THE HARE AND HER NATURE 21 



in the heath, sometimes in the corn, and in grow- 

 ing weeds, and sometimes in the woods. In April 

 and in May when the corn is so long that they 

 can hide themselves therein, gladly will they sit 

 therein. And when men begin to reap the corn 

 they will sit in the vines and in other strong (thick) 

 heaths, in bushes and in hedges, and commonly in 

 cover under the wind and in cover from the rain, 

 and if there be any sun shining they will gladly 

 sit against the beams of the sun. For a hare of 

 its own kind knoweth the night before what 

 weather it will be on the next morrow, and there- 

 fore she keepeth herself the best way she may from 

 the evil weather. The hare beareth her kindles 

 two months,^ and when they are kindled she 

 licketh her kindles as a bitch doeth her whelps. 

 Then she runneth a great way thence, and goeth 

 to seek the male, for if she should abide with her 

 kindles she would gladly eat them. And if she 

 findeth not the male, she cometh again to her 

 kindles a great while after and giveth them to suck, 

 and nourisheth them for the maintainance of 20 

 days or thereabouts. A hare beareth commonly 

 2 kindles, but I have seen some which have kindled 

 at once sometime 6, sometime 5 or 4 or 2 ; ^ and 

 but she find the male within three days from the 



^ This is incorrect : the hare carries her young thirty days 

 (Brehm, vol. ii. p. 626 ; Harting, Ency. of Sport, vol. i. 

 p. 504). 



"■ Should read "three" (G. de F., p. 47). 



