CHAPTER V. 



HARES AND RABBIfS. 



THE FAMILY LEPORID/E — THE AMERICAN HARES — THE POLAR HARE — THE NORTHERN HARE — THE 

 WOOD HARE — THE BRAZILIAN HARE — THE JACKASS RABBIT — THE AFRICAN HARES — THE SAND 

 HARE— THE EUROPEAN HARE— THE COMMON HARE — THE ALPINE HARE— THE RABBIT — THE 

 WILD RABBIT — THE DOMESTIC RABBIT. 



THE family Leporid.e consists of only one genus divided into 

 tliirty-fivc to forty species. Only one, species occurs in South 

 America, while one or two North American species extend into 

 Mexico and Guatemala. In the Old World they extend from Iceland to 

 Japan, and as far north as Greenland and the Arctic Ocean. 



GENUS LEPUS. 



The Hares and Rabbits are the only rodents that have more than 

 two front teeth. They have a long body, with high hinder limbs, a long 

 skull, with large ears and eyes, five toes on the front, four on the hind- 

 feet, very mobile deeply-cleft lips, a thick fleecy coat, and a short, erect 

 tail. All the species live on soft, juicy plants, but yet eat anything else 

 that they can get. Their motions are peculiar. When walking slowly 

 they seem clumsy and awkward, but in full speed they are very fleet, 

 and can in the wildest race make turns of wonderful quickness. 



THE HARE. 



The Polar Hare, Lcpus timidus, inhabits the whole Arctic Circle. 

 Like other Polar animals, it changes its color according to the season. 

 In winter it is pure white, excepting the tips of the ears, which are 

 black. In summer it is of a light-yellowish brown-gray, with black ears. 

 Its length is about two feet, its wciglit eight to ten pounds. 



