A 'STAR' LEVERET 23 



to say, however, it is easier to approach a hare 

 from in front than from any other direction ; this 

 fact is perhaps due to the position of the eyes, 

 which are situated somewhat on the side of the 

 head, and backward, rather than forward. I think 

 it is Jesse who states, in his ' Gleanings of Natural 

 History,' that it has been asserted that if, when 

 roused, a hare goes away with one ear cocked 

 and the other laid down, she will always beat the 

 dogs, whereas if, as is more usually the case, both 

 ears are laid down, the chances are against her 

 making good her escape ; but I have never proved 

 the truth of this assertion. 



Unlike rabbits, hares are born with their eyes 

 open, and are covered with hair. They seem to 

 breed during the greater part of the year. As a 

 rule, they produce two at a birth, though three 

 are by no means uncommon. One naturalist 

 mentions a case in which a hare gave birth to no 

 fewer than seven young ones. 



Some few years ago, a labourer, whom I occa- 

 sionally employed as a hedger, brought a live 

 leveret to me, stating that it was one of three 

 which had been born outside his garden, and 

 informed me that whenever three were produced 

 at a birth they invariably had a white star mark 

 on their foreheads. I was somewhat sceptical as 

 to the truth of this latter statement, but have since 

 ascertained that some naturalists assert it to be 

 a fact. I kept the leveret until it had developed 

 into a full-grown hare, when I gave it away. It 



