NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



and stood rigid, as is their habit when well trained. 

 The eyes of the Hare were wide open, and being 

 large and prominent, and on the sides of the head, 

 it had a clear view of the dog behind. I stood at a 

 short distance and watched for fully fifteen minutes, 

 and it was not until I finally gave the signal for my 

 dog to rush at it, that the Hare resorted to flight. 



The Hare is nocturnal by habit. It sits in its 

 " form " or lair by day, and issues forth at dusk 

 and feeds during the night, retiring again at sun- 

 rise to the same lair, if undisturbed. If alarmed 

 it seeks another resting place at a distance. It 

 feeds upon grass, and a large variety of other plants, 

 and may often be seen on country roads at early 

 dawn and moonlight nights, feeding on the grass 

 bordering the roadways. 



When cycling or motoring at night along country 

 roads, hares are frequently seen in the glare cast 

 by the acetylene or electric lamps. In fact they 

 are frequently hunted in these ways. When the 

 glare of light falls upon them, instead of instantly 

 vanishing into the herbage bordering the roads, 

 the hares usually pause for a few moments to gaze 

 at the light, actuated by curiosity and bewilder- 

 ment, and are in consequence easily shot. 



Hares do considerable damage in cultivated fields 

 by eating off the young plants. The number of- 

 seedling plants a single Hare is able to devour in a 

 night is immense, and unfortunately when such 

 succulent and tender fare is forthcoming, these 



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