THE ALPINE HARE. 27 



its head to assure itself of the absence of danger. 

 Steppe-foxes, wolves, but especially buzzards, hawks, 

 kites, and even eagles, daily destroy countless num- 

 bers of these little animals. The skill with which 

 the winged assailants seize their prey is remarkable. 

 I have often seen a buzzard descend so rapidly on 

 its victim as not to give it time to retreat into its 

 burrow, and an eagle on one such occasion swooped 

 down from a height of at least 200 feet. The buzzard 

 {Bitteo ferox) feeds entirely on the ogotono ; but such 

 is the rapidity with which they breed that this 

 wholesale destruction is probably the only way of 

 checking their excessive increase. Curiosity is a 

 distinctive trait of this animal ; it will allow a man 

 or dog to approach within ten paces of it, then sud- 

 denly disappear in its hole ; but, in a few minutes its 

 head may be seen at the entrance, and, if the object 

 of its fears has removed a little further away, it will 

 venture out and resume its former position. Another 

 of its habits, peculiar also to other kinds of this tribe, 

 is to lay in a store of hay for winter use, stacking 

 it at the entrance of its home. The hay is collected 

 towards the end of summer, carefully dried and made 

 into little stacks weighing from four to five or even 

 ten pounds. This serves for its couch underground 

 and for food during the winter ; but very often the 

 labour is in vain and cattle devour its store. In such 

 case the unfortunate little creature is reduced to feed 

 on the withered grass which grows near its burrow. 



The ogotono can exist a long time without water. 

 In winter it can quench its thirst with snow, and in 



