THE JUMPING HARE. 269 



interest. The Cape jumping hare, " spring-haas " of 

 the Boers (Pedetes coffer), is a little larger than our 

 home-bred animal, which it resembles in colour ; 

 but, instead of a scut, the African beast has a long, 

 bushy tail, which forms a very important part in its 

 configuration. The claws on the four toes with which 

 its hind feet are furnished, from their great size, might 

 almost be taken for hoofs of some of the smaller 

 antelopes. This creature is found pretty evenly dis- 

 tributed all over the colony, and in parts of Bechuana 

 Land they abound. When slowly moving about they 

 go on all-fours, but when alarmed, they adopt the 

 kangaroo's method of progression, making springs 

 frequently of thirty feet. 



This hare is very timid, and this failing not un- 

 frequently causes it to run into the very danger it 

 seeks to avoid. Its time is spent between sleeping 

 and eating rumour saying that its appetite is in- 

 satiable. Hence the destruction may well be imagined 

 that a score or more of these large beasts can commit 

 in a mealie garden of three or four acres. Their flesh 

 is excellent food, the result of their being entirely 

 vegetable feeders. The females produce three or four 

 young each season, and although externally so much 



