Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-07-06
NEW VOL. 5l-No. 27.
scentins Powers OF Animals.

The ability OF bloodhounds to follow
track many hours old is matter OF COM
mon knowledge. Most people know. too.
that bird dogs "wnd" their game; that is.
they get the body scent from the air, Oft
en- going straight TO bird many yards
distant, well hidden in tall grass or brush.
However, few other than hunters have
an opportunity 10 note precisely how far
wild animal or domestic animal can
catch and distinguish scent. H.R. X. in
the London Field. elates an incident that
occurred when he was hunting in Kashmir
that well illustrates the seeming powers
OF bear. He says:
On another occasion in kashmir, as day
dawned, was lying high up among the
ridges, spying the Surrounding country
for game. Below stretched awide valley,
with precipitate cliffs rising at the top OF
long grass slopes, End pate hes OF snow
here and there. Fa. below. in the bed
Of the nullah, were hall dozen snow
streams, in many places arched over with
snow bridges, and everywhere encum-
bered with huge bouIders. saw a red
bear come slowly in my direction, every
now and then stopping to dig up some
succuent root. When first spotted him
he was very far away. mere dot.
When about eight hundred yards diisant
he suddenly stopped, sat up on his haun-
ches and shifted the breeze. Through my
telescope could see a quaint, surprised
look come over his face. In asecond he
was down, going back in the direction
from which he had come as fast as he
could 60, yet the wind was by no means
direct from me 10 him, and he was long
way off.
have good reason 10 believe that dog
can scent human being as lar as bear.
On one occasion. number OF years ago.
we were hunting in the Indian Territory.
One morninO my companion desired 10
try deer ST X ". while | had planned
chicken al ca shoot. The old pointer
belonged 10 friend; but since he would
be worse than useless for deer, and |
needed him, he was sent with me, al
though he left his master with some re-
luctance.
Once out OF sight OF camp and among
the birds, he went about his work cheer
fully, however, and kept on north.
shooting whatever came in The way. in-
tl we had covered three or four miles.
Then, through following ascatiered covey
OF chickens, we made detour to the east.
Suddenly the dog threw up his head, and
after an instant started trottng off TO the
southeast. Thinking knew where the
birds were better than he did. called
him back. Hardly had we resumed work
when the pointer squarely deserted me,
this time going al determined galIop.
| followed as fast as | could, mystfied
al the dogs behavior, ior he was not
going in the direction ot camp, and was
afraid oi losing him Ia that wild country.
where the gray wolves would certainly
kill him II he remained out after night.
Keeping the brute's course to the best oil
my ability, had traversed some two
miles when got an answer TO my whistle.
and found master and dog together. The
former was much disgisted, for The pointer
had rushed up 10 him, prancing and jump
ing about just in time 10 spoil a careful
stalk on fine buck.
The pointer must have winded his
owner distance OF fully two miles. and
the scent was carried from the heavily
timbered creek up a long. narrow draw,
across ridge. and into the valley where
the chickens were scattered.