90 BEWITCHED HARES. 



female is generally somewhat larger than the male, there is 

 little or no perceptible difference between the sexes. Expe- 

 rienced sportsmen affirm, however, that when this animal is 

 chased by the dogs, it can be readily distinguished: the 

 ears of the male at such times always pointing forwards, 

 whilst those of the female, on the contrary, lie backwards on 

 the neck. Both sexes are commonly of superior size in the 

 southern portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, attributable, 

 probably, to a greater abundance of food and a more genial 

 climate. 



The Lepidus timidus, Linn, (according to English natu- 

 ralists), the hare common to England, is not found in 

 Scandinavia. Queen Louisa Ulrica of Sweden, who flourished 

 about a century ago, caused a considerable number of hares 

 of that species to be turned out near to the palace of 

 Svartsjo, in the province of Upland, but the change which 

 time and climate, or both, have effected, has made them 

 undistinguishable from the hares of the country. Accidental 

 varieties are, however, by no means uncommon. Those of 

 a reddish colour are occasionally met with ; as also Albinos. 

 A friend of mine, Lieutenant Uggla, indeed, shot, not many 

 years ago, one of the latter, the eyes of which were blood- 

 red. Black hares have likewise been occasionally killed 

 in the peninsula, principally, I believe, in the southern 

 provinces of Sweden. But these, as wearing the " Devil's 

 livery," are by the superstitious supposed to be fortrollade, 

 or enchanted, and capable of effecting mischief in every 

 w r ay ! 



The hare is proverbially the most timid of animals. Hence 

 the Swedish saw : " Radd som en hare," or timid as a 

 hare. It is even supposed that fear alone causes her to 



