318 THE MOUNTAIN-FOX. 



the old ones have come unperceived within ten yards of 

 the party, and were at last only discovered by the straining 

 of the <}ogs on the leash. I have often heard the watchers 

 say, that the ease with which " the tod" avoids their 

 faces, and skulks behind their backs, is most surprising. 

 If the foxes escape the guns, as they commonly do, " the 

 streakers"* are slipped upon them, and, if not then run 

 down, nothing remains to be done but again to set the 

 watch. So long as the old ones are prevented from enter- 

 ing, they will return morning and evening for several 

 days ; but, should either of them get access, and miss the 

 young, they come back no more. At those times of the 

 year when there are no litters, the usual way of hunting 

 is to place a man, with a streaker or greyhound ready to 

 slip, upon the tops of the neighbouring hills ; the fox-hun- 

 ter then draws all the correis, crags, &c., where they 

 prowl. Should Reynard be started, he is almost sure to 

 take a course over the top of one of the hills where the 

 men are posted. He comes up all blown, and, if observed, 

 (which, I must say, is seldom the case,) has a fresh streaker 

 slipped upon him, which ought to run him down. 



I may here give an account of a hunt I had with one of 

 my brothers, after as fine a mountain-fox as ever prowled 

 upon the wild moor. We had gone on a roe-hunting 

 expedition to a high and steep hill in Dumbartonshire, the 

 lower part of which was a larch and oak copse, the centre 

 a large pine-wood, and the top covered with long heather. 



* A breed between the largest size of greyhound and foxhound. Some 

 of them are swift, very savage, and admirably adapted for the purpose. 



