AFRICAN HARES. 27 



by a lucky right barrel which tumbled over two, and 

 a fortunate left that winged a third. This party 

 was originally composed of fourteen, not an unfre- 

 quent number, although nine or ten, in the majority 

 of instances, form the covey. 



A peculiarity I must not fail to mention in re- 

 ference to these sporting birds is, that after being 

 flushed twice it is almost impossible to force them 

 again to take the wing, and almost as difficult to find 

 them, even with the assistance of a dog. Like the 

 Virginian partridge of- the United States, I almost 

 believe that they have the power of withholding their 

 scent, and that they do not move from the place on 

 which they drop. The well-known dryness of African 

 upland ground cannot fail to assist them materially 

 in a device ordained by Nature for their greater 

 security. 



The South African hare I have passed over with- 

 out description, for it much resembles our home pro- 

 duction, with the exception that it is a fourth smaller, 

 and provided with fuller and longer ears. It runs well 

 before greyhounds, but goes to earth in ant-bear or 

 ratel holes whenever opportunity presents itself. 



Our English hare, we all know, is wonderfully 



