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twelve to twenty…four or thirty feet； the latter from sixty to one hundred
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and twenty or one hundred and eighty feet。＇11＇ If larger they will be
unwieldy and hard to manage。 Both should be thirty…knotted； and the
interval of the nooses the same as in the ordinary small nets。 At the elbow
ends＇12＇ the road net should be furnished with nipples＇13＇ （or eyes）； and
the larger sort （the haye） with rings； and both alike with a running line of
twisted cord。 The pronged stakes＇14＇ for the small nets should be ten
palms high；＇15＇ as a rule； but there should be some shorter ones besides；
those of unequal length will be convenient to equalise the height on
uneven ground； and those of equal length on level。 They should be sharp…
tipped so as to draw out easily＇16＇ and smooth throughout。 Those for the
road nets should be twice the height；＇17＇ and those for the big （haye） nets
five spans long；＇18＇ with small forks； the notches not deep； they should be
stout and solid； of a thickness proportionate to their length。 The number of
props needed for the nets will varymany or few； according to
circumstances； a less number if the tension on the net be great； and a
larger number when the nets are slack。＇19＇
＇3＇ Phasian or Carchedonian。 Cf。 Pollux； v。 26。
＇4＇ ｛arkus； enodia； diktua｝。
＇5＇ ＇L。 Dind。 brackets。＇ See Pollux； v。 27； ap。 Schn。
＇6＇ ｛spithame｝； a span （dodrans） = 7 1/2 inches。 Herod。 ii。 106；
｛trispithamos｝； Hes。 〃Op。〃 424； Plat。 〃Alc。〃 i。 126 C； Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃
viii。 28。 5； Polyb。 v。 3…6。
＇7＇ ｛to megethos｝。
＇8＇ Or； 〃eight fingers' breadth ＋〃 = 6 inches ＋。 ｛palaiste｝ or
｛palaste｝； a palm or four fingers' breadth = 3 inches ＋。
＇9＇ ｛tous brokhous｝； a purse or tunnel arrangement with slip loop。
＇10＇ Reading ｛upheisthosan de oi peridromoi anammatoi｝。 Lit。 〃the
cords that run round should be inserted without knots。〃 See Pollux； v。
28 foll。
＇11＇ Lit。 〃2； 4； 5 fathoms； 10； 20； 30 fathoms。〃
＇12＇ ｛akroleniois｝； elbows； Pollux； v。 29； al。 ｛akroliniois｝； L。 & S。；
〃on the edges or borders。〃
＇13＇ ｛mastous｝； al。 〃tufts。〃
＇14＇ ｛skhalides｝； forks or net props。 Cf。 Pollux； v。 19。 31。
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＇15＇ i。e。 30 ＋ inches = 2 1/2 ＋ ft。； say 36 inches = 3 ft。
＇16＇ ｛euperispastoi ta akra｝； al。 〃they should be made so that the
nets can be fitted on and off easily； with sharp points〃； or 〃off the
points easily。〃
＇17＇ ｛siplasiai｝； i。e。 20 palms = 60 ＋ inches； say 72； or 6 ft。
＇18＇ ｛pentespithamoi｝； i。e。 5 x 7 1/2 inches = 37 1/2 inches = 3 ft。 1
1/2 inch； al。 5 x 9 inches = 45 inches = 3 ft。 9 inches。
＇19＇ Or； 〃if in the particular position the nets are taut； a larger if
they lie slack。〃
Lastly； for the purpose of carrying the nets and hayes； for either
sort＇20＇ there must be a bag of calf…skin； and billhooks to cut down
branches and stop gaps in the woods when necessary。＇21＇
＇20＇ Reading； with Lenz； ｛ekaterois｝； or if； as C。 Gesner conj。； ｛e
ekatera｝； transl。 〃or either separately。〃
＇21＇ Or； 〃for the purpose of felling wood and stopping up gaps where
necessary。〃
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III
There are two breeds of sporting dogs： the Castorian and the fox…
like。＇1＇ The former get their name from Castor； in memory of the delight
he took in the business of the chase； for which he kept this breed by
preference。＇2＇ The other breed is literally foxy； being the progeny
originally of the dog and the fox； whose natures have in the course of ages
become blent。＇3＇
