The net-keeper should wear a light costume. His business is to fix the nets about the runs, (9) paths, bends, and hollows, and darksome spots, brooks, dry torrents, or perennial mountain streams. These are the places to which the hare chiefly betakes itself for refuge; though there are of course endless others. These, and the side passages into, and exits from them, whether well marked or ill defined, are to be stopped just as day breaks; not too early, so that, in case the line of nets be in the neighbourhood of covert to be searched for game, (10) the animal may not be scared at hearing the thud close by. (11) If, on the contrary, there should be a wide gap between the two points, there is less to hinder making the net lines clear and clean quite early, so that nothing may cling to them. The keeper must fix the forked props slantwise, so as to stand the strain when subjected to tension. He must attach the nooses equally on the points; and see that the props are regularly fixed, raising the pouch towards the middle; (12) and into the slip-rope he must insert a large, long stone, to prevent the net from stretching in the opposite direction, when it has got the hare inside. He will fix the rows of poles with stretches of net sufficiently high to prevent the creature leaping over. (13) In hunting, "no procrastination" should be the motto, since it is sportsmanlike at once and a proof of energy by all means to effect a capture quickly. He will stretch the larger (haye) nets upon level spaces; and proceed to plant the road nets upon roads and at converging points of tracks and footpaths; (14) he must attach the border-ropes to the ground, draw together the elbows or side ends of the nets, fix the forked props between the upper meshes, (15) adjust the skirting ropes upon the tops, and close up gaps. (9) See Pollux, v. 35. (10) Al. "of the game to be hunted up." (11) {omou}, "e propinquo." Schn. cf. "Cyrop." III. i. 2; VI. iii. 7. (12) Or, "giving the funnel or belly a lift in the middle." {kekruphalon}, Pollux, v. 31. (13) This sentence according to Lenz is out of its place, referring solely to the haye nets; the order of the words should be {ta de diktua teineto en apedois stoikhizeto de, k.t.l.} If so, transl. "He should stretch the hayes on level ground and fix, etc.; The road nets should be planted... etc." (14) Al. "at convenient points or where paths converge." See Schneid. s.v. {sumpheronta}. (15) {sardonion}, Pollux, v. 31. Al. "fixing the stakes between the edges."