Snovvshoe-rabbit 633 



there, nor were any brothers visible; besides, it was now a 

 quarter grown, evidently old enough to run with its mother. 

 Judging its development by that of the domestic Rabbit, it was 

 about three weeks old, and therefore born about June i . 



On September 7, 1902, in the Bitter-roots of Idaho, I 

 caught another half-grown Rabbit in the same way, but saw 

 no parent. 



The mother Snowshoe has never been recorded actually 

 fighting for her young, but most of the family are known to do 

 so, and as a hint of what to expect on fuller observation, I add 

 some paragraphs by J. E. Harting on the common Wild- 

 rabbit {L. cuniculus) of England: 



"In October, 1891, a game-keeper in the service of Mr. 

 Deacon of Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, on going through 

 a wood saw a Stoat which had caught a young Rabbit, playing 

 with it as a cat does with a Mouse, letting it go and then catch- 

 ing it again. Before the keeper could interfere, he saw a full- 

 grown Rabbit, probably the doe, rush out of some underwood 

 close by, knock over the Stoat, and carry off the young one in 

 its mouth. The Stoat, on recovering itself, followed through 

 the underwood, but presently reappeared in retreat pursued 

 by a couple of Rabbits."^ 



As further evidence, I may say that I have been attacked 

 several times and bitten as well as scratched by an old doe 

 Belgian hare, whose young I was trying to pull out of their 

 underground nest. 



The young of the Snowshoe are usually full grown by 

 autumn, but do not breed till the following spring. 



They are mature at a year old, and are believed to live 

 for eight or nine years, unless, as more often happens, the 

 Remorseless One removes them as soon as their powers begin 

 to wane. 



As a rule the Varying-hare sits quietly in its form all day; habits 

 toward sunset it often moves to some high place where it can 

 sit in the light of the red orb as though to enjoy the scene. 



'The Rabbit, p. 20 



