CHAPTER IX. 



The Hare. 



In flat country like that around Tientsin and Peking many sports- 

 men consider it almost a sin to shoot hares, for they offer so much 

 better sport when pursued on horse-back with greyhounds. Still there 

 is something to be said for the shooting of hares by the man who 

 cannot afford to keep ponies and hounds. From a purely humanitarian 

 point of view shooting hares might be preferred to chasing them. 

 However, I do not wish to turn this paper into a discussion upon the 

 rival merits of the two sports, so shall do no more than describe both. 



First, however, it would be well to describe the species and sub- 

 species of the genus Lepus. The hare found round Shanghai is known 

 as Lepus sinensis. Recently a new species has been described from 

 Northern Kiangsi under the name of Lepus aurigineus. Which of 

 these two species inhabits Anhui and South Shantung has not been 

 determined, but the hare from these parts certainly differs from that 

 found in North Shantung, and Chihli, which is known as Lepus 

 swinhoei. 



In North Szechuan and in Kansu another species is found, namely 

 Lepus sechuenensis ; while the hare of Shensi and the Ordos is a 

 subspecies of the Shantung hare, called Lepus swinhoei suhlute^is. 

 In Shansi the genus is represented by another subspecies which was 

 called Lepus swinhoei sowerhyoe in honour of my wife, who accom- 

 panied me on the journey during which this new variety was discovered. 

 The hare of South Mongolia is known as Lepus tolai, which is replaced 

 in the Altai Mountains by yet another species called Lepus quercus. 



The European hare is known as Lepus europoeus, and is identical 

 with the common English form. The Scotch, or mountain hare, 

 which turns white in winter is classed as a distinct species under the 

 name of Lepus variahHis. The hares in Ireland belong to either one 

 or the other of these last two species. 



This is a jaw breaking list for the ordinary reader to wade through 

 ,and my advice to him is, forget it ! The uninitiated would find it 



