On Hunting

The scent left by the hare in going to her form lasts longer than the scent of a running hare. For on the way to the form the hare keeps stopping, whereas when on the run she goes fast; consequently the ground is packed with it in the one case, but in the other is not filled with it. In coverts it is stronger than in open ground, because she touches many objects while running about and sitting up.

They find a resting-place where there is anything growing or lying on the ground, underneath anything, on the top of the objects, inside, alongside, well away or quite near or fairly near; occasionally even in the sea[*](See The Hare, Fur and Feather Series, p. 38 f.) by springing on to anything she[*](The fluctuation between plural and singular is in the Greek.) can reach, or in fresh water, if there is anything sticking out or growing in it, the hare,[*](The distinction is not, as often supposed, between hares with different habits (squatters, εὑναῖοι, and roamers, δρομαῖοι—a non-existent distinction), but merely between the behaviour of all hares in different circumstances. The unusual, but not unexampled, position of the article—ὁ and οἱ—has misled interpreters. Blane saw the true meaning.) when going to her

form generally choosing a sheltered place for it in cold weather and a cool one in hot, but in spring and autumn a place exposed to the sun; but hares on the run do not do that, because they are scared by the hounds.

When she sits, she puts the hind-legs under the flanks, and most commonly keeps the fore-legs close together and extended, resting the chin on the ends of the feet, and spreading the ears over the shoulder-blades, so that[*](I do not think that εἷτα δὲ can mean this, and suspect that εἷτα is wrong.) she covers the soft parts. The hair too, being thick and soft, serves as a protection.

When awake she blinks her eyelids; but when she is asleep the eyelids are wide open and motionless, and the eyes still. She moves her nostrils continually when sleeping, but less frequently when awake.

When the ground is bursting with vegetation they frequent the fields rather than the mountains. Wherever she may be she remains there when tracked, except when she is suddenly alarmed at night; in which case she moves off.