384 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



and when hounds are holding the line over greasy 

 or sticky fallows there is less scent, from the soil 

 clinging to the ball of the foot. Then so much 

 depends upon the pace at which the fox is travelling. 

 The faster he goes the better the scent ; and the 

 reason is plain enough the 'fluvia from his body 

 being thrown off in a much higher degree when in 

 motion. We often draw over foxes lying snug in 

 their kennels; and every spooney who knows any- 

 thing about varmints can tell ye that a ferret or a 

 fitch whilst asleep throws off no scent from his 

 body ; but stir him up with a pole or a terrier dog, 

 and don't he smell a few, squire ? This very morn- 

 ing, the second fox we killed was found by me, not 

 the hounds, which passed him, curled up under a fir 

 tree fast asleep, and I gave him a cut of my whip to 

 rouse him up. So you see, with all the burning 

 scent he left behind him when bundled out, not a 

 hound winded him in his kennel, when the 7*air 

 around him was not impregnated with the 'fluvia 

 from his body. Then you see the scent changes as 

 the fox grows weaker after a long run ; and when he 

 is quite exhausted, there is scarcely any at all : and 

 you know, Squire, one of our greatest difficulties is, 

 when running a beaten fox into a covert where 

 there is another, to prevent the hounds flashing 

 away upon the fresh one, the scent of which is so 

 much better than that of the hunted one. Now, if 

 hounds had the sense to know this, they would stick 

 to their own game, which is nearly knocked up, and 

 not run after the fresh fox, which will lead them 

 many miles before he can be brought into the same 



