第 6 节
作者:连过十一人      更新:2021-02-27 01:34      字数:9320
  such times; for the hares in their joy at the light with frolic and gambol'10'
  literally throw themselves high into the air and set long intervals between
  one   footfall   and   another。   Or   again;   the   trail   will   become   confused   and
  misleading when crossed by that of foxes。'11'
  '6' Cf。 Plut。 〃Q。 Nat。〃 917 F; ap。 Schneid。
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  '7' Cf。 Theophr。 〃C。 Pl。〃 xix。 5; 6; xx。 4。
  '8'   Reading   {to   thermo}。 Aristot。   〃Gen。 An。〃   iv。   10。   Zeune   cf。   Plut。
  〃Symp。〃   iii。   10;   657。   Macrob。   〃Sat。〃   vii。   16; Athen。   276   E。 Al。           {to
  thermon}。 See Lenz ad loc。; 〃the moon; especially a full moon;                           dulls
  the heat (or odour) of the tracks。〃
  '9' Cf。 Poll。 v。 67; ib。 66。
  '10' 〃Playing with one another; in the rivalry of sport。〃
  '11' Lit。 〃when foxes have gone through before。〃
  Spring   with   its   tempered   mildness   is   the   season   to   render   the   scent
  clear; except where possibly the soil; bursting with flowers; may mislead
  the pack; by mingling the perfume of flowers with the true scent。'12' In
  summer   scent   is   thin   and   indistinct;   the   earth   being   baked   through   and
  through   absorbs   the   thinner   warmth   inherent  in   the  trail;   while   the   dogs
  themselves       are   less  keen    scented     at  that  season     through     the  general
  relaxation of their bodies。'13' In autumn scent lies clean; all the products
  of the soil by that time; if cultivable; being already garnered; or; if wild;
  withered away with age; so that the odours of various fruits are no longer a
  disturbing   cause  through   blowing   on   to   the   line。'14'   In   winter;   summer;
  and autumn; moreover; as opposed to spring; the trail of a hare lies for the
  most part in straight lines; but in the earlier season it is highly complicated;
  for   the   little   creatures   are   perpetually   coupling   and   particularly   at   this
  season;   so   that   of   necessity   as   they   roam   together   for   the   purpose   they
  make the line intricate as described。
  '12' i。e。 〃with the scent into a composite and confusing whole。〃
  '13' Or; 〃owing to the relaxed condition of their frames。〃
  '14'   Lit。   〃The   fruity   odours   do   not;   as   commingling   currents;   injure
  the trail。〃
  The scent of the line leading to the hare's form lies longer than that of
  a hare on the run; and for this reason: in proceeding to her form the hare
  keeps stopping;'15' the other is in rapid motion; consequently; the ground
  in one case is thickly saturated all along with scent; in the other sparsely
  and superficially。 So; too; scent lies better in woody than on barren ground;
  since; whilst running to and fro or sitting up; the creature comes in contact
  with a variety of objects。 Everything that earth produces or bears upon her
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  bosom will serve as puss's resting…place。 These are her screen; her couch;
  her canopy;'16' apart; it may be; or close at hand; or at some middle point;
  among   them   she   lies   ensconced。 At   times;   with   an   effort   taxing   all   her
  strength;   she   will   spring   across   to   where   some   jutting   point   or   clinging
  undergrowth on sea or freshet may attract her。
  '15' 〃The form tracks are made by the hare leisurely proceeding and
  stopping at times; those on the run quickly。〃
  '16'    Lit。  〃Anything     and   everything     will   serve   to  couch    under;   or
  above;     within;    beside;   now    at  some    distance    off;   and   now    hard   by;
  and now midway between。〃
  The    couching      hare'17'    constructs    her   form    for  the   most    part  in
  sheltered spots during cold weather and in shady thickets during the hot
  season; but in spring and autumn on ground exposed to the sun。 Not so the
  running'18' animal; for the simple reason that she is scared out of her wits
  by the hounds。'19'
  '17' 〃The form…frequenting hare。〃
  '18'    〃Her   roving    congener;〃     i。e。  the  hunted    hare   that  squats。   The
  distinction     drawn     is  between     the   form    chosen    by   the   hare   for   her
