THE LIFE OF A FOX. 73

countries where there are hounds, become an easy
prey to them, and where there are no hounds,
they are killed by the gamekeepers.

The first pack of hounds by which I was hunted
belonged to Mr. Osbaldiston, and a most trim-
ming pack they were; but luckily for me, when
they were going their best pace in pursuit of me,
they sometimes overran the scent, owing to their
great courage, which, in the breeding of them,
seemed to have been more attended to than the
nose. They sometimes ran away for a little while
even from all the fast riders. These however
generally contrived to get up again to them, espe-
cially when at a check; but every moment’s -
delay made more clear to all the necessity of
having best noses.

It may appear strange that I should have
escaped from the different packs, since the Squire’s
left, in so fine a country as this to which I belong,
especially when such expense has been incurred
to procure a strong pack on purpose to destroy us ;
but, luckily for us, the hunters fell into the mis-
take of trying to make what they called a flying

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