HARES, A.\D IIARE-IIIXTIXC. 



See how they toss, with animated rage 



Recovering all they lost ! That eager haste 



Some doubling wile foreshows. — Ah ! yet once more 



They're check'd. — Hold back with speed. — On either hand 



They flourish round. — Kv'n yet persist. — 'Tis right ; 



Away they spring ; the rustling stubbles bend 



Beneath the driving storm. Now the poor chase 



Begins to flag, to her last shifts reduced. 



From brake to brake she flies, and visits all 



Her well-known haunts, where once she ranged secure. 



With love and plenty bless'd. See ! there she goes ; 



She reels along, and by her gait betrays 



Her inward v,eakncss. See how black she looks ! 



The sweat that clogs th' obstructed pores scarce leaves 



A languid scent. And now in open view 



See ! see ! she flies ; each eager hound exerts 



His utmost speed, and stretches ev'ry nerve. 



How quick she turns, their gaping jaws eludes, 



And yet a moment lives, till round enclos'd 



By all the greedy pack, with infant screams 



She yields her breath, and there reluctant dies. 



The huntsman now, a deep incision made. 



Shakes out, with hands impure, and dashes down 



Her reeking entrails and yet quiv'ring heart. 



These claim the pack, the bloody perquisite 



For all their toils. Stretched on the ground she lies 



A mangled corse ; in her dim-glaring eyes 



Cold Death exults, and stiffens ev'ry limb. 



Awed by the threat'ning whip, the furious hounds 



Around her bay, or at their master's foot. 



Each happy fav'rite courts his kind applause. 



With humble adoration cow'ring low. 



All now is joy. With cheeks full blown they wind 



Her solemn dirge, while the loud op'ning pack 



The concert swell, and hills and dales return 



The sadly-pleasing sounds. Thus the poor hare, 



.\ puny dastard animal ! but vers'd 



In subtle wiles, diverts the vouthful train. Souicrvili:. 



■' Having the fearful flving liare in siglit 

 With fiery eye-, sparkling for very wrath.'' 



AV«i' Henry VI, /\i>t III, act ii, scfiif 5. 



The natural finish to a good run is a kill ; but for some reason or 

 another, beagles do not kill once in five times, and many of these kills may 

 be called accidental, by chopping, &c. On good scenting days it takes about 

 one and a-half to two hours to lire a liaie, so that the hounds can run inlo 

 her in tlie open; but before this happens slie has generally beaten us by some 

 of her numerous tricks and wiles. A road is often fatal to a satisfactory 

 ending of a run ; also a tiicd hare seems to give out less scent tiian at the 

 beginning of a run, possibly on account of the sup|)ly of scent particles 



