THE HARES AND RABBITS. 291 



their natural color or dyed any hue from a black to the 

 most delicate shades of blue and pink or the brightest 

 red and yellow. 



The American Hare (Lepus-americanus) which is 

 closely allied to the varying hare of Scotland, is a much 

 smaller animal, from twelve to eighteen inches long, 

 and the skins are used principally for cutting, although 

 some of the winter skins are dyed and worked up by 

 the furriers. Like the European species its flesh is 

 excellent eating. In the summer the pelage of the 

 American Hare is brown like that of the English variety 

 of the European species, but the under fur is blue instead 

 of white. Dr. Richardson says: "The American Hare 

 does not burrow. In the northern districts it resides 

 mostly in w r illow thickets, or in woods where the willows 

 or dwarf birch constitute much of the underbrush. The 

 bark of the willow forms a great part of its food in winter, 

 but in summer it eats grass and other vegetables. It is 

 reported to do much damage in cultivated districts 

 to fields of cabbage or turnips." 



The Rabbit (Lepus-cuniculus) is the best fur producer 

 of the Leporidae family, the pelt of most of the tame 

 varieties being heavier, and the fur stronger and less 

 liable to shed than that of the parchment skinned Hares. 

 The European Rabbit is the most important representative 

 of the family, and is the original of all species of wild 

 and domestic breeds of rabbits existing in the world 

 today. 



Rabbits do not occupy forms, but in the wild state live 

 in burrows from three to six feet deep, generally excavated 

 in sand or loose dry soil. They avoid wet and marshy 

 districts, and even at the seaside seek elevated positions 

 on the cliffs or among the rocks. They are not nocturnal 

 but inclined to avoid the scorching heat of the sun. They 

 are sometimes carnivorous, but feed mostly on vegetable 

 food and ravasre corn fields and hop gardens. They are 

 extremely prolific, producing from four to six young, and 

 sometimes more, five or six times a year. The female is said 

 to line her nest with fur from her own body. The fur of 

 wild Rabbits is used chiefly for felting or hat making, 



