The Sportsman [5]
and owing to the pains in his feet he will in the end give in."
Similarly many different modes of hunting a line of scent are to be seen in the same species of hound.[14] One dog as soon as he has found the trail will go along without sign or symptom to show that he is on the scent; another will vibrate his ears only and keep his tail[15] perfectly still; while a third has just the opposite propensity: he will keep his ears still and wag with the tip of his tail. Others draw their ears together, and assuming a solemn air,[16] drop their tails, tuck them between their legs, and scour along the line. Many do nothing of the sort.[17] They tear madly about, babbling round the line when they light upon it, and senselessly trampling out the scent. Others again will make wide circuits and excursions; either forecasting the line,[18] they overshoot it and leave the hare itself behind, or every time they run against the line they fall to conjecture, and when they catch sight of the quarry are all in a tremor,[19] and will not advance a step till they see the creature begin to stir.
[14] Or, "Also the same dogs will exhibit many styles of coursing: one set as soon as they have got the trail pursue it without a sign, so there is no means of finding out that the animal is on the track."
[15] "Stern."
[16] Or "with their noses solemnly fixed on the ground and sterns lowered."
[17] Or, "have quite a different action"; "exhibit quite another manner."
[18] i.e. "they cast forwards to make short cuts," of skirters too lazy to run the line honestly.
[19] Reading {tremousi}, "fall a-trembling"; al. {atremousi}, stand stock-still"; i.e. are "dwellers."
A particular sort may be described as hounds which, when hunting or pursuing, run forward with a frequent eye to the discoveries of the rest of the pack, because they have no confidence in themselves. Another sort is over-confident--not letting the cleverer members of the pack go on ahead, but keeping them back with nonsensical clamour. Others will wilfully hug every false scent,[20] and with a tremendous display of eagerness, whatever they chance upon, will take the lead, conscious all the while they are playing false;[21] whilst another sort again will behave in a precisely similar style out of sheer ignorance.[22] It is a poor sort of hound which will not leave a stale line[23] for want of recognising the true trail. So, too, a hound that cannot distinguish the trail leading to a hare's form, and scampers over that of a running hare, hot haste, is no thoroughbred.[24]
[20] Al. "seem to take pleasure in fondling every lie."
[21] Or, "fully aware themselves that the whole thing is a make- believe."
[22] Or, "do exactly the same thing because they do not know any better."
[23] {ek ton trimmon}. Lit. "keep away from beaten paths," and commonly of footpaths, but here apparently of the hare's habitual "run," not necessarily lately traversed, still less the true line.
[24] Lit. "A dog who on the one hand ignores the form track, and on the other tears swiftly over a running track, is not a well-bred dog." Al. {ta eunaia}, "traces of the form"; {ta dromaia}, "tracks of a running hare." See Sturz. s.v. {dromaios}.
When it comes to the actual chase, some hounds will show great ardour at first starting, but presently give up from weakness of spirit. Others will run in too hastily[25] and then balk; and go hopelessly astray, as if they had lost the sense of hearing altogether.
[25] So L. & S., {upotheousin} = "cut in before" the rest of the pack and over-run the scent. Al. "flash in for a time, and then lose the scent."
Many a hound will give up the chase and return from mere distaste for hunting,[26] and not a few from pure affection for mankind. Others with their clamorous yelping on the line do their best to deceive, as if true and false were all one to them.[27] There are others that will not do that, but which in the middle of their running,[28] should they catch the echo of a sound
Similarly many different modes of hunting a line of scent are to be seen in the same species of hound.[14] One dog as soon as he has found the trail will go along without sign or symptom to show that he is on the scent; another will vibrate his ears only and keep his tail[15] perfectly still; while a third has just the opposite propensity: he will keep his ears still and wag with the tip of his tail. Others draw their ears together, and assuming a solemn air,[16] drop their tails, tuck them between their legs, and scour along the line. Many do nothing of the sort.[17] They tear madly about, babbling round the line when they light upon it, and senselessly trampling out the scent. Others again will make wide circuits and excursions; either forecasting the line,[18] they overshoot it and leave the hare itself behind, or every time they run against the line they fall to conjecture, and when they catch sight of the quarry are all in a tremor,[19] and will not advance a step till they see the creature begin to stir.
[14] Or, "Also the same dogs will exhibit many styles of coursing: one set as soon as they have got the trail pursue it without a sign, so there is no means of finding out that the animal is on the track."
[15] "Stern."
[16] Or "with their noses solemnly fixed on the ground and sterns lowered."
[17] Or, "have quite a different action"; "exhibit quite another manner."
[18] i.e. "they cast forwards to make short cuts," of skirters too lazy to run the line honestly.
[19] Reading {tremousi}, "fall a-trembling"; al. {atremousi}, stand stock-still"; i.e. are "dwellers."
A particular sort may be described as hounds which, when hunting or pursuing, run forward with a frequent eye to the discoveries of the rest of the pack, because they have no confidence in themselves. Another sort is over-confident--not letting the cleverer members of the pack go on ahead, but keeping them back with nonsensical clamour. Others will wilfully hug every false scent,[20] and with a tremendous display of eagerness, whatever they chance upon, will take the lead, conscious all the while they are playing false;[21] whilst another sort again will behave in a precisely similar style out of sheer ignorance.[22] It is a poor sort of hound which will not leave a stale line[23] for want of recognising the true trail. So, too, a hound that cannot distinguish the trail leading to a hare's form, and scampers over that of a running hare, hot haste, is no thoroughbred.[24]
[20] Al. "seem to take pleasure in fondling every lie."
[21] Or, "fully aware themselves that the whole thing is a make- believe."
[22] Or, "do exactly the same thing because they do not know any better."
[23] {ek ton trimmon}. Lit. "keep away from beaten paths," and commonly of footpaths, but here apparently of the hare's habitual "run," not necessarily lately traversed, still less the true line.
[24] Lit. "A dog who on the one hand ignores the form track, and on the other tears swiftly over a running track, is not a well-bred dog." Al. {ta eunaia}, "traces of the form"; {ta dromaia}, "tracks of a running hare." See Sturz. s.v. {dromaios}.
When it comes to the actual chase, some hounds will show great ardour at first starting, but presently give up from weakness of spirit. Others will run in too hastily[25] and then balk; and go hopelessly astray, as if they had lost the sense of hearing altogether.
[25] So L. & S., {upotheousin} = "cut in before" the rest of the pack and over-run the scent. Al. "flash in for a time, and then lose the scent."
Many a hound will give up the chase and return from mere distaste for hunting,[26] and not a few from pure affection for mankind. Others with their clamorous yelping on the line do their best to deceive, as if true and false were all one to them.[27] There are others that will not do that, but which in the middle of their running,[28] should they catch the echo of a sound