＇1＇ ｛Kastoriai｝； or Laconian； approaching possibly the harrier type；
｛alopekides｝； i。e。 vulpocanine； hybrid between fox and dog。 ＇2＇ Or； 〃get
their appellation from the fact that Castor took delight in the business
of the chase； and kept this breed specially for the purpose。〃 Al。
｛diephulaxen｝； 〃propagated and preserved the breed which we now
have。〃 See Darwin； 〃Animals and Plants under Domestication；〃 ii。
202； 209。
＇3＇ Or； 〃and through lapse of time the twofold characteristics of
their progenitors have become blent。〃 See Timoth。 Gaz。 ap。 Schneid。
ad loc。 for an ancient superstition as to breeds。
Both species present a large proportion of defective animals＇4＇ which
fall short of the type； as being under…sized； or crook…nosed；＇5＇ or gray…
eyed；＇6＇ or near…sighted； or ungainly； or stiff…jointed； or deficient in
strength； thin…haired； lanky； disproportioned； devoid of pluck or of nose； or
unsound of foot。 To particularise： an under…sized dog will； ten to one；
break off from the chase＇7＇ faint and flagging in the performance of his
duty owing to mere diminutiveness。 An aquiline nose means no mouth；
and consequently an inability to hold the hare fast。＇8＇ A blinking bluish
eye implies defect of vision；＇9＇ just as want of shape means ugliness。＇10＇
The stiff…limbed dog will come home limping from the hunting…field；＇11＇
just as want of strength and thinness of coat go hand in hand with
incapacity for toil。＇12＇ The lanky…legged； unsymmetrical dog； with his
shambling gait and ill… compacted frame； ranges heavily； while the
spiritless animal will leave his work to skulk off out of the sun into shade
and lie down。 Want of nose means scenting the hare with difficulty； or
only once in a way； and however courageous he may be； a hound with
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unsound feet cannot stand the work； but through foot…soreness will
eventually give in。＇13＇
＇4＇ Or； 〃defective specimens （that is to say； the majority） are to be
noted； as follows。〃
＇5＇ ｛grupai｝。
＇6＇ ｛kharopoi｝。 Al。 Arrian； iv。 4； 5。
＇7＇ Or； 〃will probably retire from the chase and throw up the business
through mere diminutiveness。〃
＇8＇ Or； 〃a hook…nosed （？ pig…jawed； see Stonehenge； 〃The Dog；〃 p。 19；
4th ed。） dog has a bad mouth and cannot hold。〃
＇9＇ Or； 〃a short…sighted； wall…eyed dog has defective vision。〃
＇10＇ Or； 〃they are weedy； ugly brutes as a rule。〃
＇11＇ Or； 〃stiffness of limbs means he will come off。〃 Cf。 〃Mem。〃 III。
xiii。 6。
＇12＇ Lit。 〃a weak； thinly…haired animal is incapable of severe toil。〃
＇13＇ Or； 〃Nor will courage compensate for unsound feet。 The toil and
moil will be too great to endure； and owing to the pains in his feet he
will in the end give in。〃
Similarly many different modes of hunting a line of scent are to be
seen in the same species of hound。＇14＇ One dog as soon as he has found
the trail will go along without sign or symptom to show that he is on the
scent； another will vibrate his ears only and keep his tail＇15＇ perfectly still；
while a third has just the opposite propensity： he will keep his ears still
and wag with the tip of his tail。 Others draw their ears together； and
assuming a solemn air；＇16＇ drop their tails； tuck them between their legs；
and scour along the line。 Many do nothing of the sort。＇17＇ They tear madly
about； babbling round the line when they light upon it； and senselessly
trampling out the scent。 Others again will make wide circuits and
excursions； either forecasting the line；＇18＇ they overshoot it and leave the
hare itself behind； or every time they run against the line they fall to
conjecture； and when they catch sight of the quarry are all