278 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSIMAN 



until they are held across the ploughed field ; and 

 when they are again on turf or sound gi'ound, or 

 going through the fence, they will hit off the scent 

 immediately, as the foot is clean and touches the 

 ground ; which is accounted for by the foxes' feet 

 gathering earth as soon as they tread on the 

 ploughed ground, which on being pressed adheres 

 to the bottom of the feet (which is called carry- 

 ing) ; consequently, prevents the feet from touching 

 the gi'ound ; until this, which forms a clog and is 

 sticking to the feet, is worn off by a few steps 

 on the sound gi'ound, after leaving the ploughed 

 land. 



Another proof that the scent by which the fox 

 is hunted by hounds does not come from the body, 

 but from the touch, is that when hounds are 

 running across an open country, downs, and such 

 like, in very windy weather, it cannot be supposed 

 even that the scent can remain stationary, but that 

 it would be scattered by the "vvind ; and that it 

 arises from the touch, that is, the pad of the fox 

 touching the ground. A person, to be more 

 thoroughly convinced of this, has only to take hold 

 of a fox's pad, or any other part when fresh killed, 

 and the scent will be retained for many hours. 



It is thought by some that the reason why 



