82 



THE GNAWERS 



Fig. 59. 



Mouth of a Rodent, showing the 

 Gnawing Teeth. 



their habit of chiseling down or girdling trees. They have 

 a wide range. The European hare (Fig. 60) is one of the 



fleetest animals 

 known. The 

 West American 

 form, the jack 

 rabbit, is even 

 fleeter, but I 

 have rarely seen 

 one that could 

 not be run down 

 with a fast horse 

 and good grey- 

 hounds. I have spent many hours in this pastime in 

 California, where the hare is a menace to the farmer. 

 No sport is more exciting or exhilarating than to follow 



the fleet animal in .,^=^ - - -^%.... ,/ 



the open country, 

 where it has the ad- 

 vantage and leads 

 the horse, rider, 

 and hounds into 

 dangerous paths. 

 Chasing hares in 

 an inclosure, when 

 the animal has no 

 possible chance for 

 its life, is not to be 

 commended. Fol- 

 lowing them in the open country is far more dangerous 

 than fox hunting. The jack rabbit is found in such vast 



\: 





Fig. 60. — The European Hare running. 



