82 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



in under-ground burrows, but reposes during the day 

 crouched together on a particular spot amongst grass, 

 ferns, or bushes, which is called its " form." The Hare 

 is proverbially timid, but if a man or dog approaches 

 its form, it seeks concealment by crouching still closer 

 to the ground, and if amongst ferns, or on a furrow, it 

 is not at all easy of detection. If at length compelled 

 to run it dashes off at a |tremendous pace, progressing 

 by leaps, as its hind-legs are much longer than the 

 fore limbs. It can turn and double on its tracks with 

 marvellous agility, and when pursued by greyhounds, 

 or other dogs, always endeavours to elude them by this 

 manreuvre, for the dogs cannot turn in so small a space, 

 and have to describe a circle before returning on their 

 tracks. So clever is the Hare in this way that a single 

 dog is rarely able to catch it, and in coursing a pair of 

 hounds are used, and when the first dog turns the Hare, 

 the second intercepts it. When hard pressed the Hare 

 will often take to the water and swim rapidly and 

 well ; and it has been known to swim across a river 

 when not pursued. As remarked above, the Hare is 

 hard to detect while it crouches on the ground, but when 

 running the white underside of the tail makes it very 

 conspicuous. It has been surmised that the use of this 

 white mark is to enable the young to follow the dam 

 in her flight, and it is noticable that if the Hare is 

 not hurried, it travels along with the tail depressed, and 

 then the white mark would only be visible to animals 

 on the ground. The young of the Hare are called 

 Leverets ; generally two litters are produced in a 

 summer, each numbering two or three. The young are 

 born with their eyes open, covered with hair, and 



