246 HUNTING DIRECTORY 



Influence of the Frost 



heels : but that is not all, it being very plain, by what 

 has been observed, that it is not only by the scent of the 

 foot she is so eagerly pursued. 



" The mention of frost puts me in mind of a particular 

 observation of my own making, that may be useful or 

 diverting to my brethren of the chase. You all make it 

 a great part of your pleasure to hunt out the walk of a 

 hare to her seat, and doubtless you have often been sur- 

 prizingly disappointed on such occasions. You have 

 many times been able to hunt the same walk in one part 

 of the field, and not in another ; you have hunted the 

 same walk at ten or eleven, which gave not the least 

 scent at seven in the morning ; and which is most pro- 

 voking and perplexing of all, you have often been able 

 to hunt it only at the wrong end, or backwards ; after 

 many hours' wonder and expectation, cherishing your 

 dogs, and cursing your fortune : you are in truth never 

 so far from your game as when your hunt is warmest. 

 All these accidents are only the effect of the hoar-frost, 

 or very gross dew (for they never happen otherwise) and 

 from thence must the miracle be accounted for. 



" I have already proved that a thaw tends to corrupt 

 the particles, and have as good reason to maintain that 

 frost fixes, covers, and preserves them. (Whether this 

 is done by intercepting their ascent, and precipitating 

 them to the ground by the gross particles of frozen dew, 

 or whether by sheathing them, and protecting them from 

 the penetrating air (as the good wives preserve their 

 potted meats and pickles) I leave to the learned ; but 

 the facts are certain, and confirmed by experience. We 

 have therefore only to take notice (by the way) that the 



