| Two kindes of Dogges | One which rouseth the beast and continueth the chase, Another which springeth the byrde and bewrayeth flight by pursuite, |
Both which kyndes are tearmed of the Latines by one common name that is, Canes Venatici, hunting dogges. But because we Englishe men make a difference betweene hunting and fowleling, for that they are called by these seuerall wordes, Venatio & Aucupium, so they tearme the Dogges whom they vse in these sundry games by diuers names, as [ those which] serue for the beast, are called Venatici, the other which are vsed for the fowle are called Aucupatorij.
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The first kind called Venatici I deuide into fiue sortes. | The first in perfect smelling The second in quicke spying The thirde in swiftnesse and quicknesse The fourth in smelling & nymblenesse The fifte in subtiltie and deceitfulnesse, | excelleth. |
Of the Dogge called a Harier, in Latine Leuerarius.
That kinde of Dogge whom nature hath indued with the vertue of smelling, whose property it is to vse a lustines, a readines, and a couragiousnes in hunting, and draweth into his nostrells the ayre or sent of the beast pursued and followed, we call by this word Sagax, the Græcians by thys word ιχνευτήν of tracing or chasing by ye foote, or ῥινηλάτην, of the nostrells, which be the instrumentes of smelling. Wee may knowe these kinde of Dogges by their long, large, and bagging lippes, by their hanging eares, reachyng downe both sydes of their chappes, and by the indifferent and measurable proportion of their making. This sort of Dogges we call Leuerarios Hariers, that I may comprise the whole nũber of them in certaine specialties, and apply to them their proper and peculier names, for so much as they cannot all be reduced and brought vnder one sorte, considering both the sundrye uses of them, and the difference of their seruice wherto they be appointed.
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The Hare The Foxe | ||
| Some for |
The Wolfe The Harte The Bucke The Badger The Otter The Polcat The Lobster[C] | Some for one thing and some for another. |
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The Weasell The Conny, &c. |
As for the Conny, whom we haue lastly set downe, wee use not to hunt, but rather to take it, somtime with the nette sometime with a ferret, and thus euery seuerall sort is notable and excellent in his naturall qualitie and appointed practise. Among these sundry sortes, there be some which are apt to hunt two diuers beasts, as the Foxe otherwhiles, and other whiles the Hare, but they hunt not with such towardnes and good lucke after them, as they doe that whereunto nature hath formed and framed them, not onely in externall composition & making, but also in inward faculties and conditions, for they swarue oftentimes, and doo otherwise then they should.
Of the Dogge called a Terrar, in Latine Terrarius.
Another sorte there is which hunteth the Foxe and the Badger or Greye onely, whom we call Terrars, because they (after the manner and custome of ferrets in searching for Connyes) creepe into the grounde, and by that meanes make afrayde, nyppe, and byte the Foxe and the Badger in such sort, that eyther they teare them in peeces with theyr teeth beyng in the bosome of the earth, or else hayle and pull them perforce out of their lurking angles, darke dongeons, and close caues, or at the least through cõceaued feare, driue them out of their hollow harbours, in so much that they are compelled to prepare speedy flight, and being desirous of the next (albeit not the safest) refuge, are otherwise taken and intrapped with snares and nettes layde ouer holes to the same purpose. But these be the least in that kynde called Sagax.