RABBIT SHOOTING. 169 



" no running, no shooting," I walked straight up to 

 him, put my hand upon him, and found him — stone 

 dead ! At his last jump, the snow, which was rather 

 deep, had crowded around him in such a way as to 

 hold up his head, making him look very life-like. This 

 was the first and only rabbit that I ever " killed a- 

 standing," and it was certainly the first and last time 

 that I ever knew one to " stand a killing." 



Rabbits are not Hares, and Hares are not Rabbits. 



Hares are much larger and heavier than rabbits, 

 apparently about twice as large. Hares have ex- 

 tremely long hind legs, and are very rapid runners. 

 Probably nothing is harder to shoot than one of either of 

 these animals as they spring from their nests. It is 

 astonishing how soon they disappear. Often, with 

 a mere flurry like the movement of a partridge, they 

 are gone, you cannot tell where. At such times, I 

 think a hare or rabbit is more difficult to kill than any 

 bird that flies. 



In this country the hare begins to turn white in 

 November, when he is sprinkled with gray. About 

 the middle of December, when the snow comes, his 

 hair is a pure white \ and but few animals which the 

 sportsman drops with his gun are handsomer. His 

 fur begins to turn gray again in March ; and in the 

 summer months it is entirely of a gray color. 



The fur of the white rabbit is used for muffs and 

 other furrier work ; their skin is very tender, but when 

 tanned in alum twenty-four hours can be handled 



