152 THE RABBIT. 



even permitted the little creature to rest upon their bodies, though 

 both of these animals were remarkably fond of hare-hunting. 



The hare is found in most parts of the world. Its flesh was 

 forbidden to the Jews, but was esteemed a great delicacy among 

 the Romans, as it is now at our tables. Among the ancient 

 Britons this animal was held sacred : at this day it is reckoned 

 unclean by the Mahometans. The fur of the hare is of great use 

 in the manufacturing of hats ; and many thousands of their skins 

 are annually imported from Russia for this purpose. 



The hare is very prolific. The female goes thirty days with 

 young, and produces three or four at a litter, three or four times 

 a year. 



THE RABBIT 



Is an animal so common, and so well known, that any descrip- 

 tion of its form would be superfluous ; it may not, however, be 

 amiss to observe, that although the tame kind assume a variety 

 of colours, the wild are invariably brown. 



Notwithstanding the general resemblance which exists be- 

 tween this animal and the hare, their habits and propensities are 

 very different, as well as their fecundity, and several other dis- 

 tinguishing characteristics ; and they also seem to have a natural 

 aversion for each other. 



The rabbit lives to the age of nine or ten years. It prefers a 

 warm climate ; and in Sweden, and other northern regions, it 

 cannot be reared but in houses. It is common, however, in all 

 the temperate countries of Europe. In Spain they had once be- 

 come so numerous, and were found so destructive to vegetation, 

 that the inhabitants were obliged to introduce ferrets from Af- 

 rica, in order to diminish their numbers. 



They abound in every part of Great Britain, especially in 

 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and on the wolds of 

 Yorkshire ; but in many of these parts several warrens have been 

 lately converted into sheep pastures, or tillage, and the number 

 of rabbits is consequently diminishing. 



The fecundity of the rabbit is astonishing, and exhibits a curi- 

 ous article in the history of animated nature. This little quad- 

 ruped breeds seven times in a year, and generally produces seven 

 or eight young at a time ; whence may be calculated the won- 

 derful, and almost incredible increase of which a single pair 

 might in a few years be capable ; but as their propagation is 

 rapid, their enemies also are numerous. Foxes, foumarts, and 

 almost all animals of the weasel kind, make them their prey, 

 without reckoning the immense numbers taken for the use of 

 man. Indeed, if a considerable reduction did not by various 



