82 ODD HOURS WITH NATURE 



and hide on the approach of danger. Probably 

 it is in this habit that we should find the explana- 

 tion of the erroneous but widespread popular belief 

 that the hare produces only a single young at 

 a birth. The chances are strong that the country- 

 man who puts up a brood hare will only find one 

 of her young in the form or in its vicinity, and 

 stronger still that he will fail to get his hands on 

 that one. 



Of course the very great difference between the 

 two species in the matter of young production is 

 an adaptation to their respective modes of living. 

 Being a burrower the rabbit can afford to produce 

 immature young, and being a surface dweller the 

 hare is compelled to carry her progeny till they 

 have developed powers of body which young 

 rabbits do not acquire till a fortnight after birth. 

 A strain of hares which produced helpless young 

 would promptly be exterminated by the host of 

 enemies, from crows to foxes, which, even as it 

 is, levy a heavy toll on the race. 



