268 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Mode of ascertaining whether the Dog is on the right Scent. 



in winter, in a white frost ; or in summer, when there is 

 much dust. In all other circumstances you may be said 

 to proceed with no great certainty ; and if a person has 

 not had long experience in the chase, he frequently takes 

 many a step in vain. There are, however, certain signs, 

 by means of which you may discover the object of the 

 blood hound's movements, and consequently distinguish 

 whether it is a wolf or some other animal of which the 

 dog has got the scent. If it be a wolf, he will not fail to 

 go and smell at the branches and grass the wolf has 

 touched, and will immediately proceed in pursuit of him. 

 If the wolf makes a good impression on the ground, and 

 the dog has any scent, you will see him pursue briskly, 

 provided you take care to encourage him, from time to 

 time, on the drag. But if the wolf passed very early, 

 and you are not on the spot in good time, the blood 

 hound will lose the scent, particularly if the wolf pro- 

 ceeds in a right line, and is gone to a considerable 

 distance ; for a dog must have an excellent nose to dis- 

 cover a wolf that has passed longer than two hours and 

 a half, or three hours ; and he is liable to change if 

 there be any deer in the thicket, or if he have not been 

 exclusively trahied to wolf hunting. When the sports- 

 man perceives, by the manner of the dog, that it is the 

 track of a wolf which he has discovered, he must en- 

 deavour to find out whether the animal is alone or in 

 company. They generally go in pairs : it is only in 

 seasonable weather that he can discover their number 

 and quality, by examining their footsteps with attention, 

 conformably to what I have already said on that subject, 

 in treating of the difference between the foot of the he 

 and she wolf. 



