The eyes of the large kind are slightly inclined to gray;[37] of the smaller, bluish. The black about the tips of the ears is largely spread in the one, but slightly in the other species. Of these two species, the smaller is to be met with in most of the islands, desert and inhabited alike. As regards numbers they are more abundant in the islands than on the mainland; the fact being that in most of these there are no foxes to attack and carry off either the grown animal or its young; nor yet eagles, whose habitat is on lofty mountains rather than the lower type of hills which characterise the islands.[38] Again, sportsmen seldom visit the desert islands, and as to those which are inhabited, the population is but thinly scattered and the folk themselves not addicted to the chase; while in the case of the sacred islands,[39] the importation of dogs is not allowed. If, then, we consider what a small proportion of hares existent at the moment will be hunted down and again the steady increase of the stock through reproduction, the enormous numbers will not be surprising.[40]
[35] {epiperknoi}. Cf. Pollux, v. 67 foll., "mottled with black." Blane.
[36] Reading {paraseiron}, perhaps "mottled"; vulg. {paraseron}. Al.
{parasuron}, "ecourtee," Gail.
[37] {upokharopoi}, "subfulvi," Sturz, i.e. "inclined to tawny"; al. "fairly lustrous." Cf. {ommata moi glaukas kharopotera pollon 'Athanas}, Theocr. xx. 25; but see Aristot. "H. A." i. 10; "Gen.An." v. 1. 20.
[38] Lit. "and those on the islands are for the most part of low altitude."[39] e.g. Delos. See Strab. x. 456; Plut. "Mor." 290 B; and so Lagia, Plin. iv. 12.
[40] Lit. "As the inhabitants hunt down but a few of them, these constantly being added to by reproduction, there must needs be a large number of them."The hare has not a keen sight for many reasons. To begin with, its eyes are set too prominently on the skull, and the eyelids are clipped and blear,[41] and afford no protection to the pupils.[42] Naturally the sight is indistinct and purblind.[43] Along with which, although asleep, for themost part it does not enjoy visual repose.[44] Again, its very fleetness of foot contributes largely towards dim- sightedness. It can only take a rapid glance at things in passing, and then off before perceiving what the particular object is.[45]
[41] Or, "defective."
[42] Al. "against the sun's rays."
[43] Or, "dull and mal-concentrated." See Pollux, v. 69.
[44] i.e. "its eyes are not rested, because it sleeps with them open." [45] i.e. "it goes so quick, that before it can notice what theparticular object is, it must avert its gaze to the next, and then the next, and so on."The alarm, too, of those hounds for ever at its heels pursuing combines with everything[46] to rob the creature of all prescience; so that for this reason alone it will run its head into a hundred dangers unawares, and fall into the toils. If it held on its course uphill,[47] it would seldom meet with such a fate; but now, through its propensity to circle round and its attachment to the place where it was born and bred, it courts destruction. Owing to its speed it is not often overtaken by the hounds by fair hunting.[48] When caught, it is the victim of a misfortune alien to its physical nature.
[46] {meta touton}, sc. "with these other causes"; al. "with the dogs"; i.e. "like a second nightmare pack."[47] Reading {orthion}, or if {orthon}, transl. "straight on."[48] {kata podas}, i.e. "by running down"; cf. "Mem." II. vi. 9; "Cyrop." I. vi. 40, re two kinds of hound: the one for scent, the other for speed.
The fact is, there is no other animal of equal size which is at all its match in speed. Witness the conformation of its body: the light, small drooping head [narrow in front];[49] the [thin cylindrical][50] neck, not stiff and of a moderate length; straight shoulder-blades, loosely slung above; the fore-legs attached to them, light and set close together;[51] the undistended chest;[52] the light symmetrical sides; the supple, well- rounded loins; the fleshy buttocks; the somewhat sunken flanks;[53] the hips, well rounded, plump at every part, but with a proper interval above;the long and solid thighs, on the outside tense and not too flabby on the inside; the long, stout lower legs or shanks; the fore-feet, exceedingly pliant, thin, and straight; the hind-feet firm and broad; front and hind alike totally regardless of rough ground; the hind-legs far longer than the fore, inclined outwards somewhat; the fur[54] short and light.
[49] Reading {katophere [stenen ek tou emprosthen]}. See Lenz ad loc. pp. 23, 24. Pollux, v. 69.
[50] Reading {[lepton, periphere]}. [51] {sugkola}, al. "compactly knit."[52] Lit. {ou barutonon}, "not deep sounding" = {ou sarkodes}, Pollux,ib.
[53] Reading {lagonas ugras lagaras ikanos}. [54] {trikhona}, "the coat."I say an animal so happily constructed must needs be strong and pliant;the perfection of lightness and agility. If proof of this lightness and agility be needed, here is a fact in illustration. When proceeding quietly, its method of progression is by leaps; no one ever saw or is likely to see a hare walking. What it does is to place the hind-feet in front of the fore-feet and outside them, and so to run, if running one can call it. The action prints itself plainly on snow. The tail is not conducive to swiftness of pace, being ill adapted by its stumpiness to act as a rudder to direct the body. The animal has to do this by means of one or other ear;[55] as may be seen, when she is on the point of being caught by the hounds.[56] At that instant you may see her drop and shoot out aslant one of her ears towards the point of attack, and then, apparently throwing her full weight on that pivot, turn sharp round and in a moment leave her assailants far behind.
[55] So Ael. "N. A." xiii. 14.
[56] Pollux, v. 71. For punctuation, see Lenz ad loc. p. 25.
So winsome a creature is it, that to note the whole of the proceedings from the start--the quest by scent, the find, the pack in pursuit full cry, the final capture--a man might well forget all other loves.[57]
[57] See Arrian, xvi. 6, his criticism. Schneid. cf. Plut. "Mor." 1096C. Hermog. iii. 319, 11, ed. Walz.
Here it should be added that the sportsman, who finds himself oncultivated lands, should rigidly keep his hands off the fruits of the season, and leave springs and streams alone. To meddle with them is ugly and base, not to speak of the bad example of lawlessness set to the beholder. During the close season[58] all hunting gear should be taken down and put away.
[58] Al. "wahrend der Jagdferien," Lenz; "on Sundays," as we might say. See some remarks on S. 34 in "Hellenica Essays," "Xenophon," p. 349.
