Show meaning ot of red herring across path A red herring is a herring of special grade which has been heavily salted and slowly smoked to give it a rich brown or reddish color to draw a red herring across ones path track or trail means to attempt to divert ones attention from the real question by raising a side issue the saying originated among sportsmen and was suggested ted by an old practice described as follows in recreation which was written by a man named cox cok and published in the trailing or dragging of a dead cat or fox and in case of necessity a red her ring three or four miles and then laying the dogs on the scent dogs have a keen scent for red herring and if one is drawn across macros the trail of a fox it will mislead the hounds bounds 1 i 1 k |