HARE KIND. l?l 



so solicitous for elegance themselves, the place 

 where they are kept must be regularly cleaned, 

 and a new bed of hay provided for them at least 

 every week. Being natives of a warm climate, 

 they are naturally chilly in ours ; cleanliness, 

 therefore, assists warmth, and expels moisture. 

 They may be thus reared without the aid of any 

 artificial heat; but in general there is no keeping 

 them from the fire in winter, if they be once per- 

 mitted to approach it. 



When they go to sleep, they lie flat on their 

 bellies, pretty much in their usual posture, ex- 

 cept that they love to have their fore-feet higher 

 than their hinder. For this purpose, they turn 

 themselves several times round before they lie 

 down, to find the most convenient situation. They 

 sleep, like the hare, with their eyes half open ; 

 and continue extremely watchful if they suspect 

 danger. The male and female are never seen both 

 asleep at the same time ; but while he enjoys his 

 repose, she remains upon the watch, silently con- 

 tinuing to guard him, and her head turned to- 

 wards the place where he lies. When she sup- 

 poses that he has had his turn, she then awakes 

 him with a kind of murmuring noise, goes to 

 him, forces him from his bed, and lies down in 

 his place. He then performs the same good turn 

 for her, and continues watchful till she also has 

 done sleeping. 



These animals are exceedingly salacious, and 

 generally are capable of coupling at six weeks old. 

 The female never goes with young above five 

 weeks, and usually brings forth from three to 



