British Gnawing Mammals 



These romping antics last for some weeks, after 

 which the animals settle down to the ordinary cares 

 of family-rearing. A pair of Hares will have three 

 or four litters in a season, with about four young ones 

 in each nest. The young have their eyes open when 

 born, and once they gain strength of limb they ramble 

 beyond the home circle as the day verges into night. 



In general appearance the Hare is rabbit-like in 

 form, with a greater length of limb. In colour it is a 

 grey-brown over the back with a warmer brown about 

 the sides, and this, again, fades into white about the 

 underparts. In winter the brown hue turns to a 

 brownish-grey. The ears are narrow and concave, 

 black tipped and rounded, and somewhat longer than 

 the head itself The tail is black above, and its under- 

 surface white. Distinctive features of the Hare are 

 its thick, bristly and deeply cleft upper lip, and the 

 oblong pupils of the eyes. The latter are very large 

 and prominent, and set well back into the head. The 

 build of the frame is lanky and rather compressed in 

 appearance, and this lankiness is most apparent when 

 the animal is in motion. The long hind-legs account 

 for this impression. In length the average Hare 

 measures 22 inches. 



What has been said of the Brown Hare applies in 

 great measure to the White or Mountain Hare. 

 Unlike the Brown Hare, however, this species is never 

 seen upon the lower reaches of the land. It is purely 

 an Alpine resident. The colour also varies more than 



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