j^O THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING, 



strongest and most favourable to the hound, when kept by 

 the gravity of the air to the height of his breast ; for then 

 it neither is above his reach, nor is it necessary that he 

 should stoop for it. At such times, scent is said to lie breast- 

 high. Experience tells us, that difference of soil occasions 

 difference of scent ; and on the richness and moderate mois- 

 ture of the soil does it also depend, I think, as well as on the 

 air. At the time when leaves begin to fail, and before they 

 are rotted, we know that the scent lies ill in cover. This 

 alone would be a sufficient proof that scent does not depend 

 on the air only. A difference of scent is also occasioned by 

 difference of rnotion : the faster the game goes, the less 

 scent it leaves. When game has been ridden after, and 

 hurried on by imprudent sportsmen, the scent is less fa- 

 vourable to hounds : one reason of which may be, that the 

 particles of scent are then more dissipated : but if the game 

 should have been run by a dog not belonging to the pack, 

 , seldom will any scent remain. 



I BELIEVE it is very difiicult to ascertain exactly what 

 scent is : I have known it alter very often in the same day, 

 I believe, however, that it depends chiefly on two things—f 



