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＇8＇ Or； 〃neither soft and spongy nor unyielding。〃 See Stoneh。； p。 23。
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＇9＇ 〃Drawn up underneath it；〃 lit。 〃tucked up。〃
＇10＇ Al。 〃flank；〃 〃flanks themselves。〃
＇11＇ Or； as we should say； 〃stern。〃 See Pollux； v。 59； Arrian； v。 9。
＇12＇ See Stonehenge； p。 24 foll。
Hounds possessed of these points will be strong in build； and at the
same time light and active； they will have symmetry at once and pace； a
bright； beaming expression； and good mouths。
In following up scent；＇13＇ see how they show their mettle by rapidly
quitting beaten paths； keeping their heads sloping to the ground； smiling；
as it were to greet the trail； see how they let their ears drop； how they keep
moving their eyes to and fro quickly； flourishing their sterns。＇14＇ Forwards
they should go with many a circle towards the hare's form；＇15＇ steadily
guided by the line； all together。 When they are close to the hare itself； they
will make the fact plain to the huntsman by the quickened pace at which
they run； as if they would let him know by their fury； by the motion of
head and eyes； by rapid changes of gait and gesture；＇16＇ now casting a
glance back and now fixing their gaze steadily forward to the creature's
hiding…place；＇17＇ by twistings and turnings of the body； flinging
themselves backwards； forwards； and sideways； and lastly； by the genuine
exaltation of spirits； visible enough now； and the ecstasy of their pleasure；
that they are close upon the quarry。
＇13＇ Lit。 〃Let them follow up the trail。〃
＇14＇ Lit。 〃fawning and wagging their tails。〃
＇15＇ Lit。 〃bed〃 or 〃lair。〃
＇16＇ Or； 〃by rapid shiftings of attitude； by looks now thrown backward
and now forwards to the 。 。 。〃 Reading ｛kai apo ton anablemmaton
kai emblemmaton ton epi tas kathedras tou l。｝； or if with L。 D。； ｛kai
apo ton a。 kai emblemmaton eis ton ulen kai anastremmaton ton epi
tas k。｝； transl。 〃now looking back at the huntsman and now staring
hard into the covert； and again right…about…face in the direction of the
hare's sitting…place。〃
＇17＇ Lit。 〃form〃； 〃the place where puss is seated。〃
Once she is off； the pack should pursue with vigour。＇18＇ They must not
relax their hold； but with yelp and bark full cry insist on keeping close and
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dogging puss at every turn。 Twist for twist and turn for turn； they； too；
must follow in a succession of swift and brilliant bursts； interrupted by
frequent doublings； while ever and again they give tongue and yet again
till the very welkin rings。＇19＇ One thing they must not do； and that is；
leave the scent and return crestfallen to the huntsman。＇20＇
＇18＇ Lit。 〃let them follow up the chase vigorously； and not relax；
with yelp and bark。〃
＇19＇ ｛dikaios｝； Sturz； 〃non temere〃； 〃and not without good reason。〃
Al。 〃a right good honest salvo of barks。〃
＇20＇ Lit。 〃Let them not hark back to join the huntsman； and desert the
trail。〃
Along with this build and method of working； hounds should possess
four points。 They should have pluck； sound feet； keen noses； and sleek
coats。 The spirited； plucky hound will prove his mettle by refusing to leave
the chase； however stifling the weather； a good nose is shown by his
capacity for scenting the hare on barren and dry ground exposed to the sun；
and that when the orb is at the zenith；＇21＇ soundness of foot in the fact that
the dog may course over mountains during the same season； and yet his
feet will not be torn to pieces； and a good coat means the possession of
light； thick； soft； and silky hair。＇22＇
＇21＇ i。e。 〃at mid…day〃； or； 〃in the height of summer〃； al。 〃during the
dog…days〃； 〃at the rising of the dog…star。〃
＇22＇ See Pollux； ib。 59； Arrian； vi。 1。
As to the colour proper for a hound；＇23＇ it should not be simply tawny；
nor absolutely black or white； which is not a sign of breeding； but
monotonousa simplicity suggestive of the wild animal。＇24＇ Accordingly
the red dog should show a bloom of white hair about the muzzle； and so
should the black； the white commonly showing red。 On the top of the
thigh the hair should be straight and thick； as also on the loins and on the
lower portion of the stern； but of a moderate thickness only on the upper
parts。
＇23＇ See Stonehenge； p。 25； Darwin； op。 cit。 ii。 109。
＇24＇ But see Pollux； ib。 65； who apparently read ｛gennaion touto to
aploun alla therides｝； al。 Arrian； vi。 See Jaques de Fouilloux； 〃La
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Venerie〃 （ap。 E。 Talbot； 〃Oeuvres completes de Xenophon；〃
traduction； ii。 318）。
There is a good deal to be said for taking your hounds frequently into
the mountains； not so much for taking them on to cultivated land。＇25＇ And
for this reason： the fells offer facilities for hunting and for following the
quarry without interruption； while cultivated land； owing to the number of
cross roads and beaten paths； presents opportunities for neither。 Moreover；
quite apart from finding a hare； it is an excellent thing to take your dogs on
to rough ground。 It is there they will become sound of foot； and in general
the benefit to their physique in working over such ground will amply
repay you。＇26＇
＇25＇ Or； 〃pretty often； and less frequently over。〃
＇26＇ Lit。 〃they must be benefited in their bodies generally by working
over such ground。〃
They should be taken out in summer till mid…day； in winter from
sunrise to sundown； in autumn any time except mid…day； and in spring any
time before evening。 These times will hit the mean of temperature。＇27＇
＇27＇ Or； 〃You may count on a moderate temperature at these times。〃
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V
The tracks of hares are long in winter owing to the length of night； and
short for the opposite reason during summer。 In winter； however； their
scent does not lie in early morning； when the rime is on the ground； or
earth is frozen。＇1＇ The fact is； hoar frost by its own inherent force absorbs
its heat； whilst black frost freezes it。＇2＇
＇1＇ Or； 〃when there is hoar frost or black frost〃 （lit。 〃ice〃）。
＇2＇ Or； 〃the ice congeals them；〃 〃encases as it were in itself the
heat；〃 i。e。 the warm scent； aliter； 〃causes the tracks to freeze at the
top。〃
The hounds； moreover； with their noses nipped by the cold；＇3＇ cannot
under these conditions＇4＇ use their sense of smell； until the sun or the mere
advance of day dissolves the scent。 Then the noses of the hounds recover；
and the scent of the trail begins to exhale itself perceptibly。＇5＇
＇3＇ Reading ｛malkiosai｝； Cobet； 〃N。 Lect。〃 131。 〃Mnem。〃 3； 306；
Rutherford； 〃N。 Phry。〃 p。 135。 = 〃nipped； or numb with cold。〃 For
vulg。 ｛malakiosai｝ = 〃whose noses are tender；〃 see Lenz ad loc。
＇4＇ Lit。 〃when the tracks are in this case。〃
＇5＇ As it evaporates。 Aliter； 〃is perceptible to smell as it is wafted
by the breeze to greet them。〃
Heavy dews also will obliterate scent by its depressing effect；＇6＇ and
rains occurring after long intervals； while bringing out odours from the
earth；＇7＇ will render the soil bad for scent until it dries again。 Southerly
winds will not improve scentbeing moisture…laden they disperse it；
whereas northerly winds； provided the scent has not been previously
destroyed； tend to fix and preserve it。 Rains will drown and wash it away；
and so will drizzle； while the moon by her heat＇8＇ especially a full
moonwill dull its edge； in fact the trail is rarestmost irregular＇9＇at
such times； for the hares in their joy at