26 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



of the ground, cleared of grass, and sheltered by some over-arching 

 plant ; or else its habitation is in the hollowed trunk of a tree, or 

 under a collection of stones, &c. 



It is commonly at the earLest dawn, while the dew-drops still glit- 

 ter on the herbage, or when the fresh verdure is concealed beneath a 

 mantle of glistening frost, that the timorous hare ventures forth in 

 quest of food, or courses undisturbed over the plains. Occasion- 

 ally during the day, in retired and little frequented parts of the 



THE HARE. 



country, an individual is seen to scud from the path, where it has 

 been basking in the sun ; but the best time for studying the 

 habits of the animal is during moon-light nights, when the hare 

 is to be seen sporting with its companions in unrestrained gambols, 

 frisking with delighted eagerness around its mate, or busily engag- 

 ed in cropping its food. On such occasions the turnip and cab- 

 bage fields suffer severely, where these animals are numerous, 

 though in general they are not productive of serious injury. 

 However, when food is scarce, they do much mischief to the far- 

 mers, by destroying the bark on the young trees in the nurseries, 

 and by cutting valuable plants. 



The hare is not hunted in this country as in Europe, but is gen- 

 erally roused by a dog, and shot, or is caught in various snares 

 and traj s. In its movements our hare closely resembles the com- 

 mon hare of Europe, bounding along with great celerity, and would 

 no doubt, when pursued, resort to the artifices of doubling, <fec., 



