9^ QJJ ADRUPEDS. 



or> its hinder legs, and looks back. Sometimes will Hart a frefh hare, 

 and fquat in the fame form ; forpetimes will creep under the door of a 

 fheep-cor, and hide among the (heep; will enter holes j will go up one 

 fide of the hedge, and come down the other ; run a good way thereon ; 

 take to furze bufhes, leap from one to another, by which the dogs are 

 frequently mifled. Young hares tread heavier, and leave a ftronger 

 fccnt, than the old. The more this creature tires, the heavier it treads, 

 and leaves the ftronger fcent. In moift weather, they hold by the high- 

 ways moft, becaufe the fcent is then ftrongeft on the grafs. 



When the male and female keep one fpot, they fuffer no ftrange hare 

 to make its form in the fame quarter. They live in woods and thickets, 

 buc are naturally fonder of the open country. Hunted, (hot, fnarcd by 

 men ; deftroyed by dogs, birds, cats, ants, fnakes, and adders ; perfe- 

 cured by fieas ; it feldom reaches even that Ihort term to which it is li- 

 mited by nature. 



Around the north-pole, they become white in winter, and run in 

 troops of four or five hundred on the banks of the Irtifh, or the Jenifca, 

 as white as fnow. Their fur forms a confiderable article in the hat ma- 

 nufacture. A few are entirely black. 



The hares of hot countries are fmaller than ours. This animal is found 

 frorri the torrid zone to the polar circle. The Jews, the ancient Britons, 

 and the Mahometans, all reje<fled it as unclean, and religioufly abftain- 

 ed from its flefli j moft other people, at prefent, confider it as agreeable. 

 The ancient Romans fo much admired it, as to call it the food of 

 the wife. 



THE RABBIT. 



THE rabbit, though nearly refembling the hare in form and man- 

 ners, is ditundt in kind. In fecundity the rabbit exceeds the 

 hare ; breeds feven times in a year ; brings eight young. Should this 

 happen regularly during four years, the progeny would exceed a mil- 

 lion. The rabbit makes a hole, where it continues great part of the 

 day, and breeds in fecurity ; but it loves the funny field and open 

 pafture i feems to be a chilly animal; is continually out when v/ithout 

 tear ; often brings forth at a diftance from the warren, in a hole a foot 

 jleep i fuckles about a month, covering its young with mofs and grafs. 

 7 In' 



