Cotton Tail Rabbit Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsii 



in great numbers, sometimes becoming quite a serious 

 menace to orchards, gardens and field crops. Their 

 habits of chewing the bark from fruit trees in winter, 

 and the destruction of alfalfa, vegetables, nursery stock, 

 etc., make it necessary to keep them in check. 



The rabbit may nest in an underground burrow 

 or in a shallow depression in the ground. Ofttimes the 

 mother will line the depression with grass, dead leaves, 

 and hair taken from her own body. In this cozy nest 

 several litters of from three to six young are born each 

 year. The nest is covered so well that it is usually hard 

 to find. As darkness approaches, the rabbit ventures 

 forth on its foraging expeditions and it frequently be- 

 comes a victim of foxes, weasels and owls. Sometimes 

 during the day it sits and sleeps under a bush or in a 



-M. 152 ]H*~ 



