THE COMMON HARE, 



part of the fourteenth century, the ladies of that 

 period had hunting parties by : themselves, in which 

 they rode astride upon the saddle. It is, however, 

 to be presumed, that this indecorous custom was not 

 of long continuance; for a writer of the seventeenth 

 century informs us, that "the ladies of Bury> in Suf- 

 " folk, who used hawking and hunting, were once in a 

 " great vaine of wearing breeches." Queen Elizabeth 

 was very fond of the chase, and frequently indulged 

 herself in following the Hounds. " Her majesty/' 

 (says Rowland White, in a letter to Sir Robert 

 Sidney, written only a few years before the death 

 of the queen) "is well, and excellently disposed 

 to hunting; for every second day she is on horse- 

 <f back, and continues the sport long." 



When this defenceless animal is before the 

 Hounds, she employs much cunning and subtilty 

 in endeavouring to escape from their pursuit. She 

 never runs in a line directly forward ; but con- 

 stantly doubles about, and by this means frequently 

 throws the Dogs off the scent. If a Hare is run, 

 either in or presently after rain, she will not take to 

 the woods, on account of the wet that hangs on the 

 small low boughs, but will often squat in the hedge 

 of the cover; and, when the Hounds have overshot 

 the scent, will return to her form. When hard 

 pressed, she will mingle with a flock of Sheep, run 

 up an old wall and conceal herself among the 

 herbage on the top of it: she will cross a river 



several 



