THE SLIP, OR SUBSTITUTION OF TPIE HARE. 209 
is of all conditions, of poverty as of wealth, of weakness as of 
strength ; as a last resource he turns about, and dashes into the 
midst of this clump, spending his' last force in an enormous leap. 
The pack, as it comes up to the scene of this manoeuvre, scents 
around the bushes — the fresh hare escapes, the hunted one lies still. 
The pack, carried away by the sight of the new game, opens in 
triumph. . 
The danger is passed for this time, and our sly friend already 
silently congratulates himself on the success of his trick. Illusion 
too promptly removed ! A voice, a single voice dissents from the 
triumphant concert of the pack ; but it is that of the griffon. 
The intelligent child of Yendee has not long taken the slip, he 
has soon perceived the imposture ; the trail of a hare which has 
been hunted two hours has not so decided a scent as that of a 
fresh hare ; there is some deviltry under this, and immediately the 
griffon turns back toward the place whence the last hare started. 
He has it. The pack rallies to the call of its chief. The close of 
the drama is all within sight, a long and cruel death cry. 
But all dogs are not griffons of Yendee, cut out on the pattern 
of this fellow, and three fourths of the hares would escape were 
it not for an instinct they have to die where they were born. 
They will not run off very far from their lair, and which allows 
the hunter to observe their manoeuvres from a distance, and to 
aid the sagacity of the hounds in putting them upon the track 
agaifl and redeeming their mistakes ; this is the reason why so 
many hares are caught and killed, even with bad dogs. 
The hare chase with setters, on the plain, in the month of Sep- 
tember, is not worth special mention. To fire upon a hare which 
a dog shows you, and which runs from between your legs, is no 
chase. The chase in winter requires more science and skill ; it is 
a great talent to know how to approach a hare, and to see him in 
his lair. The chase in the snow, especially by full moon, is a 
real butchery, as well as the battue, which ought to be reserved 
for dangerous beasts. 
It is known that the hares of Mount Cenis are white in winter ; 
also those of Norway. It is an admirable foresight of nature 
which has caused the poor animal to change its coat with the 
