82 THE LIFE OF A FOX.

observe was, that they were not quite so power-
ful. That they were stout enough I had reason
to know; for although I escaped after their
hunting me for several hours in these large
woods, they afterwards killed another fox without
leaving the covert.

On another day, when I was lying in a large
covert adjoining the Forest of Whittlebury, and
the hounds had been drawing some distance
beyond the spot where I lay, I thought that I
could steal away unseen, and had nearly reached
the outside of the wood, when I was much
annoyed by the noise of a jay, which kept flying
above me as I went on. When I stopped I
heard a man say, “There is a fox moving close
to that jay, Pll be sworn; just look, you will
see him cross that path directly.” This talking.
frightened me from the spot, and on my going a
little further and crossing a path, another man
exclaimed, “There he goes; it was a fox
that jay was making such a noise about.” He
then gave a loud view-halloo; the hounds

soon came up; and after running some time