William Blane, William Somervile

“ That these particles of scent are of an equal (exactly equal) specific gravity with the particles of the air, is demonftrated by the falling and rising of them in just proportion to it. I have often smiled at hasty Huntsmen, to hear them rating and cursing their dogs (that yesterday were the best in England) for galloping and staring, with their noses in the air, as if their game was flown; for often does it happen that it is in vain for them to seek after the scent in any other place, the increasing weight of that fluid element having wafted it over their heads. ”

“ This laft case very often happens at the going off of a frost; the mercury is then commonly falling, and by consequence the scent sinking to the ground. The earth is naturally on such occasion fermenting, dissolving, stinking, exhaling, and very porous, so that it is impossible but most of the particles must then be corrupted, buried, or overcome by stronger vapours. It is common to hear the vulgar say, she carries dirt in her heels; but that is not all, it being very plain, by what has been observed, that it is not only by the scent of the foot she is so eagerly pursued. ”

“ This often happens in a calm, gentle, steady frost, when, as I conceive, the purity, coldness, or, perhaps, the nitre of the air, serves to fix and preserve the few remaining particles, that they do not easily corrupt. At ther season, when the air is light, or growing lighter, the scent must proportionably be falling or sinking, and then every Dog, though, in the height of his courage, he pushes forwards, yet is forced to come back again and again, and cannot make any sure advances, but with his nose in the ground. ”

“ It is very plain, the slower the Hare moves, the stronger and grosser, ceteris peribus, are these particles she leaves behind her, which I take to be one reason (besides the cloathing and shielding of them from the penetrating air by the descending frost or dew) that the morning walk will give scent [2] so much longer than the flight in hunting. However, it is as remarkable, that these odorous particles gradually decay and end with her life [3] , because it requires the most curious noses to lead the cry when she is near her last ”

“ That there is a different scent in other animals of the same species, is evident from the draught Hounds, which were formerly made use of for tracing and pursuing Thieves and Deer-stealers, or rather from any common Cur or Spaniel, which will hunt out their master, or their master's horse distinctly from all others: and that it is the same with the Hare is no less visible from the old Beagles, which will not readily change for a fresh one, unless she starts in view, or unless a fault happens that puts them in confuson, and inclines them in despair to take up with the next they can come by. ”

“ Though, even at fuch a season, after the first mettle and fury of the cry is something abated, the more steady Beagles may make a shift to pick it out by the particles left by the brush of her feet, efpecially if there be not a strong, drying, exhaling wind to hurry these away after the rest. ”

“ The mention of frost puts me in mind of a particular observation of my own making, that may be useful or diverting to my Brethren of the Chace: You all make it a great part of your pleasure to hunt out the walk of a Hare to her seat, and doubtless you have often been surprizingly disappointed on such occasions. You have many times been able to hunt the same walk in one part of the fields and not in another; you have hunted the same walk at ten or eleven, which gave the least scent at seven in the morning ”

“ We have, therefore, only to take notice, by the way, that the hoar-frost is very often of short continuance, changeable, and uncertain, both as to its time and place of failing; and hence all these difficulties are easily resolved. Let the Huntsman, as foon as he is out of bed, examine but the glass windows, which commonly discover whether any hoar-frost has fallen, what time it came, and in what condition of continuance, or going off, it is for the present. ”

“ I advise all Gentlemen who delight in hunting, to provide themselves with a barometer, or weather-glass. I am sorry to say, that this instrument, though a fine invention, is still imperfectly understood by the Philosopher as well as the Farmer ”

“ That the same Hare will, at divers times, emit finer or grosser particles, is equally manifest to every one who shall observe the frequent changes in one single chace, the alterations that ensue on any different motion, and on her degrees of sinking. ”

“ In these cases, the Dogs with the most tender noses cannot touch before the sun dispels them, and the day is advanced; then the Dogs can fmell, and the trail yields a scent as it evaporates." Xenophon. ↑ "The scent of the trail of the Hare going to her seat lasts longer than that of her course when pursued: when she goes to her seat she goes slowly, often standing still ”