THE FOX 273 



open downs — exactly the same line the hounds 

 came that day, and about the same hour ; and no 

 doubt this was the same fox which was seen that 

 day, which is sufficient to prove that good foxes 

 at all events do go on, whether hounds are after 

 them or not. And probably this may do away the 

 wonder and surprise that some men express, namely, 

 how strange it is that foxes can beat hounds which 

 are kept in such high condition, and in such con- 

 stant wind ; for there is Uttle doubt but that most 

 good foxes in a country which is hunted regularly, 

 move whenever they hear a pack of hounds in chase 

 run through or near the cover in which they he, 

 and go straight away in another direction. As such 

 is known to be the case now and then, of course it 

 oftener happens when it is not known ; for nothing 

 is more common than for a master of hounds, or a 

 man who hunts, to be told by some person the next 

 day, that he met or saw a fox several miles off, 

 going like a hunted one in an opposite direction to 

 where the hounds had run about the same time the 

 day before. But much of this depends on the sort 

 of covers in a country ; for a fox will lie much 

 longer and quieter in a furze or gorse cover than in 

 any other, for more reasons than one that the writer 

 can give. It is pretty sure that a hunted fox will 



