fox had moved under the circumstances when 

 the hounds were so close to him, the scent being 

 a cfood one. would have made it almost certain 

 death : and so his best chance of escape was to lie 

 still : but he has been too cunning." 



Rather more than the hallooing usual when a 

 dead fox is given to hounds took place : and the 

 three men appeared to be tr}Tng who could oftenest 

 repeat, " Tally-ho I " The hounds were again taken 

 on towards the next large covert, and no sooner 

 were they in it than they all threw their tongues 

 and ran as if close to a fox, which was not the 

 case, for it happened to be my own scent, and I 



