FOXES 



until satisfied tliat he is near his quarry, when he 

 makes a wide circuit, counting all the tracks he 

 crosses in coming round to his former position; 

 and if the one he is following is among them, he 

 makes another circuit, and so on until he feels 

 sure that the fox is inside his last circle. Then 

 he calculates, from the general lay of the land and 

 his knowledge of the ways of foxes, just what 

 course this particular one will be most likely to 

 take when started, and then for the first time 

 allows his dogs to take the track, while he hurries 

 to the position he has fixed upon. Sometimes 

 he finds that while the fox he is after has passed 

 out of his magic circle, another has entered it, or 

 that both may be inside, which increases the 

 interest. If, as is bound to happen at times, the 

 fox starts off by some other than the expected 

 course, the hunter must ascertain which way he 

 is circling, for they seldom follow a direct course, 

 and attempt to head him off at the nearest run- 

 way in that direction. He tells me that in winter 



43 



