136 ANIMALS OF THE 



at the most. There she suckles them for about a 

 month ; covering them over with moss and grass 

 whenever she goes to pasture, and scratching 

 them up at her return. It has been said, in- 

 deed, that this shallow hole without the warren is 

 made lest the male should attack and destroy her 

 young ; but I have seen the male himself attend 

 the young there, lead them out to feed, and con- 

 duct them back upon the return of the dam. 

 This external retreat seems a kind of country- 

 house, at a distance from the general habitation ; 

 it is usually made near some spot of excellent 

 pasture, or in the midst of a field of sprouting 

 corn. To this both male and female often retire 

 from the warren, lead their young by night to 

 the food which lies so convenient, and, if not 

 disturbed, continue there till they are grown up. 

 There they find a greater variety of pasture than 

 near the warren, which is generally eaten bare ; 

 and enjoy a warmer sun, by covering themselves 

 up in a shallower hole. Whenever they are dis- 

 turbed, they then forsake their retreat of pleasure 

 for one of safety ; they fly to the warren with 

 their utmost speed, and if the way be short, there 

 is scarcely any dog, how swift soever, that can 

 overtake them. 



But it does not always happen that these ani- 

 mals are possessed of one of these external apart- 

 ments j they most usually bring forth their young 

 in the warren, but always in a hole separate 

 from the male. On these occasions, the female 

 digs herself a hole,* different from the ordinary 



* Buflbn. 



