432 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAB WEST. 



The sage rabbit (Z. artemisia) is one of the most abun- 

 dant species in the West and North-west, and is found in 

 immense numbers amidst the so-called sage plains, where 

 the artemisia (A. tridentata) prevails ; it may, in fact, be 

 counted by the thousands in many places. Indians, wolves, 

 foxes, badgers, and other carnivorous animals live on it 

 largely in the regions bordering the Columbia River and 

 its tributaries, and the former eat it with apparent relish, 

 notwithstanding the fact that its flesh has a rank taste, ow- 

 ing to the character of its food, which is composed almost 

 entirely of the wild sage, purshia, or greasewood, linosyris, 

 and kindred shrubs. This disagreeable flavor may be ob- 

 literated, however, by "drawing" it the moment it is kill- 

 ed, and placing an onion and a piece of lemon in the ab- 

 dominal cavity when it is about to be cooked. The man 

 who could not eat it then must be fastidious, and anything 

 but hungry. 



This creature, which is among the smallest of the hares, 

 has ears as long as the head, and its feet ai*e heavily clad 

 with fur. Its general color above is a mixed black and 

 brownish white ; but the hue changes so much in different 

 sections that this color cannot be called permanent. It is 

 readily known from its haunts, and the way in which its 

 feet are furred ; it also turns white in winter. 



Audubon's hare {L. audubonii), which is confined to the 

 Pacific Coast, is smaller than the wood hare. It has long 

 ears and short legs, and the tail is from two to three inches 

 in length. It is very common in California, but is not 

 much thought of as an animal for sport, owing to its size 

 and lack of fleetness. The fur- is close, and marked with 

 black and grayish tips. 



The L. trowbridgii, another California species, has a small 

 head, and a tail that is almost rudimentary. The ears are 

 as long as the head ; but the hind-legs are unusually short, 

 so that its gait resembles a series of jumps more than run- 

 ning. In color it is a dark brown above, and a plumbeous 

 gray beneath ; it may be readily distinguished from Au- 

 dubon's hare by having no black edging on the tip of the 



