FAMILY OF HARES AND RABBITS 



?79 



thousands two years ago, they are in ones and 

 twos now." 



The X'arying Hare, however, is gifted with 

 numerous f aniihes ( Hke others of its tribe ) and 

 soon renews the population. It has three Htters 

 during the summer, with two or three young in 

 each Htter. Mr. Preble noted that, in spite of 

 disease, of unlimited snaring by the Indians, and 

 of the attacks of their animal foes, when spring 

 arrived the Hares were found to be " fairly 

 abundant." 



that season is ea:.y enough, but to avoid the 

 numerous enemies that beset them must be much 

 more difficult, and I doubt if one out of a dozen 

 ever attains its growth." They feed voraciously 

 upon the bark of young trees, twigs, buds, and 

 shoots, reaching up to some distance on their 

 long hind legs ; but it never seems to occur to them 

 to carry any of it away to the cover of the ever- 

 greens where they sleep, and in consequence they 

 are obliged to be abroad in all kinds of weather 

 or go hungry until the storm is over. They 



Photograph by J. H. Field 



YOUNG WILD RABBITS 



An unusual and interesting picture secured by a keen-eyed field observer. It shows a nest of three 



Rabbits only eight days old 



The Virginia Varying Hare is the largest, 

 brightest, and most richly colored form. It is 

 about twenty inches long. Its summer coat is of 

 a rusty brown with a wash of black heaviest on 

 the back ; under parts white. In winter, in the 

 southern parts of its range, the pelage is some- 

 times partially brown, instead of pure white as in 

 other forms. Of the feeding habits of this Hare, 

 Mr. Witmer Stone says; "As soon as they are 

 able to take care of themselves, or even before, 

 judging from outward appearances, the young 

 ones are turned adrift to support themselves as 

 best they may. The matter of finding food at 



usually pass the day crouching motionless, half 

 asleep in the shadow, though not averse to sun- 

 ning themselves at midday, especially during the 

 latter part of the winter. Toward sunset they 

 start out in search of food and are back in their 

 forms again soon after sunrise, but whether they 

 spend the entire night in feeding, or only the 

 hours of twilight, is not easy to determine. 



This Hare is a habitant of the mountains of 

 West Virginia and Virginia, and is found as far 

 north as Ontario. In the Adirondack's it has 

 been found at an altitude of 4000 feet. In many 

 districts the northern extension of the range of 



