THE LIFE OF A FOX. 13]

“Probably on these good scenting days foxes
lie under ground, or in places not disturbed by
hounds ; for as they live by the use of their noses,
they cannot but know their danger of being
hunted on such days.”

The hounds were taken on some distance
towards another covert, but on passing by a
small piece of gorse, not half an acre across, they
were taken quietly to it,.and in a short time
killed a fox which had not moved from his kennel.
This created some amusement at the expense of
a gentleman, who had stated his belief that it
was a good scenting day, and some one said,

“ Now what do you think ?”

“Why that I am now more sure of it: for if
this fox had moved under the circumstances,
when the hounds were so close to him, the scent
being a good one, would have made it almost
certain death; and so his best chance of escape
was to lie still; but he has been too cun-
ning.”

_ Rather more than the hallooing usual when a
G 6