216 NATURAL HISTORY. 



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The hare does not live above seven or eight years : 

 they pass their lives in solitude, and in silence ; and 

 they are never known to exert their voice, but when 

 4 . they are forcibly laid hold of, tormented, or wounded: 

 they are by no means so wild as by their habits might 

 be supposed : they are gentle, and susceptible of a spe- 

 cies of improvement. As they have a good ear, as 

 they rest on their hind feet of their own accord, and 

 use their fore legs like arms, some have been taught to 

 beat a drum, to gesticulate in cadence, &c. 



In general, the hare is not. destitute of the instinct 

 necessary for its preservation, nor of sagacity sufficient 

 to effect an escape from its enemies. It prepares for 

 itself a form; and in winter it chooses a spot which is 

 exposed to the south, as in summer it does one which 

 is situated to the north. It hides itself from view a- 

 mong hillocks of earth which are of the same colour 

 as its hair. " I have seen," says Du Foilloux, " a 

 hare so cunning, that as soon as it heard the hunts- 

 man's horn, it started from its form, and, though at 

 the distance of a quarter of a league from it, leaped 

 to a pond, where it hid itself among the rushes, and 

 thus escaped the pursuit of the dogs. I have seen a 

 hare, which, after having run above two hours before 

 the dogs, has dislodged another hare, and taken pos- 

 session of its form. I have seen others swim over 

 three ponds, of which the smallest was not less than 

 eighty paces broad. I have seen others, which, after 

 iiaving been warmly chased for two hours, have entered 

 a sheep-cot, through the little opening under the door, 

 and remained among the cattle. I have seen others, 

 when pursued, join a Hock of sheep in the field, and 

 remain with them. I have seen others, which, whe;i 

 they heard the dogsj have concealed themselves in thy 



