

520 Practical Game Preserving. 



of which and the entrances various other passages are formed 

 in irregular directions. There is always more than one 

 place of ingress, and sometimes as many as five or six, or 

 even more. Freedom from damp is also a rather important 

 consideration, and although the holt is often chosen near 

 wet ground, or adjacent to a ditch or small watercourse, 

 due care is always taken that no water or damp can penetrate 

 the earth and cause discomfort to the inhabitant. 



The nest, or rather holt within which the nest is formed, 

 and where the young are brought forth, is generally apart 

 from the usual earth, and is occasionally formed especially 

 for the use to which it is put. In such case seclusion 

 and safety are apparently the most eligible features of the 

 spot chosen, while warmth and dryness are also considera- 

 tions of some importance. These cubbing earths are rarely 

 of great extent, except sometimes when a rabbit burrow is 

 enlarged in order to form them with least possible trouble ; 

 while a level sunny place just without the holt, whereon 

 the young and lively cubs may disport themselves, is gene- 

 rally included in the arrangements. 



To this burrow the female resorts some two or three 

 weeks before littering, and prepares a sort of nest or bed 

 for the reception of the cubs, composed of dry leaves, grass, 

 bracken, and such other materials as may be obtainable. 

 The nest, however, is in no way noticeable, and sometimes 

 is no more than an apology for one. The young are pro- 

 duced about April, nearer the beginning than the end of 

 the month ; and remarkably queer little creatures they are 

 when first presented, and during earlier life. If one were 

 to form an opinion, according to popular notions, as to 



