CHAPTER IX 



HARE. RABBIT. WILD PIGEONS. ROOK 



IN Great Britain we have two species of hare, the 

 common brown hare, Lepus tirnidus, and the Scotch 

 or Mountain hare, Lepus varMt/ts t wbich last is frequently 

 called blue or white hare from the markedly great 

 seasonal changes in the colour of its coat. In Ireland 

 this mountain hare is the only indigenous species, and 

 there, by reason of the mildness of the climate, it shows 

 less variation of colour as betwixt summer and winter 

 fur, and also attains to greater size, than in Scotland. 

 These two hares differ almost as greatly in habit and in 

 choice of haunt as in appearance. The brown hare is 

 as much an animal of the lowlands as is the Scotch hare 

 an upland creature, the latter merely descending to the 

 lower grounds when hardly pressed for an existence 

 through the rigours of snow or frost. 



Slight seasonal variations in the colour of the coat of 

 the brown hare are noticeable in these islands, it being 

 somewhat greyer in winter than in summer. Colour of 

 soil or nature of environment directly influences its 

 colour at any season, for on the dark fenlands, and 

 heavy marshland generally, the hares are usually con- 

 siderably darker furred than are those resident on the 

 chalk downs or other soil of lighter hue. Albino hares 



163 N 



