STUDIES IN HARE LIFE 



own impression is that the jack hare consorts to a 

 certain extent with his female partner or partners, and 

 that he takes some interest in the welfare of the leverets 

 which have derived their existence from his erotic 

 propensities. 



This view receives a certain amount of independent 

 corroboration from another source. ' On September 2 

 last,' writes Mr. Thomas Wolferstan, 'my brother and 

 I were shooting in North Cornwall, and were trying a 

 large uncultivated close, of between twenty and thirty 

 acres in size, in search of some birds, which we had 

 just before flushed. I was at a distance of some 200 

 or 250 yards from my brother, when he picked out 

 a hare, and let it go away, apparently unhurt. The 

 hare made for the only gateway, which was some 

 100 yards from me, and the whole length of the close 

 from the hare, but in a different direction. I ran 

 towards the gate, and got within fifty yards of the 

 hare when it was nearing the gateway. I shot at it, 

 but without effect, and the hare ran nearly to the 

 gateway, then turning sharp round faced me and 

 came right back, making for the hedge behind me, 

 where, however, I could see no place for it to break. 

 As it passed me I fired my second barrel and killed 

 it. My brother and I were both at a loss to know 

 what had caused the hare to turn and face the gun 



