140 



A R U 1 A N 



Chap. xxvil. that she preserves her heat after the vaginal blood has 



stopped. 

 Suitable age in A bitcli's aoe niav be considered eood for the purpose from 



bitches for , 



breeding. the second to the seventh year. " 



^";f p- It is best for the dog and bitch to be shut up by themselves, 



Wo.le of sexual ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ sight v^rhile together. ^ For open and public 



intercourse, copulations, if we may believe sportsmen, are not prolific ; ^ 



Fracastorii 

 Alcon. 



Bis quinas tamen ante dies, accensus uterque 

 In venerem, venere abstiueant ; sic plena libido 

 Acrius exstimulat, viresque ad stmina praebet. 

 Hinc major soboles, atque inde valentior exit. 



2. 'A-yaBi] 5e rfj 6r}\eia r]\iK'ta, &c. Marvellous tales are on record of periods much 

 later than the seventh year, in which bitches have given birth to numerous progenies ; 

 but Arrian has specified a limited time within which a greyhound bitch may be con- 

 sidered as being at the acme of her bodily powers, and likely to yield such a litter as 

 will not disappoint the expectations of the Veltrarius. To Mr. Pope we are indebted, 

 in his endeavour to reconcile with probability the age of the Homeric Argus, — 



Odyssey, 

 B. xvii. 

 vs. 394. 



^lian. Hist. 



The dog whom fate had granted to behold 



His lord, when twenty tedious years had roll'd, — 



for the almost incredible case of a gravid bitch of the age of twenty-two years. After 

 which, we may well exclaim in the words of the Greek naturalist, ovkow ov5i''A.pyoi 



Anniial- L. vii. ^ kvoov ixvdoTrolr]fj.a -^v, Si OeTe "OyUTjpe, ahu, ovte KOfiiros 7roir]TiK6s ! 



1. Xenophon merely says that tlie dog and bitch should be 070601, and the Fa- 



Cyneget. 

 vs. 266. 



liscian adds that they be of tried spirit. 



Et prinium expertos aniini, quae gratia prima est. 

 In venerem jungunt, &c. 



The Chace. 

 B. IV. 



for erery longing dame select 

 Some happy paramour ; to him alone 

 In leagues connubial join. Consider well 

 His lineage ; what his fathers did of old, 

 Chiefs of the pack, &c. 



2. At 7op ef TCf) ifj.<pavei 6fj.t\iai oh y6t'i/j.oi. This ridiculous notion, though doubt- 

 fully advanced in the manual, is supported by many of the old Cynegetica. 



