32 GUN, KOD, AND SADDLE. 



AQUATIC HAEE. 



IN one of your late numbers allusion is made to a 

 tailless hare. Of course, any new or but slightly 

 known animals, their habits and modes of life, are 

 subjects of great interest to both the naturalist and 

 the sportsman; permit me, therefore, to call your 

 attention to an aquatic member of the Lepus family, 

 with whom I became acquainted during my sojourn 

 in North America. A little before sunset, on a fine 

 calm evening in March, I took my stand upon a 

 bridge crossing a slough in the southern portion of 

 Illinois, with the hope of killing a few wild ducks. 

 The atmosphere was so clear and still that the birds 

 were very late in visiting their feeding grounds. 

 While impatiently trying to kill time, I saw some- 

 thing swimming in the water, and supposing it to be 

 a common American musk-rat, and being desirous 

 of a new tobacco pouch, I stealthily stole along the 

 margin of the water, well hid in the flags, to 

 endeavor to obtain a closer shot, for the musk-rat 



