HARE 167 



end of the shooting season, otherwise this sex will in- 

 variably prove to be unduly preponderant. One jack 

 hare to half-a-dozen females will prove amply sufficient 

 for all practical breeding purposes. 



The Scotch hare differs from the brown hare in other 

 ways beside that of colour ; it is smaller in size and, as 

 will be gathered from a comparison of illustrations on 

 pages 255, 256, it has shorter ears and a more rabbit-like 

 head than the brown hare. In habits and choice of en- 

 vironment the Scotch hare also differs from its congener 

 of the lowlands ; it exists from choice upon the high 

 moorlands, and in situations there, certainly, the living to 

 be picked up is not by any means so high in character 

 as the ground. The frugal Highland fare of the one and 

 the fat living of the other of these two animals naturally 

 affects both their weight and flavour, and whilst many 

 people boldly assert that, comestibly considered, the 

 Scotch hare is at all times the inferior of the brown hare, 

 others just as freely declare themselves in favour of its 

 somewhat grouse-like flavour. Mountain hares killed in 

 Scotland usually weigh from 5 Ib. to 6 Ib. ; but heavier 

 animals are occasionally shot exceeding the latter weight 

 by a pound or so ; in Ireland this hare attains to slightly 

 greater proportions, both of size and weight. Inter- 

 mediate in size between the common hare and the 

 rabbit, the Scotch hare combines in some degree the 

 characteristics of both. In the shortness of its ears and 

 hinder limbs it bears somewhat closer resemblance to the 

 rabbit than to the brown hare, than which it also shows 

 greater tendency to rest under cover of rocks and stones. 

 This, doubtless, is to be accounted for by the presence of 

 the larger predaceous creatures, eagles, foxes, and the 

 like, within its haunts ; the brown hare, however, takes to 



