HUN
The Sicilian Way of Hunting had fomethinf in : extraordinary. — The Nobles or Gentry being inform'd which Way a Herd of Deer pafs'd, gave Notice ro one ano- ther, and appointed a Meeting ; every one bringing with him a Crofs bow or Long-bow, and a Bundle of Staves ihod with Iron, the Heads bored, with a Cord pafling thro' 'em all : Thus provided, they came to the Herd, and calling themfelves about in a large Ring, furrounded the Deer. — 1 hen each taking his Stand, unbound his Faooot fet up his Stake, and ty'd the End of the Cord to thato? ,his next Iseighbour, at the Diflance of ten Foot from one another. — Then taking Feathers, dy'd in Crimfon, and falfen'd on a I hread, they ty'd them to the Cord ; fo rhat with the lead Breath of Wind, they would whirl round. — Which done, the Perfons who kept the Stands withdrew, and hid them- felves in the next Covert.
Then the chief Ranger entering within the Line with Hounds to draw after the Herd, rous'd the Game with their Cry ; which flying towards the Line, were turn'd off, and ftill gazing on the fhaking and mining Feathers, wander'd about as if kept in with a real Wall or Pale.
The Ranger ftill purfued, and calling every Perfon by Name, as he paffed by their Stand, commanded him to fhoot the firft, third, or forth, as he pleas'd ; and if any of them mifs'd, or tingled out another than that affign'd him, it was counted a grievous Difgrace.
By fuch Means, as they pafs'd by the feveral Stations, the whole Herd was kill'd by the feveral Hands. Views Hierogly- phic, lib. 7. cap- 6.
Hunting, as praftis'd among us, is chiefly perform'd with Dogs ; of which we have various Kinds, accommodated to the various Kinds of Game; as Hounds, Grey-hounds, Staunch Hounds, "blood-hounds, lerriers, &c. See Hound.
In the Kennels or Packs they generally rank th'em under the Heads of Enterers, 'Drivers, Flyers, Tyers, &c.
On fome Occasions, Nets, Spears, and Inftruments for digging the Ground, are alfo recruir'd : Nor is the Hunting- Horn to be omitted. See Horn.
The ufual Chafes among us, are the Han, Suck, Roe, Hare, Fox, Badger, and Otter. — We fhall here give what relates to each thereof
By the way let it be obferv'd, with regard to the Scafons of Beafts, that Hart and Buck Hunting begins at the End of Fencer Month, which is a Fortnight after Midfummer, and lafts till Holy Rood- r Day. -- The Hind and Doe come in Courfe on Holy-Rood-Ttay, and laft till Candlemas. — Fox limiting comes in at Cbrifimas, and holds till the Annuncia- tion. — Roe Hunting begins at Michaelmas, and ends at Candlemas. — Hare Hunting commences at Michaelmas, and gees out at the End of February. — Where the Wolf and Boar are hunted, the Seafbn for each begins at Chrifimas 5 the firft ending at the Annunciation, the fecond at the 'Pu- rification.
Here, too, is the Place for fbme general Terms and Phrafes, more immediately ufed in the Progrefs of the Sport itfelf: What belong to the feveral Sorts of Game, in particular, be- ing referv'd for the refpeclive Articles.
When the Hounds, then, being call off, and finding the Scent of fome Game, begin to apen and cry; they are faid to challenge. — When they are too bufy, e'er the Scent be good, they are faid to babble. — When too bufy where the Scent is good, they band. — When they run it end-ways orderly, holding in together merrily, and making it good, they are faid to be in ful\ Cry. — When they run along Without Opening at all, it is cail'd running Mute.
When Spaniels open in the String, or a Grey-hound in the Cnurfe, they are faid to Lapfe.
When Beagles bark and cry at their Prey, they are faid to yearn.
When the Dogs hit the Scent the contrary Way, they are faid to drawamifs.
When they take frefli Scent, and quit the former Chafe for a new one, it is cail'd Htmting Change.
When they hunt the Game by the Heel or Track, they are faid to hunt Counter.
When the Chafe goes off, and returns again, traverfing the fame Ground, it is cail'd Hunting the Foil.
When the Dogs run ar a whole Herd of Deer, inflead of a fingle one, it is cail'd Running Riot.
Dogs fet in readinefs where the Game is expected to come by and caff off after the other Hounds are pafs'd, are cail'd a Relax. — If they be caft off e'er the other Dogs be come 'up, it "is cail'd a /*?!»«?%•
When finding where the Chafe has been, they make a Proffer to enter, but return, it is cail'd a Ulcmifn.
j\ Leflbn on the Horn to encourage the Hounds, is nam'd a Call or a Rechee.t. — That blown at the Death of a Deer, is cail'd the Mart. — The Part belonging to the Dogs of any Chafe they have kill'd, is the Reward. - They fay, take off a Deer's Skin ; {trip or cafe a Hare, Fox, and all Sort of Vermin ; which is done by beginning at the Snout, and turn- ing the Skin over the Ears, down to "the Tail.
