De Canibus Britannicis: Of Englishe DoggesCaius, John
Science
De Canibus Britannicis: Of Englishe Dogges
Caius, John
Dogs -- Early works to 1800
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_.
Of the Dogge called a Bloudhounde in Latine _Sanguinarius_.
[Sanguinarius.] Qui insequuntur, majores: propenso & hi labro atque
aure, nec vivas tantum uti memorati omnes, sed & mortuas quoque
conspersi sanguinis odore persequuntur.
The greater sort which serue to hunt, hauing lippes of a large syze,
& eares of no small lenght, doo, not onely chase the beast whiles it
liueth, (as the other doo of whom mencion aboue is made) but beyng
dead also by any maner of casualtie, make recourse to the place
where it lyeth, hauing in this poynt an assured and infallible
guyde, namely, the sent and sauour of the bloud sprinckled heere and
there vpon the ground.
Sive enim vivæ sauciantur feræ, atque è manibus venatorum elabuntur,
sive mortuæ ex vivario sublatæ sunt (sed profusione sanguinis
utræque) isti canes odore facilè persentiscunt, & subsequuntur.
Eam ob causam ex argumento sanguinarii appellantur.
For whether the beast beyng wounded, doth notwithstanding enioye
life, and escapeth the handes of the huntesman, or whether the said
beast beyng slayne is conuayed clenly out of the parcke (so that
there be some signification of bloud shed) these Dogges with no
lesse facilitie and easinesse, then auiditie and greedinesse can
disclose and bewray the same by smelling, applying to their
pursute, agilitie and nimblenesse, without tediousnesse, for which
consideration, of a singuler specialtie they deserued to bee called
_Sanguinarij_ bloudhounds.
Cum tamen fieri solet ut furum astutia nullo consperso sanguine
abripiatur fera, etiam sicca hominis vestigia per extentissima
spatia nullo errore sequi nôrunt,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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