NATURAL HISTORY. 



115 



Innumerable foes besides man surround this animal. 

 Foxes, ferrets, stoats, and all their tribe are unmerciful ene- 

 mies, and sometimes a large hawk will destroy a leveret, as 

 the young Hare is called. Although destitute of all means 

 of defence, it is often enabled to escape by the quickness of 

 its hearing and sight, which give it timely warning of the 

 approach of an enemy, and enable it to escape to a place of 

 safety. 



In cold countries, the Hare changes its fur during winter, 

 and becomes white, like the Arctic fox and the ermine. The 

 Alpine Hare, inhabiting the northern parts of Scotland, is a 

 good example of this change. 



LEPUS. 



Cuniculus (Lat a little Rabbit}. 



The well known RABBIT is rather smaller than the hare, 

 but closely resembles it in form. It lives in deep holes, which 

 it digs in the ground. When a number of these holes or 

 burrows occur near each other, the place is called a warren. 

 A loose dry soil, such as the soft red sandstone, is the delight 

 of these animals, who may be seen frisking about in great 

 numbers outside their holes, but diving in on the slightest 

 alarm. Poachers often take them in great numbers by 

 spreading nets over the mouth of the holes, and sending a 

 ferret carefully muzzled down one of the burrows. The 

 terrified rabbits rush out at the sight of their dreaded enemy, 

 and are caught in the nets. If the ferret were not muzzled, 



