230 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE YOSEMITE 



from the crown of the head, is only about twice its width. (See fig. 35.) 

 The head of the brush rabbit is blunter and broader as compared with that 

 of the cotton tail, and the tail is smaller and shows less white. There is a 

 conspicuously darker, colder, grayish tone of coloration in the brush rabbit, 

 which is to be contrasted with the yellowish brown coat color of the 

 cottontail. 



In general the deportment of the Mariposa Brush Rabbit is like that 

 of its nearer relative. It habitually carries its ears up in a nearly vertical 

 position. Not infrequently the red tinge of the ears, resulting from the 

 sunlight shining through them, is the first thing to catch the observer's 

 eye. Usually, when suddenly come upon, a brush rabbit will 'freeze' and 

 remain perfectly still; under such circumstances it might easily be mis- 

 taken for a rock. When it decides to move it does so abruptly and a few 

 jumps place it under the shadow of the chaparral. There the observer's 

 eye can scarcely follow it, so closely does the color of the animal's pelage 

 match the general tone of the environment ; with a few further scurrying 

 movements the rabbit is entirely lost to view. This animal is an adept at 

 dodging about in and among bushes. As long as cover is available, its 

 safety is fairly assured. 



The Mariposa Brush Rabbit does most of its foraging in the dusk of 

 evening and in the early morning hours. Sundown, whatever hour that 

 may be in the different seasons of the year, is the best time to watch for 

 brush rabbits. Then they come out to the margins of the brush thickets 

 to browse, or go hopping about here and there in the spaces under the 

 canopy of chaparral. At El Portal, in early December, they suddenly 

 became active at about 5 p.m. ; near Coulterville, in May, they were not out 

 in the evening until about 7 o 'clock. The time of appearance of the brush 

 rabbit is roughly parallel to that of the various species of bats. Probably 

 the early hours of the night are spent in foraging. The early hours of 

 the morning soon after daybreak are also spent in some activity. In May 

 and June the animals were seen not infrequently between 5 :30 and 6.30 a.m. 

 But soon after they disappeared for the day. 



Individual brush rabbits are localized in their range. Once having 

 found the haunts of a particular animal, the observer can be almost certain 

 of finding it there subsequently at the proper hour. Thus near Coulterville 

 one was sighted one evening in May. Next morning it was within 5 feet 

 of where it had been seen before, and later that morning it was again seen 

 close to the same spot. 



The Mariposa Brush Rabbits, at least during the fall months, get much 

 of their forage from the brush plants. The greasewood, which serves them 

 as shelter, is not ordinarily used for food; but two other foothill shrubs, 

 the blue brush (Ceanothus cuneaius) and wild broom {Hosackia glabra), 



