THE AQUATIC HARE. 



187 



instead of a rat, I found it to be a hare. I could scarcely 

 believe my senses, but seeing is believing. Of course I 

 thought that the poor creature had been driven to water to 

 avoid a foe, but before man} days I shot several, and all in 

 similar situations. The habits of this new variety I now made 

 a study, and found that they were amphibious, sleeping in 

 forms on the edge of the morass during the heat of the day, 

 and feeding before sunrise and after sunset on the different 

 descriptions of water plants. Whether this hare was able 

 to dive or not I did not ascertain, but that he is a most 

 expert swimmer there can be no doubt. His size is the 

 same as that of our common wild rabbit, but from his build 

 being thicker, he may possibly be heavier. His legs are 



MUSQUASH OR AMERICAN MUSK-RATS. 



short, feet large, ears small, and head very full and round; 

 colour dark -greyish brown, with scarcely any white upon 

 the scut, and the fur exceedingly soft and fine. I frequently 



