THE RABBIT. 159 



Norway, Lapland, and in the Alps. It is occasionally 

 seen on the mountains of Cumberland. 



The Alpine hare is intermediate in size between the 

 rabbit and the English hare. In Sutherlandshire and 

 other parts of the Scottish highlands it tenants the 

 summits of the mountains, hiding in the clefts of rocks 

 or among rocky fragments. During the winter lichen 

 is its staple food. At this season it descends to a lower 

 and less exposed station ; and its fur, gradually losing 

 the light fulvous gray of summer, becomes of a snowy 

 white, the tips of its ears (which are shorter than the 

 head) remaining black. 



The common hare of Ireland {Lepus Hibernicus) is 

 again distinct from the common hare of England. The 

 distinguishing characters between the two were first 

 pointed out by Mr. Yarrell. (See ' Proc. Zool. Soc' 

 1833, p. 88.) 



Though somewhat larger than the English species, its 

 head is shorter and more rounded, its ears still shorter 

 than its head, and its limbs less lengthened. The fur 

 also differs greatly in its quality from that of our common 

 hare, and is useless as an article of trade. 



The Rabbit {Lepiis Cumculus). 



Coney, Anglice ; Coneglio of the Italians ; Conejo, 

 Spanish; Coelho, Portuguese ; Koniglein and Kaninchen, 

 German ; Konin, Dutch ; Kanin, Swedish ; Kanine, 

 Danish ; and Cwningen of the Welsh. ^ 



Size excepted, the rabbit closely resembles the hare 

 in all its principal characters. It may, however, be at 

 once distinguished by the comparative shortness of the 

 head and ears, as well as of the hinder limbs ; the ab- 

 sence of a black tip to the ears ; and by the brown colour 

 of the upper surface of the tail. Its habits and general 

 economy are totally opposite to those of the hare ; and 

 its flesh, instead of being dark and highly flavoured, is 

 white, and, though delicate, somewhat insipid, especially 

 that of the tame breed. The flesh of the latter is indeed 



