170 COMMON BRITISH ANIMALS 



curses Moll White, a reputed witcli. I have known 

 the master of the pack upon such an occasion send one 

 of his servants to see if Moll White had been out 

 that morning/^ The swiftness and cunning" in 

 doubling of the hare connected her with witches, 

 and if one was shot it was always thought that some 

 old crone would be found injured. 



The " March Hare/' who, with the '' Mad Hatter '' 

 and Alice, were the guests at the Mad Tea Party in 

 " Alice in Wonderland,^' has been a well-known and 

 much cherished personality in every nurser}^ for the 

 last thirty years. He is represented in the well- 

 known illustrations by John Tenniel with a wisp of 

 corn round his ears. As a nursery favourite the 

 " March Hare '' has quite superseded Tincy, Puss 

 and Bess, the tame hares of Cowper. 



The poet found his pets difficult to tame, and his 

 experience is confirmed by Mr. Drane and others 

 who have kept hares in captivit3\ Cowper wrote of 

 one of his hares : 



" The surliest of his kind, 



Who nursed with tender care. 



And to domestic bounds confined. 



Was still a wild Jack Hare." 



But having once gained their trust and affection 

 Mr. Drane speaks of them as pacific, trustful and 

 affectionate in disposition to a most touching degree. 



Although the hare is considered less courageous 

 than the rabbit, for it has never been seen to turn on 

 its enemies as a rabbit will at times, yet a hare will box, 

 bite, and scratch a human being during the process 

 of taming. Mr. Millais records that two friends of 



