92 Quadrupeds. 



during which time I nursed him, kept him apart from 

 his fellows that they might not molest him, (for, like 

 many other wild animals, they persecute one of their 

 own species that is sick,) and by constant care, and try- 

 ing him with a variety of herbs, restored him to perfect 

 health. No creature could be more grateful than my 

 patient after his recovery, a sentiment which he most 

 significantly expressed by licking my hand, first the 

 back of it, then the palm, then every finger separately, 

 then between all the fingers, as if anxious to leave 

 no part of it unsaluted; a ceremony which he never 

 performed but once again upon a similar occasion. 



" Finding him extremely tractable, I made it my 

 custom to carry him always after breakfast into the 

 garden, where he hid himself generally under the leaves 

 of a cucumber vine, sleeping or chewing the cud, till 

 evening ; in the leaves also of that vine he found a 

 favourite repast. I had not long habituated him to this 

 taste of liberty, before he began to be impatient for the 

 return of the time when he might enjoy it. He would 

 invite me to the garden by drumming upon my knee, 

 and by a look of such expression as it was not possible 

 to misinterpret. If this rhetoric did not immediately 

 succeed, he would take the skirt of my coat between his 

 teeth, and pull at it with all his force. Thus Puss 

 might be said to be perfectly tamed, the shyness of his 

 nature was done away, and, on the whole, it was visible, 

 by many symptoms, which I have not room to enume- 

 rate, that he was happier in human society than when 

 shut up with his natural companions." 



Hares are included in the list of animals called game, 

 and are hunted with greyhounds, which is called cours- 

 ing; and also by packs of dogs called harriers and 

 beagles. There are white Hares in the northern 

 regions, the change in colour being the effect of cold. 



