ST. VALENTINE'S DAY 45 



Off it goes like a shot, and the dog lumbers after. 

 Some imagine it a very close thing ; but just as 

 the dog is getting its stride, a magisterial whistle 

 puts him out, and after a wild circle or two over 

 the delightfully fresh grass he clears the railing 

 and leaves the circus to the rabbits only. 



If the chase had taken place in the snow, as it 

 often may on St. Valentine's Day, we should have 

 had an interesting record of dog and rabbit char- 

 acter. The track of the dog would be represented- 

 by a series of curves, almost running to circles, 

 and that of the rabbits by straight tangential lines. 

 The explanation is that the rabbit makes straight 

 for home, while the dog makes straight for the 

 rabbit where it is seen from time to time in its 

 course across the dog's horizon. It is only the dog 

 wise by experience that guesses the point the 

 rabbit is making for and runs in a straight line to 

 cut him off. And then the rabbit may turn just 

 at the right time and give him his trouble for 

 nothing. Other things being equal, the chances 

 are in favour of the pursued, and the beast of prey 

 must either be very much swifter or more cunning. 



By feeding in company, rabbits have evidently 

 yet another string to their bow, as our rough- 

 haired terrier showed us so well. Not only must 

 you be fleet enough to catch a rabbit, but you must 

 be able to make up your mind which rabbit you 

 will run down, and stick to it. There is a proverb 

 better known in Denmark than here : ' He who 

 chases two hares will lose them both.' 



