20 NATURAL HISTORY [Quadrupeds. 



without young ones. They are but tender, and sometimes 

 sink under our winters * ; a long snow either smothers or 

 starves them in their holes ; but a season recruits them, and 

 they swarm as much as ever. 



When confined to their holes by storm, live on the roots 

 of grass, which they dig through the sand in search of; 

 are sometimes forced to the farmers' yards in quest of food ; 

 and I have seen, in this rigorous season, the leaves of the 

 water-flag pared as far as the frost would allow by them, 

 which at no other season they meddle with. They are often 

 forced down to the sea to feed on the ware, which, in very 

 hard seasons, gives their flesh a bad taste, and often kills 

 them. 



The rabbit is a poor defenceless creature, and had not 

 nature furnished it with strong muscular limbs, and a vast 

 inclination to burrowing, would be open to the attacks of 

 every enemy ; as it seems to have less swiftness or cunning 

 than the hare, and but little strength to defend itself, even 

 from the most inconsiderable of the beasts or birds of prey. 

 Its ordinary enemies are the eagles, hawks, ravens, and even 

 hooded-crows and owls, among the birds ; otters (as I am 

 credibly informed), dogs, and, to my knowledge, none more 

 mischievous among them than the domestic cats, an unsus- 

 pected enemy amongst an 'unsuspecting (of them at least) 

 people ; besides, the many inventions of men, such as snares, 

 nets, guns, &c. all pointed at the life of this poor animal, who 



* Which are none of the most severe. Vide C of the Climate. 



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