THE COMMON HARE. 303 



graze; but it is an erroneous one : at least grass is 

 not their staple: they seem rather to use it medici- 

 nally, soon quitting it for leaves of almost any 

 kind. Sowthistle, dent-de-lion, and lettuce, are 

 their favourite vegetables, especially the last. I dis- 

 covered, by accident, that fine white sand is in great 

 estimation with them ; I suppose, as a digestive. It 

 happened that I was cleaning a bird-cage whilst the 

 Hares were with me; I placed a pot filled with 

 white sand upon the floor, which, being at once 

 directed to by a strong instinct, they devoured 

 voraciously. Since that time, I have generally 

 taken care to see them well supplied with it. They 

 account green corn a great delicacy, both the blade 

 and stalk ; but the ear they seldom eat. Straw of 

 any kind, especially wheat-straw, is another of their 

 dainties. They will feed greedily upon oats; but 

 if furnished with clean straw, never want them : it 

 serves them also for a bed; and, if shaken up daily, 

 will be kept sweet and dry for a considerable time. 

 They do not, however, require aromatic herbs, but 

 will eat a small quantity of them with great relish, 

 and are particularly fond of the plant called musk*. 

 They seem to resemble sheep in this, that, if their 

 pasture be too succulent, they are subject to the 

 rot ; to* prevent which I always made bread their 

 principal nourishment, and filling a pan with it cut 



* Erodium moschatum f 



into 



