HARES 



THE hare in this country usually begins to 

 breed in March, and by this season (August) 

 the members of the first litters are well ad- 

 vanced in growth. The young are placed amongst 

 the tufts of short cover in open grass land, and even 

 after they are grown to a considerable size they nearly 

 always try to secure safety by concealment rather 

 than by flight. The young hares in their form in 

 the grass constitute one of the most characteristic 

 sights in nature, although it is one much less generally 

 observed than might be supposed. The leverets 

 are usually to be found in pairs, and they nearly 

 always lie head to tail, and rarely with the heads 

 together, probably an instinct inherited for purposes 

 of better concealment. When they are in this 

 position concealed in the grass, one may walk 

 round and round them, and do everything but sit 

 on them or tread on them, while the timid little 

 creatures will never move a muscle. The present 

 writer, when photographing, has bent down the 

 grass at the side of a well-grown pair, so as to catch 

 the reflection of the light on the eyes, almost 



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