96 WEARING STAYS. 



occasion near a* score ; but they were never permitted their 

 full liberty. They evinced great pugnacity, and at times 

 cruelly mangled one another. When clad in their winter 

 garb, they were very beautiful ; and considering they 

 would be ornamental in our parks, I sent several to 

 England, where, however, I have reason to believe they all 

 soon died. 



Hares are destroyed by various means in Scandinavia, 

 which, differ somewhat in the several districts. 



Many are captured in snares. " These ought to be 

 made," so Ekstrom tells us, " of fine copper-wire ; but 

 previous to being gillrade they should be well rubbed over 

 with the fresh leaves of the spruce-pine ; for however stupid 

 the hare may seern to be, he will never go into a snare that 

 has been touched by the bare hand." 



When speaking on the subject, the reverend gentleman 

 mentions a curious incident. " My father," says he, " once 

 shot a very old male hare, whose appearance would have led 

 one to suppose he had worn stays all his life. As a boy, 

 I was accustomed to follow as Last-barare, literally, load- 

 bearer in other words, to carry the game, &c. It was my 

 office, besides, to disembowel the slain ; but when I attempted 

 to rip up the hare in question, the knife would not penetrate 

 the skin. On nearer inspection it was found that the animal 

 had a thick copper-wire snare about its loins, that had 

 actually grown into the flesh, from which cause it had 

 obtained its fashionable and singular shape." 



The steel-trap is also had recourse to in some places for 

 the capture of the hare, more especially in the far north ; but 

 only, I believe, in the winter time, when the ground is 

 covered with snow. The trap is of less size than that used 



