IN THE WOODLANDS 285 



scrub and rough covert to get that start which is 

 necessary. 



When a good fox is found in a big wood — they 

 are not all good ones in the woods, bear in mind, 

 any more than they are in gorse coverts — he 

 generally contrives to make a turn or two round 

 the wood till he can see an opportunity of getting 

 well away. In other words, his knowledge of 

 woodcraft is naturally greater than that of his 

 fellow who is reared in more artificial surroundings. 

 And when at last he does break covert, if you have 

 not been mindful of what hounds were doing in 

 covert, and if you have not kept stored in your 

 memory the subterfuges of this particular fox and 

 his ancestors, you will probably get to the place 

 where he broke in time to see the foremost horse- 

 men a mile away, which may be very pretty from 

 the spectacular standpoint, but which will not tend 

 to the improvement of your temper. But do not 

 anathematise the country ; rather blame your own 

 inattention. Once your woodland fox has left his 

 home he makes a point, if there is a scent sufficient 

 to press him, for it must be borne in mind that 

 good scenting days make good foxes. Probably 

 his point will be six or seven miles off, and if 

 woods come in his way he will skirt them or run 

 through them, even passing open earths, to accom- 

 plish the object he had in view. Then when 

 arrived at the wood he set out for, he will begin 

 to exercise his cunning, if hounds are still sticking 

 to him ; cautiously will he thread the thick under- 

 growth ; anxiously will he watch for a clear road 

 where he can slip away without being seen ; down 

 the gutter at the edge of the covert he will crawl ; 

 then, availing himself of the shelter of a thick 



