8 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HARE 



brown hare has long been plentiful on the mainland 

 of Scotland. Many parts of Northern Britain are 

 covered with waste moorlands, too sterile and barren 

 to afford a happy home to the bonny brown hare, 

 which has no taste for dry lichens and plain Highland 

 fare, but prefers to munch sweet clover in the fattest 

 pastures of the low grounds. It was not indigenous 

 to any of the Hebrides, nor probably to the Orkneys 

 or Shetlands. The first attempt to populate the 

 Hebrides with brown hares was made by Lord Sea- 

 forth. About a hundred years ago that nobleman 

 introduced some brown hares to the Lews. But his 

 example was not followed by any of his neighbours. 

 It was not until the middle of the present century 

 that hares w^ere introduced into Skye and other 

 neighbouring islands. The actual result has fully 

 justified the pains bestowed upon their introduction, 

 and the species thrives admirably in sheltered situa- 

 tions. It is, therefore, quite certain that the climatic 

 conditions prevailing on the West coast of Scotland 

 are on the whole favourable to this animal. As regards 

 Orkney, it would appear to be certain that the brown 

 hare was long ago turned down upon the Island of 

 Hoy — before, in fact, it had been carried to the Lews 

 — but the first experiment does not seem to have met 

 with the success that it merited. Messrs. Buckley 



