THE RABBIT 245 



the cud, when it was but moving its jaws about in the 

 constant endeavour to keep down the growth of the 

 incisor teeth. 



Large numbers of Hares which are sold in our home 

 markets are in reality the Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus), 

 which abounds in North America, Northern Asia, and the 

 North of Europe, especially Russia, from which we import 

 vast numbers. They are excellent in the eating, but do 

 not realise the price of the British species. 



Hareskins vary in colour largely according to the climatic 

 conditions ; the Northern species are uniformly lighter, 

 grey in summer and almost white in winter. The Arctic 

 Hare (Lepus glacialis) is wholly white, except for the cha- 

 racteristic black-tipped tail. Until silk largely displaced it, 

 the fur of Hares and rabbits was of particular service 

 in the manufacture of hats. The skins are converted 

 into caps, cheap muffs, and the linings of cloaks ; whether 

 the fur is not passed off as the product of more fashionable 

 animals is best known in trade circles. 



WILD RABBIT (Lepus cuniculus). 

 Coloured Plate XIII. Fig. 4. 



The Rabbit is less in size than the hare, smaller in the 

 body and shorter in the leg, but there is less disparity in 

 length between the hind and fore limbs. The ears of the 

 wild Rabbit are only about as long as the head, and they 

 are tipped with black. The fur is greyish-brown, becoming 

 whitish on the under parts ; the tail is rather large and con- 

 spicuous, brown above and white below, and it is usually 

 held upright. Notwithstanding their marked similarity, 

 the Rabbit and the hare are very distinct, never associating 

 together or producing a mixed race of descendants. 



The Rabbit is an inveterate burrower, preferring to take 

 up its quarters in sandy heaths or dry grounds covered 

 with bushes ; the burrows of a Rabbit colony form a 

 ' warren.' The animal is exceedingly prolific, commencing 

 to breed when it is but six months old, and having families 

 several times a year. 



