HARE 165 



weight for these animals, some two or three having been 

 chronicled as weighing slightly over 13 Ib. 



In the weighing of hares it will be of practical interest 

 to note their condition. It has frequently occurred to 

 me to find gravid hares quite late in the year. One 

 year in 1887, if I recollect aright I shot several in 

 this state well on into October, or perhaps later. In one 

 northern county in which I have shot a great deal, it is 

 worthy of remark that the brown hares vary much in 

 size and weight. On the hills at an altitude of 500 ft. 

 or 600 ft. the brown hares are usually larger-boned and 

 heavier than are those met with on the low marshland 

 in another section of the county. In winter, too, these 

 upland hares are somewhat lighter-coloured than their 

 brethren of the lowlands bordering on the sea. 



As is well known, the Ground Game Act of 1880 

 gave to the occupier of the land the right to kill hares 

 and rabbits concurrently with his landlord. Naturally, 

 under such conditions there has been a marked diminu- 

 tion in the number of hares throughout the country, and 

 in some quarters hares have been reduced to the point 

 of extermination. This, indeed, is to be regretted, as 

 these animals provide food of high marketable value, 

 and sport of no mean order. 



In former years, prior to the passage of this Act, 

 hares formed a much more considerable item in the 

 game returns of many large estates than they can be 

 found to do at the present time. In the season of 1869 

 1870, not less than 3078 hares were killed on the 

 Wilton estate of the Earl of Pembroke, and hares are 

 far more numerous on those breezy Wiltshire downs at 

 the present day than in many another fair county of 

 England or Scotland. Still, exceptionally good hare 



