THE SPRINGHARE OR SPRINGHAAS 



make away with a considerable quantity of the hard- 

 working farmer's produce. 



The weight of a big Springhare is 9^ Ibs. 



In captivity the Springhare rapidly becomes tame, 

 and is a gentle creature. It will thrive if kept in 

 fairly natural surroundings, or in a roomy cage in 

 which there is a dark, warm retreat in which to sleep, 

 otherwise if forced to endure the light it will pine and 

 die. In a Zoological Garden it should be pro- 

 vided with ample space, and an incline should 

 be provided, up which it can run at intervals for 

 exercise. 



When sleeping the Springhare sits on its haunches, 

 crouched up, with its fore-paws and head between its 

 thighs. The tail, which is long and bushy, is lapped 

 round the front of the head. There are only two 

 species of Springhares. The one which naturalists 

 know as Pedetes caffer is the only kind found in 

 South Africa. It differs slightly according to the 

 part of the country it inhabits, and to distinguish 

 these local varieties, of which there are two, natural- 

 ists have divided it into the typical kind and two 

 sub-species. 



The second species is known as the Eastern Jump- 

 ing Hare (Pedetes surdaster) which inhabits East 

 Africa north of the Zambesi. 



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