HUNTING. 



371 



Similar address, though demonstrated in less con- 

 siicnous ni. nm-r, is displayed by the jackal and the 

 |- ox ixxii ot' the canine species. The former is bunt- 

 ^j D y greyhounds, which it will to harass by its 



c\t:v:iH- ci::!ni:i/ in iiu'. --. ntly CT<>>-ii-_- ''< !..":M;S 



v, that it can seldom be taken in this man- 

 ner. Likewise the dogs, while in full pursuit, are 

 attacked with great fury by another troop of 

 jackals attempting to rescue the fugitive, and beaten off 

 with severe injuries. The jackal itself bunts in packs 

 of .10 or 4O together. 



As fox-hunting is so common a sport in Great Bri- 

 tain, and of so ui ue 1 i re to other nations which 

 traffic in the fur of animals we shall lay before our read- 

 ers a pretty full account ot it. Though the total number 

 of fuxes in thi* island may not exceed a few hundreds, yet 

 e north of Europe and America, and in the north- 

 eastern parts of Asia, they are more numerous. There they 

 are frequently to be found in vat multitudes, and of va- 

 rious species, called the black, blue, grey, and arctic fox- 

 tome of them changing their colour according to the tea, 

 son of the year. Two islands, St George and St Paul, 

 were discovered in 17S6 in the Northern Pacific Ocean ; 

 the first does not exceed 30 miles in length, nor the se- 

 n the course of only two years, 8000 blue 

 foxc* were taken upon them. But to enable the hunts- 

 man to conduct the chace successfully, he must always 

 r hiunf If intimately acquainted with the nature 

 of the game : it is by this means that he can ascertain its 

 haunt*, defeat its stratagems, and avail himself of those 

 particular circumstances which will lead to its capture. 

 :iitmcU and propensities of the fox are exhibited 

 in the most decided manner; though they receive 

 strong modifications from the circumstance* under which 

 the animal U placed. In populous and civilized coun- 

 tries, it is shy and watchful ; in those seldom trodden 

 by the foot of roan, it exhi'.iits no apprehensions at his 

 presence, and may easily be led to destruction. In one 

 country it will devour nothing except what hss been 

 1 by itself; in another, where scarcity usually pre- 

 - v kind of animal food is acceptable. It.- 

 highly carnivorous in many places ; yet in some it fat- 

 tens on grapes, and is noxious to vineyards. The craf- 

 tiness of the fox i* proverbial. Without the strength 

 of the wolf, it possum equal sagacity, which is similar- 

 ly exercised in destroying creatures weaker and more 

 ! than itself. In addition to the smaller quadnspeds, 

 iu ravages are considerable among bird* which nestle 

 on the ground, and also among poultry of the domesti- 

 cated kind*. The day U the period of repose ; while 

 the dawn and twilight are industriously employed 

 in quest of prey. The fox is a bold and a cunning ani- 

 mal, adventurously approaching the object it has- sin- 

 gled out, awl waiting a favourable opportunity of ac- 

 compUahinf its end* ; but, not content with satisfying 

 the craving* of hunger, it often destroy* many more 

 ms than it can devour ; which are either left be- 

 !. or carried away and stuffed into a hole, or bu- 

 rn the ground, to provide for future necessity. It 

 is *aid to feign sleep, in order to betray its prey into 

 security ; and a tame fox has been known to spurt its 

 rpose of attracting poultry with- 

 c length a( its < xe burrow in the earth, or 

 -e cleAs and cavities of rock*, ami slo dwell 

 in thick coverts, or among furse. As iwallowt testify 

 - antipathy to the hawk, the common enemy of 

 their tribe, to does the clamour of crow, and magpie* 

 disclose the retreat of the fox, when unseen by hi 

 mies ; and during pursuit, the Utter will 



tree to tree, according to the course which the animal Hunting. 

 takes. By the northern nations, where the preservation 

 of the fur is an object, the tbx is c.ipturcd in traps, by 

 bows set in its path, discharging arrows against it, and 

 it is also destroyed by poisons. Sonii-tiir.es a net is 

 used. The natives observe, as a remarkable circum- 

 stance, that the more valuable foxes are the most cun- 

 ning: and Krascheninikow mentions, that the Cos- 

 sacks of KamUchstka tried unsuccessfully during two 

 years to catch a black fox frequenting the Great River. 

 But it is likely that this arises from such animals be- 

 coming more sagacious in endeavouring to avoid dan- 

 .han those which have none to apprehend. In 

 Britain and some other countries, foxes arc hunted al- Houndi, 

 most excli: picks of hounds trained to the 

 sport ; and the chief source of entertainment arises 

 from the nature of the animal itself. A rank odour, 

 peculiar to its species, of which it can never be cli\ < -:- 

 cd, constantly escapes from iu body, and is ilii-un.u! -li- 

 able by the hounds from that which emanates from 

 other animals, whereby they are enabled to follow the 

 same course without once obtaining a view of the game. 

 The manner in which this effluvia is conveyed, is a 

 point of exceedingly difficult explanation ; but, like 

 all odorous emanations, it is of very unequal intensity 

 at different time]. Our ancestors were certainly ac- 

 quainted with the properties of hounds, as " sharp- 

 scented dogs fit for hunting wild beasts," are mention- 

 ed at a very early period of English history ; and the 

 aborigines of every nation are addicted to the chace. 

 But we are unacquainted with the particular species 

 which were employed. Much attention is requisite 

 both for the breeding and training of hounds ; and no 

 where has the an been more studied than in Great Bri- 

 tain. When the dogs are bred and trained, then the 

 selection is to be made. Hounds are prized for colour, 

 figure, voice, and especially for staunchness, without 

 which the rest of their qualities are of little avail. In re- 

 spect to the first, there can be no absolute rule; and the 

 huntsman who has had a few excellent hounds of a 

 certain colour, will be prejudiced in its favour ; but 

 we must admit, that the properties depending on co- 

 lour are very uncertain, particularly when we reflect 

 that a total change take* place in several animals ac- 

 cording to the alternation of the seasons, and that 

 it is again restored without having occasioned any 

 extraordinary effects. Naturalists have not yet deter- 

 mined the inseparable concomitants of colour. Hounds 

 of uniform colour seem to rank highest in the estima- 

 tion of sportsmen ; next, those spotted with red, and 

 white bounds with black ear* and a black spot at 

 the root of the tail. Those spotted with dun are con- 

 ceived to be defective in courage, and then (We bear an 

 inferior value. Properties which would require the most 

 undoubted confirmation by repeated trials, are ascribed 

 to some external characters. Thus it i* said that the 

 black tanned, the uniform white, the true Talbots, are 

 the best for string or line ; that thcgrizxled, ii tin hair 

 i shaggy, are the best runners, and that a couple of 

 these should always belong to a pack. Those uniformly 

 dun are thought fit for all kind* of the chace ; their sa- 

 gacity U great ; they are more sensible of their matter's 

 voice or In- hum, and less liable to be influenced by the 

 unsteadine** of other hounds. The figure of the hound 

 i- probably more essential than hii colour, Ixing more 

 \e of pure descent. A small head, very pendu- 

 lous ears, a thin neck, broad back, deep chest, straight 

 legs, and round feet, not too large, are esteemed pro- 

 characteristics. Defective proportion* indicate 



