2 HARE-HUNTING AND HARRIERS 



accounts of the sport, describing the hare and her habits, 

 the early morning trail, the find and the chase. He has 

 some curious observations upon the hare and her ways. 

 The scent of young hares, he tells us, is stronger than 

 that of the full-grown animal, for the reason that the 

 weakness of their limbs permits the whole body at 

 times to touch the earth. He has a theory that, as 

 the hare's tail is of no aid to her in steering, she employs 

 for this purpose her long ears, laying down the ear upon 

 that side from which the hound makes his rush at her 

 and, turning instantly, leaving her pursuers behind. 

 He has much to say concerning the treatment of hounds, 

 and he recommends that the young entry should be 

 permitted to tear their quarry when run into. There 

 are also directions against straggling, and Xenophon 

 seems to have had a particular objection to that bane 

 of all masters, the skirter. 



Kings, warriors, and statesmen have, from time 

 immemorial, been enthusiastically devoted to all forms 

 of hunting. That they did not despise sport with the 

 hare is abundantly clear. Nor, considering the extra- 

 ordinary resourcefulness of this animal, the sport she 

 provides, the mazes she weaves in her flight, the 

 extreme interest of the chase which she affords, and 

 the fine qualities required in hounds which can success- 

 fully cope with so fleet and cunning a beast of chase, 

 is this surprising. Edward III., during his campaigns 

 in France, maintained sixty couples of harriers as well 

 as the same number of staghounds. 



The greatest heroes seem to have found sport with 

 the hare acceptable to their natures. At the battle of 

 Roncesvalles, when Charlemagne hears from afar off 

 the distant blast of Roland's horn, he is eager to march 

 instantly to his rescue, beheving that the young paladin 

 must be in sore jeopardy. But the traitor, Gan^lon, 



