G74 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol.XVIII. 



This black-naped hare (L. nigricollis) is readily distinguishable from the 

 common Indian hare {rujicaudatus') by the large dark brown or black patch at the 

 back of the head, which extends from the ears to the shoulders. The upper 

 side of the tail also is blackish near the tip, and its length is noticeably less than 

 the tail of rujicaudatus, which, moreover, lacks the dark tip. The ears of the 

 latter species have an outside border of black near the points. Black-naped 

 hares are numerous all over the Neilgherry plateau, and have taken very kindly 

 to the excellent covert afforded by the introduced Australian wattle. They find 

 shelter also in the thick bush round the edges of the numerous sholas, while the 

 excellent grass, which everywhere clothes the open downs, affords the best of 

 feeding. 



The common Indian hare (L. rujicaudatus) displays a somewhat suspicious 

 predilection for the neighbourhood of villages, and when a couple are required 

 for soup or jugging it is as well to have them shot at a distance from native 

 dwellings. They are never worth roasting, but the fine Neilgherry hares are far 

 superior for table purposes and quite equal, in fact, to the best English ones. 

 Although the Indian hare affords tame sport for the shot gun, it becomes a 

 worthier object of shikar if secured with a rifle. When put up it nearly al- 

 ways canters leisurely away for some fifty yards and then halts for an instant 

 to look back. This gives the opportunity for a quick shot and as the customary 

 halt and backward glance are seldom made untd the hare is sixty or eighty yards 

 off, the range is long enough to afford a fair test of skill. 



In the United Provinces the short, sweet grass of well-watered com- 

 pounds proves an irresistible attraction to hares during the hot weather. In 

 Agra, when driving home after dusk, the lamps of my trap would often 

 give me a fleeting glimpse of some hungry hare that had come far for the sake 

 of the lawn, which I used to keep green with the help of a neighbouring well. 



Indian hares have innumerable enemies — pariah dogs, jackals, mongooses 

 and wild cats, as well as the larger birds of prey. As. however, they lie still 

 during the day, and the hot sun quickly dries up all scent, they are then 

 comparatively safe, unless one of their foes happens to stumble right upon them. 

 At night and in the early morning and evening hares are on the move with all 

 their keen senses on the alert ; so if hunted they can generally obtain a good 

 start, and their speed then gives them a fair chance of escape. On the Neilgher- 

 ries I once saw three jackals running a hare in broad daylight ; unfortunately, I 

 did not succeed in seeing how the chase ended. 



It is interesting to watch a hare settling herself for the day. Once in the 

 Governor's park, Madras, while observing the antics of a family of mongooses, I 

 heard a rustle close at hand, so stood perfectly still. A hare stole up to within 

 5 ft. of me, and proceeded to make herself comfortable in a patch of grass. She 

 deliberately scraped the blades this way and that, until she had scooped out a 

 hollow, and when the " form " was thus arranged to her satisfaction she settled 

 herself down in it. 



During the long hot weather, when the crops have all gone and most of the 



