I20 THE RABBIT 



had jumped on the bank to see the result of the shot. 

 He saw the gun go up, no smoke and no report, and 

 yet the rabbit went head over heels. Well might he 

 ask, ' What sort of gun do you call that ? ' It was not 

 until the owner of the gun stepped forth to pick up the 

 rabbit that the mystery was solved. The rabbit on 

 leaving the covert had taken to a well-worn ' run ' in 

 which not far out some poacher had set a brass wire. 

 Into this the rabbit had rushed full speed, and 

 broken its neck. 



Another phase of rabbit-shooting remains to be 

 mentioned — namely, rabbiting on the sand-hills and in 

 the cliffs, the enjoyment of which depends rather on 

 the remoteness of the situation, the picturesqueness 

 of the surroundings, and the invigorating air which 

 blows in from the sea, than upon the amount of 

 shooting to be obtained. For it will often happen 

 that rabbits on the coast-line may be plentiful enough, 

 but from the nature of their haunts — which may be 

 exposed sand-hills with innumerable burrows, or 

 rugged cliffs full of holes and crannies — it is by no 

 means easy to get within shot of them. They will 

 often wait apparently with little or no concern until 

 you are very nearly, though not quite, within range, 

 and then, having admirably judged the distance at 

 which they feel safe, will scuttle off to their burrows 



