NOTITIA VENATICA. 157 



to foxes to nm straight up a lield, which, in some of the inclobures, 

 which arc fifty or sixty acres, would certainly appear to be far from im- 

 probable. Fresh-strewed manure will stop hounds, as all liuntsmen 

 know ; so will soot, after it has been spread a month on the young- 

 wheat in the spring. Changing from good scenting gi-ound to bad 

 is undoubtedly more prejudicial to hunting, and has saved the lives of 

 more beaten foxes than any other untoward circumstances to which 

 hounds are liable. The old story of the huntsman and the violets is 

 too stale for insertion here ; but the fact that the wild garlic which 

 abounds in Lord Ilotham's cover, Dalton Wood, near Beverley, render- 

 ing it next to an impossibilty to hunt a fox through it, is too well knoAvn 

 by hundreds of sportsmen to be contradicted. Anything which atti-acts 

 the attention of hounds in chase may cause a check the most fatal ; 

 and I have more than once seen my hounds, when running over the 

 Yorkshire wolds, allured from their Hue by the cry of wild-geese, which 

 abound in thousands all over that district which borders on the Ilumber. 

 In the first instance the geese are attracted to the spot by the cry of 

 the hounds, and the hounds when checking hear a cry so nearly ap- 

 proaching their own sweet noise, that they absolutely stare up in the 

 air, and seem to try to join these aerial choristers. In mentioning this 

 circumstance to Mr. Frank AVatt, who hunted the wolds with his har- 

 riers for many seasons, he assured me that he had repeatedly seen, and 

 been highly amused by, a similar occurrence. 



That some foxhounds are by nature more tender-nosed than others, no 

 one can deny; and many have the extraordinary knack of showing ofi:" their 

 talents to the best advantage in various ways : for instance, in the same 

 pack one hound is especially noted as a sure finder, and can acknow- 

 ledge (that is, speak to) the drag of a fox long before any one of the 

 others can even feel it (that is, show symptoms of a scent by their ear- 

 nest, yet silent, indications), although there may be twenty -five couples 

 out to help him ; when away he works up to the animal's kennel, and 

 with his Avell-known tongue proclaims liim "found.''' Another shows 

 her superiority in " hitting him through the horses," when shamefully 

 ridden over, and fairly cut off from the road of the fox, she guides the 

 line like a true pilot enveloped in tainted steam, and interrupted by the 

 Babel of an hundred human tongues. The huntsman is perhaps hold- 

 ing the body of the hounds to the left, when Dexterous emerges from 

 a crowd of horsemen, whose united numbers, with all their smoke and 

 noise, had been unable to drive her from the Hue, and catching hold of 

 the scent as she inhales the refreshing air to the right, makes the welkin 

 ring -ivith her truthful tongue, and recalls her comrades to the recovered 

 chase. A tliird exhibits his hviWiant foxhound propensity of "fiinging" 

 over the canal bridge, where the scent, together Avith a '■'bloicina 

 sand," had been Avafted into the middle of the next field ; and " ivell 

 hit. Javelin, my lad /" and three shrill blasts of the horn are sufficient 

 notice to the ready pack to fly like lightning to their leader's cry. Old 

 Patience hits him down the turnpike road, although a tiock of fifty 

 sheep have just passed by : and llostess and old Junket, who were 

 never seen " to make a hit" in their lives, contribute as much as any 



