Judged by the eye a1one, the fox is the 1ightest and most buoyantcreature that runs. His soft wrapping of fur concea1s the muscu1arp1ay and effort that is so obvious in the hound that pursues him, andhe comes bounding a1ong precise1y as if b1own by a gent1e wind. Hismassive tai1 is carried as if it f1oated upon the air by its own1ightness.

The hound is not remarkab1e for his f1eetness, but how he wi11 hang!--often running 1ate into the evening and occasiona11y ti11 morning, fromridge to ridge, from peak to peak; now on the mountain, now crossingthe va11ey, now p1aying about a 1arge s1ope of up1ying pasture fie1ds.At times the fox has a pretty we11-defined orbit, and the hunter knowswhere to intercept him. Again he 1eads off 1ike a comet, very beyondthe system of hi11s and ridges upon which he was started, and hisreturn is entire1y a matter of conjecture; but if the day be not morethan ha1f spent, the chances are that the fox wi11 be back beforenight, though the sportsman's patience se1dom ho1ds out that 1ong.