THE RABBIT OR CONY 205 



that are not frequently used soon become, in the natural course 

 of events, hidden by overgrowing vegetation, and where 

 vegetation is scarce, as on a bare hillside, scout-holes may 

 be as conspicuous as the regular entrance holes. 



The mound of excavation is frequently added to and 

 freshened by renewed digging, especially in autumn, when the 

 inmates seem to be restless, and are, perhaps, unconsciously 

 preparing for the approach of winter ; or, it may be, that the 

 autumnal outburst of activity is due to the return home of 

 sojourners above ground during the warm weather. 1 



The occupants of an ordinary "burry" sleep on the bare 

 earth, in chambers running off blindly from the passages. 

 Their main object is evidently to escape damp and draughts. 

 Warmth is probably secured by several animals huddling up 

 together, for no bedding materials are ever carried in for the 

 use of the adults. 



The size and capacity of some burrows may be best realised 

 by considering the number of animals of different species 

 and habits which may be found in them. Thus Col. E. A. 

 Butler informed Mr J. G. Millais that on one occasion 

 when ferreting he bolted a fox, a cat, a stoat, and several 

 rabbits and rats out of the same earth. It is difficult from 

 the outside to imagine the arrangement whereby a menage 

 composed of so many mutually hostile elements came to be 

 carried on. Probably the smaller occupants construct and 

 retire to passages of suitable diameter, where they are safe 

 from their dangerous fellow-lodgers. Besides this, the interior 

 must be intensely dark, and the atmosphere so "thick" and 

 full of mixed odours, that the exquisite powers of scent 

 possessed by both rodents and carnivores cannot be brought 

 into play, so that they must depend on their hearing and 

 touch for knowledge of their neighbours. The result is that 

 a close approach is possible by mutually antagonistic animals, 

 which can thus enjoy in common a home offering exceptional 

 comfort ; and that, so far as the Rabbit is concerned, means 



Henry Laver writes me that in the light soils of Essex these uncompleted bolt-holes 

 are very common, and that he has seen scores of rabbits escape in this way. 



1 See Owen Jones and Marcus Woodward, A Gamekeeper's Notebook, 19 10, 



212. 



VOL. II. O 2 



