36 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



viduals as mucli as it is in England now, as indeed it would be 

 under a republic. He also recommended to follow tbe chase on 

 horseback where the country was suitable for such diversion. 

 Probably, in that case, the nets would be dispensed with. In the 

 directions for deer and boar hunting, Xenophon was far less ortho- 

 dox in his notions, and the traps and gins with which the former 

 was to be taken would disgrace any poacher of the present day. 

 Much better is the description of Yarius as to the way in which 

 the Cretan hounds did their work with deer, and I can scarcely 

 believe that any one who was in a position to command their 

 services would have descended to the use of snares and nets : — 



Seu canis umbrosam lustrans Gortynia vallein, 

 Si veteris poterit cervse comprendere lustra, 

 Soevit in absentem, et circum vestigia latrans 

 Aera per nitidum tenues sectatur odores 

 Non amnes illam medii, non ardua tardant, 

 Perdita nee serse meminit decedere nocti. 



That, I take it, is as plain a proof that hounds were valued in 

 ancient times for hunting a cold scent as could be wished for, 

 and they might well be the ancestors of our old southern 

 hounds, especially could we prove true what Tubberville says, 

 viz., that " Brutus, being driven out of Italy for killing his father 

 Silenus, son of Ascanius, came eventually into Britigne and 

 Totness, and brought with him hounds which, a hart once found, - 

 would never leave him till his death." 



Coming later on, to what are called the dark ages, we find no 

 difficulty in ascertaining that numbers of people had hounds that 

 ran by scent, though in all probability greyhounds were held in 

 greater esteem. But there is very great difficulty in ascertaining 

 what kind of hound was in use, as the old writers classed them 

 so much according to colour, without giving any other particular 

 characteristic of the breeds, and it is only when we reached the 

 days of Gervase Markham we see clearly that they had, like our- 

 selves, both fleet and slow hounds, which ran by scent and not 

 by sight. These X shall presently notice in their proper places. 



