THE II.lh'K. 



18] 



from lie- -oil and driixl herlvu.f aiuoiitf whirh she ha> taken up IMT temporary abode. Although 

 she lias no delinite II..MH-, the Hare is strongly ati...l..-.| i., h,-i i..im." wben*v<-i ii m..\ !- 

 plao-,1 :m.l .-v.-ii if dri\en to I gnat distance l>\ I In- l.-'.n ! -. < -n 1 1 1 . - bO Bftjain l>. i Intl.- 

 domicile at !h-- .-aili'-st opp.,rtunii\ . As the varying MMOM of iln- >.-:ir ITIII- "ii t lutir varied 

 ai-i-">iii|.:iiiiin.-iii- of In-at ami rol.l. rain and droil^lit, <ir <-lt>inl- :m<l ->iiiis|iin.-. tin* Iinr< 

 tli.- liM-alit y of h.-r ' fonii." -o IUH t4> IM? equally d.-f. ud. .1 apiiuM ill.- liitlrr frost iiml HDOWM of 

 r, or tli.- l>la/.iiiL,' r.i\> of th- noontide .siinuucr sun. 



Tin . ..luinon Hare ia not found in Ireland, but the Irish Hare, Lepv* kibtmUnu, la 



extreiii.-l> rniniiion iii that country, an.) takes the place of the nmmion Lcpiu timid*!. It 

 may lN>diN(ini:iiished from ito English ii-latimi by i\* >lmrt<-r Iiml"-. it- round hid, and -hort 

 ears, which an- not so long as the head. An-ordlng to some \u-it-r-. tin- Irish !lar- is identical 



with the ALPIXE HARE, and ought to be ranked with that animal. Tinder the title of Lcpiu 

 earidliilis, or Variable Hare, in reference to the annual blanching of ito coat during the 

 winter months. 



The Rabbit family (Leporida) is represented in both North and South America, but i far 

 more numerous in the temperate portions of North America* 



One species only reaches the An-tic x-.n.- the Polar Hare which also ranges around the 

 glolH> within the circle. Lepiubrazilirnx!* i- th.- only species found in South America, which 

 ranges from Patagonia to Central America. 



The great interior plains, or prairies, of North America afford numerous species. Four 



are enumerated. 



The Hares are regarded as forming one of the best defim-d Croups aim-m; mammals. 



The Prairie Hare (Lepiu camptxtrti) is one of the kinds discovered early by J>wis and 

 Chirk, on the first opening of the great interior prairies. It is not known eastward of F 

 Riley, in Kansas. It is about twenty inches in length. Its winter coat w white, with son.- 

 rusty marks. In summer its coat is a yellowish-gray. In the Great Salt lake Valley it is 

 abundant. 



The Northern Varying Hare (Lepii* aim, ;.;ni>i*\ Ls about the same size as the preceding. 

 It ia the most familiar and common variety known to our markets in winter. Several varieties 



