158 SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF MAMMALIA. 



which is spread over a great portion of Europe, and 

 appears to be indigenous in our country ; but the ancient 

 Britons abstained from eating its flesh on religious 

 grounds. This species probably extends into Asia. Mr. 

 M'Clelland states that it occurs in Assam, but is of de- 

 generate size, measuring only from seventeen to nine- 

 teen inches, instead of twenty-one. " It is not esteemed 

 there an article of food. The ears are more uniformly 

 gray than in the European variety " (' Proc. Zool.. Soc.,' 

 1839). We suspect the Assam hare to be a distinct 

 species. Timid and defenceless, and surrounded by 

 numerous enemies, the hare is yet well endowed with 

 the means of self-preservation. It is watchful and swift; 

 and its brown fur assimilates in colour with the russet 

 herbage among which it most makes its form. All are 

 acquainted with the external characters of the hare, and 

 with its habits, of which it is useless to give minute details. 



The hare swims well, and takes fearlessly to the water. 

 We have known them cross a broad and rapid stream ; 

 and Mr. Yarrold (see ' Loudon's Magazine,' vol. v.) 

 gives an account of one which in the morning at high 

 water came down to the sea-shore, and crossed over to 

 an island a mile distant from the mainland. 



Wild and timid as the hare is, it is not unsusceptible 

 of domestication. The poet Cowper, as is well known, 

 kept tame hares ; and many other instances might be 

 enumerated. 



The hare breeds when about a year old, and produces 

 two or three broods in the course of the spring and 

 summer ; but the males and females do not form per- 

 manent associations. The female, after about thirty days' 

 gestation, brings forth from three to five young. These 

 are born covered with fur, and with the eyes open ; and 

 in about a month they leave their parent and shift for 

 themselves. The leverets, as the young are termed, are 

 the prey of stoats, weasels, polecats, owls, and hawks. 



Besides the common hare, the Alpine or varying hare 

 inhabits certain districts of our island, namely, the 

 northern parts of Scotland. This species {Lepus varia- 

 bilis) is common in the mountain districts of Sweden, 



