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CHAPTER II 



THE BLUE HARE — POACHING — HAWKING 



Owing more to the beautiful surroundings in which 

 it makes its home than to any special attractions of 

 its own, the Scotch, mountain, or blue hare is a favour- 

 ite object of the sportsman's pursuit. Smaller than 

 the brown or English hare, with shorter ears and a 

 curiously woolly coat, it is so common on many High- 

 land moors as to be a great nuisance to the dogs of 

 the grouse-shooter, until he has thoroughly broken 

 them from noticing ' fur ' in any shape. As these hares 

 lie very closely and are tame enough, there is not much 

 sport to be obtained by walking them up, and on hills 

 where they are numerous it is usual to kill them down 

 by arranging one or two big drives during the season. 

 Some little care and organisation are needed to bring 

 one of these drives to a successful issue. It is the 

 peculiarity of this breed of hare to make straight for 

 the hilltops when disturbed, sometimes to a top of 

 considerable elevation. The guns, which should be 



