Fox-Hunting 301 



He makes straight for the handiest earth, but 

 doubles before he has run a mile. A curious 

 thing is that he will not run along a footpath, 

 yet shows no objection to racing down a trav- 

 elled road. He knows where the pastures lie, 

 and aims to strike them in doubling, so he 

 can weave in and out among grazing beasts, 

 particularly sheep, or cattle, confusingthe scent 

 so much it takes a keen-nosed dog to disen- 

 tangle it. But he will not go into the pasture 

 through a gap or over a stile. He shdes 

 shadow-like through the hedge or over the 

 wall, or worms through cracks in the fence. 

 Hard pressed he often lies down to rest in an 

 embattled, thorny thicket. His hairy coat 

 protects him against thorns that tear cruelly a 

 hound's satin skin. 



A gray fox may run one mile or ten before 

 he gives up his brush. The brush — the tail 

 — -belongs to the rider first in at the death. 

 Next in value are " the pegs " ■ — the fore feet 

 — after them, the " mask " — or scalp — and 

 lowest of all, " the pads " — that is to say, the 

 hind feet. A fox moving about is said to be 

 " on the pad " — a phrase familiar to many as 

 a cant synonym for much gadding about. If 

 the cold trail is so little cold the hounds run 

 along it crying as they run, the hunters know 

 the quarry is on the pad — that is to say, he 

 has not fed himself and lain down to rest — ■ 