( **$ )
HUN
Hart Hunting, or Hunting of Red <Z)eer. -~ This
Animal, the. firifc. Year is cail'd a Calf or Hind-Caif — Thb fecond Year, a Knobber. — The third, a iircck. — Tho fourth, a Staggard. — The fifth, a Stag, — The fixth, a Hart.
The Female is cail'd a Hhd. — The firft Year fhe is a Calf — The fecond, a Harje, and fometimes a 2irccfai's Sifter. — The third, a Hind.
Terms occurring more efpecially in Hintivg the Hart; and not yet explain'd, are as follow : — The Print or ImprerFiun where a Deer has lain, is cail'd a Layer: If it be in Covert, or a Thicket, it is cail'd his Harbour. — Where a Deer has pafs'd into a Thicket, leaving Marks whereby his Bulk may beguefs'd at, it is cail'd an JBatt ry. — When they call their Heads, they are faid to Mew. — When they rub their Heads again!!: Trees to bring off the Pills of their Horns, they are faid to Fray When a Deer hard hunted takes to Swim- ming in the Water, fhe is faid to go to Sail. — When they turn Head againft the Hounds, they are faid to 'Bay. -— When the Hounds touch the Scent, and draw on till they put up the Hart, they are faid to draw on the Slct.
.As to the Nature and Qualities of the Hart, it is to b; obferv'd that he is an excellent Swimmer ; there being In- stances, when fore hunted^ of his plunging into the Sea, and being kill'd by Fifhermen is Miles from Land. — When in going to rut, they have occafion to crofs a great River, or Arm of the Sea, 'tis faid they dfenible in great Herds ; the ffrongeft goes in firft, and the next of Strength follows $ and fo one after the other, relieving themfelves by ftaying their Heads on the Buttocks of each other.
The Hind commonly carries her Calf eight or nine Month?, which ufually fills in Aiay : Some have two at once ; and they eat up the Skin wherein the Calf laid. — As the Young grows up, (he teaches it to run, leap, and how to defend itfelf from the Hounds.
The Hart is amaz'd at hearing any Call, or whiftle in his Fift : If you cry ware, ware, or take heed, you will fee him initantly turn back, and make fome little Stand. — His Senfe of Hearing is very perfect when his Head and Ears are erecTed ; but very imperfect when he holds them down : Hence, when he pricks up his Ears, he is known to be ap-
Erehenfive of Danger. When he is on Foot, and not afraid, e wonders and takes Pleafure to gaze at every thing he fees.
The Hart is very long-liv'd, commonly reaching to an hundred Years, or upwards. — The principal Marks of his Age are taken from his Head ; yet is this fomewhat preca- rious, fome having more Croches thereon at the fame Age than others. — Thofe are accounted to cxcell in Beauty of Horns, which bear them high.
The Horns do not grow to the Bone or Scalp, but only to the Skin, branching into many Spears, and falling off once a Year, in the Spring. — Tho' folid throughout, "as Stones, yet, if they remain awhile in the Air, they grow very light and friable, difcovering themfelves to be no other than an earthly Subftance, concrete and harden'd with a ftrong Heat into the Form of Bones. See Head.
The Horns being fallen, they retire and hide themfelves in the Shades, to avoid the Annoyance of Flies ; and only come out to feed in the Night. --- Their new Horns appear at firft like Bunches, very foft and tender ; but by the In- creafe of the Sun's Heat, at length grow harder, and are cover'd with a rough Skin, cail'd' a Velvet Head. - As that Skin dries, they daily try the Strength of their new Heads upon Trees, which not only bumifhes and fcrapes off the Roughnef,, but, by the Pain they feel, hereby admomfhes them how long to forbear the Company of their Fellows - for when the Horn grows infenfible, they return to their former Condition.
The taking of this Beaft requires a deal of Art and At- tention. — " The deceitful and fubtle Hart, fays Gefner, " by Windings and Turnings deceives its Hunters, no Iefs " than the Harts of Mesmrpt flying from the terrible Cry " of ^Diana's Hounds : the prudent Hunter, therefore, mult " frame his Dogs, as Pythagoras did his Scholars, with " Words of Art, to fet them on.and take them offat Pleafure. See Hound,
When he goes for Sport, he is firft to encompafs the Beaft, en fon gife, in her own Layer ; and thus unharbour her in the View of the Dogs, that fo they may never lofe her Slot or Footing.— But Note, a deal of 'Choice ;md Difereticn is here requir'd ; for he may not fet off upon every one, either of the Herd, or thofc which wander folitary : The young, the fmall, &c. are to be pafs'd over; and partly by Sight, and partly by the Footing, Fewmets, the largenefs' of "the Layer, gfc he muff make Judgment of the Game, firgling out for that Purpofe the largeft Head in the whole Herd."'
There are divers Means for knowing an old Hart, W2>. by the Slct. the Entries, the rfbatvres and Foils, the Fewmets y Gate and Wa Iks, Fmying-ftocks, Head and Branches.
i°. As to the Slot. — The Tre-ulings of the Hart's Foot
are to be carefully noted : If you find the Treadings of two,
- U u u the
