HARES AND RADJJITS. 225 



this white on the tail is supposed to be (as in the case of the 

 Rabbit) to aid the young in following their dam to a place of 

 safety; but it is clearly a disadvantage to the animal when 

 hunted by greyhounds, which follow only by sight, and in this 

 have a conspicuous object to attract their eyes towards their 

 quarry. The Hare, as Mr. Trevor-Battye has pointed out, 

 does not, however, invariably carry its tail up, as the Rabbit 

 does ; and when cantering generally carries it down. When 

 coursed, the Hare, as is well known, seeks to elude her 

 pursuers by frequent doublings, being able to turn in a much 

 smaller space than the dogs ; and it is mainly for this reason 

 that two greyhounds are invariably employed, as a single dog 

 would have but a very poor chance. 



Hare-skins are largely used in the manufacture of felt, the 

 fur, before removal from the skin, being treated with acid, 

 when it assumes a reddish colour, and felts more readily ; this 

 process being technically known as "carroting." 



II. THE MOUNTAIN-HARE. LEPUS TIMIDUS. 



Lepus tiniidics, Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p, 77 (1766); 



Sclater, Cat. Mamm. Indian Mus. pt. ii. p. n8 (1891). 

 Lepus variabilis^ Pallas, Nov. Spec. Glir. p. i (1778); Bell, 



British Quadrupeds, 2nd ed. p. 338 (1874). 

 Lepus arcticus, et L. glacialis, Leach in Ross' Voyage, pp. 151, 



170 (1819). 

 Lepus albiis, Jenyns, British Vert. Animals, p. 35 (1835). 

 Lxpus hibernicus, Yarrell, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1833, p. 38; Bell, 



British Quadrupeds, p. 341 (1837). 

 Lepus boreaiis, et Z. ca?tescefis, Nilsson, Skandinav. Fauna, pp. 



19, 22 (1847). 



{Plate XXVIII.) 

 Characters — Size smaller than in the last ; the head relatively 

 smaller and more rounded ; and the ears, hind-limbs, and tail 



5 Q 



