AN ECCENTRIC PERFORMANCE 31 



from where we were standing in the centre of 

 the field, raced round the meadow, and eventually 

 made straight for the river. The dogs had re- 

 mained perfectly steady at heel, though fully 

 aware of what was going on. Without the slightest 

 hesitation she plunged boldly out into the stream, 

 swam rapidly across, and scampered up the bank, 

 when, seeing my wife, who had been watching 

 the performance, she turned aside and bolted away 

 through the garden. I regret to say that she 

 has not since reappeared in the meadows. It was 

 strange that she should have elected to swim so 



o 



broad a river in preference to making her escape 

 by either of the two sides of the field which lay 

 open to her, more especially since she had not 

 been chased or unduly disturbed in any way. 

 The meadow is a large one, bounded on one side 

 by the river in question, and on another by a 

 small tributary stream. The animal did not 

 appear particularly frightened either before or 

 after her voyage. She may, perhaps, have been 

 suffering from the insanity to which March hares 

 are proverbially supposed to be addicted ! It 

 was certainly a somewhat eccentric and unac- 

 countable performance. 



Without rabbits the majority of sportsmen 

 would be nowhere. Not only do they afford 

 excellent sport, but they very materially assist 

 in filling the game-bag on an ordinary estate. I 

 think I may safely assert that no other of our 

 British wild animals is able to equal the rabbit in 



