of the former kind is variegated in a circle; of the other, white at
the side.[36] The eyes of the large kind are slightly inclined to
gray;[37] of the smaller, bluish. The black about the tips of the ears
is largely spread in the one, but slightly in the other species. Of
these two species, the smaller is to be met with in most of the
islands, desert and inhabited alike. As regards numbers they are more
abundant in the islands than on the mainland; the fact being that in
most of these there are no foxes to attack and carry off either the
grown animal or its young; nor yet eagles, whose habitat is on lofty
mountains rather than the lower type of hills which characterise the
islands.[38] Again, sportsmen seldom visit the desert islands, and as
to those which are inhabited, the population is but thinly scattered
and the folk themselves not addicted to the chase; while in the case
of the sacred islands,[39] the importation of dogs is not allowed. If,
then, we consider what a small proportion of hares existent at the
moment will be hunted down and again the steady increase of the stock
through reproduction, the enormous numbers will not be surprising.[40]

[35] {epiperknoi}. Cf. Pollux, v. 67 foll., "mottled with black."
Blane.

[36] Reading {paraseiron}, perhaps "mottled"; vulg. {paraseron}. Al.
{parasuron}, "ecourtee," Gail.

[37] {upokharopoi}, "subfulvi," Sturz, i.e. "inclined to tawny"; al.
"fairly lustrous." Cf. {ommata moi glaukas kharopotera pollon
'Athanas}, Theocr. xx. 25; but see Aristot. "H. A." i. 10; "Gen.
An." v. 1. 20.

[38] Lit. "and those on the islands are for the most part of low