214 CALLING HARE. 



and is therefore mostly found on the western side of 

 hills, where it forms an obliquely descending bur- 

 row, the entrance of which is scarcely more than 

 two inches in diameter. The animal generally 

 betrays its place of residence by its voice, which 

 is heard after sunset and early in the morning, 

 and much resembles that of a quail ; and is re- 

 peated at intervals, three, or four, or six times : 

 it is heard to a surprising distance, considering the 

 small size of the animal, and that there is nothing 

 peculiar in the structure of its organs which can 

 account for so powerful a tone. In cloudy wea- 

 ther this note is heard by day as well as by night, 

 and is commonly mistaken by the country people 

 for that of some bird. 



These little animals grow tame almost as soon 

 as caught, and in the course of a clay become 

 quite familiar; being of an extremely gentle 

 disposition : they sleep but little, and that with 

 open eyes, like the common hare : they generally 

 sit with body drawn up, as in the figure, but 

 when sleeping, they stretch themselves out with 

 their belly on the ground and their ears pressed 

 close to the head. The animal, when sitting in 

 its general or contracted form, just fills the hol- 

 low of the hand. Its pace is a kind of leaping 

 motion, but not very quick ; nor does it run 

 well, on account of the shortness of the legs. 



o 



It may be fed during a state of captivity, on 

 the leaves of various shrubs and plants. It pro- 

 duces five or six young, which are at first of a 

 blackish colour, and blind and naked; but on 



