440 HUNTING. 



she is to her end; which accounts for its being 

 better, and lasting longer, when going to her seat 

 than when running. There is scarcely any scent 

 from a hare until she is in motion; therefore hounds 

 constantly draw over her ; and, of course, accord- 

 ing to the length of time she has been gone to her 

 seat after feeding, will be the difficulty of hunting 

 her by the trail. In fact, at the most distant part 

 of her previous night or morning's walk, the most 

 tender-nosed hound in a pack will be scarcely able 

 to own the scent at all. But the grand puzzler of 

 all is, when hounds get upon the counter trail 

 about the middle of a hare's work, and the scent 

 lies so equal that it is most difficult to distinguish 

 heel from chase. No such difficulty as this can 

 occur in any other description of hunting, and can 

 only be obviated by the skill and experience of the 

 huntsman in his notice of tlie working of his 

 hounds. But although this difficulty is alluded to 

 by almost all writers on the chase, we know not 

 where to look for directions to the huntsman at the 

 critical moment. It is true, Mr. Daniel, in his 

 Rural Sports, says, '' To find out this, see if your 

 hounds challenge counter ; if they double, and carry 

 it on counter, they will soon signify their error by 

 opening singly."" We conceive there is some rea- 

 son in this remark, but it Avill not always avail. 

 Hounds, harriers in particular, are fond of a scent ; 

 and if they cannot carry it forward, they will turn 

 and hunt it heel ; and here it is that the judgment 

 of a huntsman turns to account. One with a keen 

 eye, and a perfect knoidedge of his hounds, may be 



