HARE KIND. 133 



colour, towards the ends of a light grey, and tipt 

 with black : the lower part of the body is hoary ; 

 the sides and ends of the fur are yellowish. The 

 length of the animal is about six inches. This 

 species inhabits the south-east parts of Russia, 

 and about all the ridge of hills spreading south- 

 ward from the Urallian chain ; also about the 

 Irtish, and in the west part of the Altaic chain j 

 but no where in the east beyond the Oby. They 

 delight in the most sunny valleys and herby hills, 

 especially near the edges of woods, to which they 

 run on any alarm. They live in so concealed a 

 manner as very rarely to be seen ; but are often 

 taken in winter in the snares laid for the ermine, 

 so are well known to the hunters. They choose 

 for their habitations a dry spot, amidst bushes 

 covered with a firm sod, preferring the western 

 sides of the hills. In these they burrow, leaving 

 a very small hole for the entrance, and forming 

 long galleries, in which they make their nests. 

 Those of the old ones and females are numerous 

 and intricate, so that their place would be scarcely 

 known but for their excrements, and even those 

 they drop, by a wise instinct, under some bush, 

 lest their dwelling should be discovered by their 

 enemies among the animal creation. Their voice 

 alone betrays their abode ; it is like the piping of 

 a quail, but deeper, and so loud as to be heard 

 at the distance of half a German mile.] 



