378 0)1 the Northern Hare. 



exhausted, and terrified ; and the poor thing, being in that condi- 

 tion very susceptible of cold, was probably chilled by the night 

 air and the falling snow, until its palpitating heart, gradually im- 

 pelling the vital fluid with fainter and slower pulsations, at length 

 ceased its throbbinofs forever. 



Sometimes we have found these hares dead in the woods after 

 the melting of the snow in the spring, and on examination we 

 found they were entangled in portions of wire snares, frequently, 

 entwined round their necks ; from which they had been unable 

 to extricate themselves. 



This species when caught alive cannot be taken into the hand» 

 ike the gray rabbit, with impunity ; the latter, when seized by 

 the ears or hind-legs ; soon becomes quiet, and is harmless ; but 

 the northern hare struggles to escape, and makes a formidable 

 resistance with its teeth and nails. On one occasion a servant 

 who was exp ert at catching the gray rabbit in traps, came to us 

 with a rueful countenance, holding a hare in his hands, exhibiting 

 at the same time sundry severe scratches he had received, showing 

 us his torn clothes, and a place on his leg which the animal had 

 bitten, and declaring that he had caught " a rabbit as cross as a 

 cat." We ascertained it to be a northern hare, in its summer 

 dress, and although its captor had not been able to distinguish it 

 from the gray rabbit by its colour, he certainly had had a prac- 

 tical lesson in natural history, which he did not soon foro-et. 



A living individual of this species, which we have in Charleston 

 in a partially domesticated state, for the purpose of trying to as- 

 certain the effect of a warm climate on its changes of colour, is 

 particularly cross when approached by a stranger. It raises its 

 fur, and springs at the intruder with almost a growl, and is ready 

 with its claws and teeth to orratifv its raa:e, and inflict a wound 

 on the person who has aroused its ire. When thus excited, it 

 reminded us, by its attitudes, of an angry raccoon. 



The skin of the northern hare is so tender and easily torn, and 

 the fur is so apt to be spoiled and drop off" on being handled, that 

 it is difficult to prepare perfect specimens for the naturalist's 

 cabinet. The pelt is not in much request among the furriers, and 

 is regarded by the hatter as of little value. The hind-feet, how- 

 ever, are used by the latter in a part of the process by which the 

 soft, glossy, surface is imparted to his fabric, and answer the pur- 

 pose of a soft hair-brush. 