  own      comfort;    and    her   squatting…place      to   escape    the   hounds     when
  hunted。
  '19'   i。e。   〃the   dogs   have   turned   her   head   and   made   her   as   mad   as   a
  March hare。〃
  In reclining the hare draws up the thighs under the flanks;'20' putting
  its fore…legs together; as a rule; and stretching them out; resting its chin on
  the tips of its feet。 It spreads its ears out over the shoulder…blades; and so
  shelters   the   tender   parts   of   its   body;   its   hair   serves   as   a   protection;'21'
  being thick and of a downy texture。 When awake it keeps on blinking its
  eyelids;'22' but when asleep the eyelids remain wide open and motionless;
  and the eyes rigidly fixed; during sleep it moves its nostrils frequently; if
  awake less often。
  '20' Pollux; v。 72。
  '21' Or; 〃as a waterproof。〃
  '22' So Pollux; ib。
  When the earth is bursting with new verdure;'23' fields and farm…lands
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  rather than mountains are their habitat。'24' When tracked by the huntsman
  their habit is everywhere to await approach; except only in case of some
  excessive scare during the night; in which case they will be on the move。
  '23' 〃When the ground teems with vegetation。〃
  '24' Or; 〃they frequent cultivated lands;〃 etc。
  The     fecundity    of   the   hare   is  extraordinary。      The    female;    having
  produced   one   litter;   is   on   the   point   of   producing   a   second   when   she   is
  already impregnated for a third。'25'
  '25'   Re   hyper…foetation   cf。   Pollux;   v。   73;   ap。   Schneid。;   Herod。   iii。
  108; Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 iv。 5; Erastosthenes; 〃Catasterism;〃 34;                       Aelian;
  〃V。 H。〃 ii。 12; Plin。 〃N。 H。〃 vii。 55。
  The scent of the leveret lies stronger'26' than that of the grown animal。
  While the limbs are still soft and supple they trail full length on the ground。
  Every true sportsman; however; will leave these quite young creatures to
  roam freely。'27' 〃They are for the goddess。〃 Full…grown yearlings will run
  their first chase very swiftly;'28' but they cannot keep up the pace; in spite
  of agility they lack strength。
  '26' Cf。 Pollux; v。 74。
  '27'    {aphiasi};    cf。  Arrian;   xxii。   1;  〃let  them    go  free〃;   Aesch。    〃P。
  V。〃 666; Plat。 〃Prot。〃 320 A。
  '28' Or; 〃will make the running over the first ring。〃
  To   find   the   trail   you   must   work   the   dogs   downwards   through   the
  cultivated lands; beginning at the top。 Any hares that do not come into the
  tilled districts must be sought in the meadows and the glades; near rivulets;
  among the stones; or in woody ground。 If the quarry makes off;'29' there
  should be no shouting; that the hounds may not grow too eager and fail to
  discover the line。 When found by the hounds; and the chase has begun; the
  hare will at times cross streams; bend and double and creep for shelter into
  clefts    and   crannied     lurking…places;'30'      since    they   have   not   only    the
  hounds to dread; but eagles also; and; so long as they are yearlings; are apt
  to be carried off in the clutches of these birds; in the act of crossing some
  slope   or   bare   hillside。   When   they   are   bigger   they   have   the   hounds   after
  them to   hunt   them  down   and make   away  with   them。 The   fleetest…footed
  would appear to be those of the low marsh lands。 The vagabond kind'31'
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  addicted to   every sort of ground   are difficult to hunt;  for they  know the
  short    cuts;   running    chiefly   up   steeps    or  across    flats;  over   inequalities
  unequally; and downhill scarcely at all。
  '29' Or; 〃shifts her ground。〃
  '30'   Or;   〃in   their   terror   not   of   dogs   only;   but   of   eagles;   since   up   to
  a year old they are liable to be seized by these birds of prey                          while
  crossing some bottom or bare ground; while if bigger 。 。 。〃
  '31' {oi 。 。 。 planetai}; see Ael。 op。 cit。 xiii。 14。
  Whilst being hunted they are most visible in crossing ground that has
  been turned up by the plough; if; that is; they have any trace of red about
  them;   or   through