HARES AND RABBITS 217 



and the British Islands would be kept in check by the pro- 

 portionate increase of weasels, cats, foxes, buzzards, owls, and 

 eagles ; but when man, in his short-sightedness, exterminates 

 these interesting beasts and birds, he must rely solely on his own 

 efforts to keep down the devastations of rabbits and other rodents. 

 In Australia the rabbit shows great signs of adaptability, and 

 will often climb trees. Instances are recorded by Thomas Bell 

 of rabbits that have existed in hollow trees in England, and have 

 been able, owing to the slant of the trunk, to ascend the tree for 

 some distance. It is quite possible, therefore, that if this form 

 developed extravagantly it might give rise to a new species or 

 genus of arboreal habits ; whilst another became more and more 

 addicted to life underground, feeding on roots ; and a third 

 might even become semi-aquatic, for a rabbit is quite well able 



to swim. 



In England the rabbits are somewhat nocturnal in their habits, 

 and feed generally in the early morning and late evening, passing 

 a good deal of the warmth of the day in the burrow, though in 

 the winter-time they range the field by day and retire to their 

 burrows at night. 



Lepus timidus. The Mountain Hare 

 This is a true hare, but a little nearer to the rabbits than the 

 form to be next described. The Mountain Hare has ears propor- 

 tionately shorter than those of the common hare {Lepus europ^us), 

 but these ears have the customary black tip which is so marked 

 a feature in all the hares. In size the mountain hare is slightly 

 smaller than the common hare, its length being a little over 

 21 in. from the nose to the base of the tail, and the tail (2 J in.) 

 is shorter than that of the common hare. On the other hand, the 

 head of Lepus timidus is proportionately larger than the head of 

 Lepus europ^us. The two, however, differ markedly in colora- 

 tion, in the contour of the head (which is rounder in the 

 mountain hare), in the relative length of the hind legs (shorter in 

 the mountain hare), and, as already mentioned, in the length of 

 the ears and tail. 



