628 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



futile; It merely circled about its own corner. The fact that 

 It was maimed may have limited its range, but I think, never- 

 theless, that it showed the usual habit of its kind. 



Another Snowshoe, on my grounds, passed all Its life 

 within 60 or 70 yards of a certain rocky knoll. Its tracks In the 

 winter were found only near this, and In the summer it was 

 never seen far away. As It was the only White-hare in my 

 woods, at the time, the observations are reliable. When 

 chased it merely dodged about this knoll. 



In five or six cases I had Cottontails and White-hares 

 in a wire enclosure of about an acre. They were kept In for 

 a month, then two large gates In their prison wall were thrown 

 open, but they continued to haunt the same place as though 

 still fenced In; and, If they chanced to run out of one gate, 

 would go butting their heads against the wire fence In their 

 efforts to get back to their little home-ground. All of this 

 goes to prove that the individual range of the White-hare, like 

 that of the Cottontail, is very small; probably still smaller In 

 summer than In winter. 



sociA- This creature Is sociable only in slight degree. Hares 



come together when their numbers are such that they cannot 

 help it, and, on the whole, are not benefited by such close asso- 

 ciation. The only advantages they reap are that the pathways 

 are kept well-worn and open, and they notify each other of 

 danger by stamping, by running, or. In extreme cases, by squeal- 

 ing. As a matter of fact, these Hares intercommunicate little 

 but trouble and disease. 



My friend, Charles G. D. Roberts, informs me that In 

 New Brunswick he has frequently seen half-a-dozen Hares 

 gathered on moonlit winter nights. They come together as by 

 appointment and have a sort of game chasing each other In 

 some open space and through the adjoining woods. 



Among many human races there exists a prejudice against 

 moonlight. It Is interesting to note that the animals do not 

 share this feeling; indeed, there are many species that make 

 the moonlight nights their chosen time for sallying forth. 



BILITY 



