Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-12-03
SCENT POWER
WHAT IS 1T THAT MAKES DOGS
GOOD HUNTERS.
An Ingenious Theory to Account for q
remarkable Exhibition OF
Acute Smell in the Ant
mai Kingdom.

Birdsong In the american |
Field 1t consists, no doubt, of ex-
halations from the bodies of ANIMALS, but
there is much dispute concerning these
exhalations from animals, whether con.
sidered as an extraneous stock of odorif-
crous PARTICLES given to them by Divine
wisdom for the purpose of being huntel;
whether they are proper, identical parts
Of the animals body that continually
ferment and perspire from it; or whether
these exhalations are from the lungs, or
through pores of the skin Of the whole
body.
There is a constant evaporation from
F the surface Of all moist substances, and
from the bodies of all animals. This
evaporation is imperceptible to the eye,
except under certain conditions of the
atmosphere which will be adverted to.
These vapors are imbued with the pecul-
lar odor Of the substances or animals
from which they exude. Scent may there
fore be termed the fluid or vapor of the
body, which is imperceptibly discharged
from every portion Of the body, through
the excretorles Of the skin. These ex-
cretions are greater from some portions
of the body than from others. The foot
of the fox, for instance, gives out
| stronger scent, which is due to other
circumstances than the fact of the BODY
being covered with fur.
1t is true the evaporation from the
body would be greater if it were not
thus protected, but scent seems to exule
IN greater quantities from certain particu-
lar places because the natural duets, for
freeing the body of its extraneous stock
OF matter, terminate at these points. In
the foot of the deer, just above the hoof,
there is slit where the excretons 90 on
rapidly, and form quite quantity Of
odoriferous matter, resembling musk in
its crude state. There are certain parts
of the human body where the natural
scent seems chiefly to reside. These are
the foot and the knee. To these places
adog will apply his nose to identify you
fully. U
Having defined scent to be the moist
vapor that perspires from the body, be.
ing Identical parts of the body itself, I
shall proceed to explain how it is af-
fected, as an odoriferous vapor, By the
changes and conditions of the atmos.
phere and soil. Some incline to the
opinion that scent depends on the ALI
alone; Others think it depends on the
condition the ground is in and the ten.
peratIre OF the air; aud Others again saw
it depends on all these anl the nature Of
the soil Itself / think scent depends
alone on one thing-noisture Were all
substances, all soils and every stratum of
air alike capacitatel to receive and re-
tain moisture, there would be a uniform
ity of scent, let the temperature of the
air, or the nature of the soil, other .ss
be what it might
There Is a greater variation in tn,
atmosphere IN this respec. than there i
In the soil. Therefore, scent is NOR.
dependent on the condition of the atnos
phere. Pertnrbing Influences are con
stansly arising, which interfere with tn
simple operations Of the laws which
govern the general movements of tn
atmosphere. One Of these is the uue.na
distribution OF the rays Of the sun. An
other IS the varying quantity of r,oistur
which exists In the atmosIh he.e, whic
by It's increase ami diminltloa, give is
to varying conditions Of 1Il. weather
and produces the tittul aad alul,st il
finite variety Of meteorological chan -e
which occur at different places aai a
different times. The air, at all ,sn@s
contains moisture in an elastic, invisibl
state, called vapcr. This vapor holds i
solution scents or etnlvla
5 That the air at all times contains vapo
can DC proven by the pouring cod or ic
water into g ,uEbler cn a hot summer
day. The outside Of the tunbler vii
become covered with dew. If the vesse
were pervious 70 the liquid. We migc
suppose that the water waich appears 0
the outside came from within; bat wate
will not pass through glass, and the or
source > which We can refer the dex
the atmosphere. The stratum OF q
around the vessel is cooled by conta'
| with lis sides, aud potion OF It's vaot