164 



The Living Animals of the World 



name is often found surviving elsewhere. At Hokham, the Earl of Leicester's seat in Norfolk, 

 a walled park of 1,500 acres holds almost all the hares on the estate. If these parks and 

 forest laws had not existed at an early date, it is probable that the hare would have become 

 very scarce in this country. 



Hares produce their leverets about the middle of April, though in mild seasons they are 

 born much earlier. The number of the litter is from two to five. They are placed in a 

 small hollow scraped out by the doe hare, but not in a burrow of any kind. 



The instinct of concealment by remaining still is very highly developed in the hares and 

 rabbits. They will often " squat " on the ground until picked up rather than take to flight. 

 This seems almost a perverted instinct ; yet hares often exhibit considerable courage and resource 

 when escaping from their enemies. The following is an instance : A hare was coursed by two 



Photo by C. Reid} 



[ Wishate, N.B. 

 WILD RABBITS. 



The wild, rabbit has now spread to the north of Scotland, where this picture was taken. It is also common in the Hebrides. 



young greyhounds on some marshes intersected by wide ditches of water. It first ran to the 

 side of one of these ditches, and doubled at right angles on the brink. This caused the outer 

 dog to lose its balance and to fall heavily into the deep and cold water. The hare then 

 made straight for the line of walkers, and passed through them, with the other greyhound 

 close behind it. The dog reached out and seized the hare by the fur of the back, throwing 

 it down. The hare escaped, leaving a large patch of fur in the dog's jaws, doubled twice, and 

 was again seized by the second dog, which had come up. It escaped from the jaws of the 

 second pursuer, leapt two ditches 12 feet wide, and then sat for a moment behind a gate on 

 a small bridge. This use of the only cover near caused the dogs to lose sight of it ; they 

 refused to jump the second drain, and the hare escaped. 



The BABBIT is too well known to need description either of its habits or appearance. It 

 originally came from the countries south of the Mediterranean, but is now common in Northern 

 Europe, and has become a pest in Australia and New Zealand. The rabbit breeds when, six 

 months old, and has several litters in each year. 



