3O2 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



her eyes fixed. She moves her nostrils frequently when sleeping, but less often when awake. 

 Their eyesight is by no means sharp, for their eyes project, and their eyelids are short, and 

 not sufficient to protect the ball, on which account their eyesight is weak and indistinct. 

 When she is pursued, the fear of the dogs and hunters takes away her presence of mind, on 

 which account she often runs unknowingly against many things, and sometimes falls into the 

 nets. If she ran straight forward, these things would seldom happen to her; but running 

 a ring, and loving the places where she was bred and has fed, she is taken. 



" The accoutrements of the dogs consist in a collar, a leading leather thong, and a surcingle 

 to guard the body. They should never be taken out to hunt unless they eat their food heartily, 

 for if they do not, it is a sure sign they are not healthy. They should never be suffered to 

 hunt foxes, as that does them the greatest damage. The places of hunting should frequently 

 be changed, that the dogs may be thoroughly acquainted with the nature of hunting : and it 

 is necessary to go out early in the morning, that the trail may not be gone. Those who go 

 out late deprive the dogs of the chance of finding a hare, and themselves of the sport : 

 neither will scent, by reason of its nature, continue in all weather. 



"If the dog picks the trail out straight forward from the works the hare has been 

 making, he should slip another, and as these persist in the trail he should loose the rest, 

 one after another, without great intervals, and should follow himself, but not too closely, 

 encouraging the dogs by their names, but not too vehemently, lest they should be too eager 

 before the proper time. When the hounds are near the hare, they discover it to the hunts- 

 man by shaking violently not only their tails but their whole bodies, by rushing on in a 

 warlike manner, by trying to surpass each other in speed, by running eagerly together, by 

 now crowding close and then dispersing, and then again running on, till at length they come 

 to the seat of the hare, and run in upon her. She immediately jumps up and flies, the dogs 

 pursuing her in full cry, those who follow crying out, ' Haloo, dogs!' and the huntsman, 

 wrapping his coat round his hand, and carrying his pole, should follow the dogs, taking care 

 to keep behind the hare, and not to head her, which is unsportsmanlike. The hare, running 

 off, and soon being out of sight, generally comes back again to the place where she was found 

 the huntsman calling to the person at the nets, ' To him, boy ! to him, boy ! ' and he 

 signifies whether she is taken or not. 



" When the scent is very strong, the hounds rush upon it leaping, crowding together, and 

 stooping down : but while they thus persist in the scent close together, the huntsman must 

 restrain himself, and not follow the dogs too near, lest through emulation they should overrun 

 the scent. 



"The best time for breeding dogs is in the winter, when the labours of the chase are 

 over the quiet of that season, and the approach of spring, being most likely to contribute to 

 form a generous race, for that time of the year agrees best with the growth of dogs. The 

 puppies, when they. are whelped, should be left with their mother, and not put to another 

 bitch. The care of others is not so good for their growth ; the milk, and even the breath, 

 of the mother, is better for them, and her caresses more endearing. When the puppies can 

 run about, they should have milk for the first year, and nothing else, for the filling them with 

 too heavy food will distort their legs, fill their bodies with diseases, and hurt their inside. 

 The bitch puppies should first be taken out to hunt at eight months old, and the dogs at 

 ten ; but do not let them loose during the trail, but, keeping them tied in long leather slips, 

 suffer them to follow the dogs that are trailing, letting them also go over the scent." 



From these remarks of Xenophon it is clearly shown that hare -hunting was carried on in 



