AQUATIC HARE. 33 



requires a tremendous deal of killing. However, 

 having knocked over my game, in a few minutes my 

 retriever laid it at my feet ; but imagine my surprise 

 when, instead of a rat, I found it to be a hare. I 

 could scarcely believe my senses, but seeing is 

 believing. Of course, I thought that the poor 

 creature had been driven to water to avoid a foe ; 

 but before many days I shot several, and all in 

 similar situations. The habits of this new variety 

 I now made a study, and found that they were 

 amphibious, sleeping in form on the edge of the 

 morass during the heat of the day, and feeding, 

 before sunrise and after sunset, on the different 

 descriptions of water plants. Whether this hare 

 was able to dive or not I did not ascertain, but that 

 he is a most expert swimmer there can be no doubt. 

 His size is the same as that of our common wild 

 rabbit, but from his build being thicker he may 

 possibly be heavier. His legs are short, feet large, 

 ears small, and head very full and round; color 

 dark-grayish brown, with scarcely any white upon 

 the scut, and the fur exceedingly soft and fine. I 

 frequently tested his qualities on the table, and can 

 speak in the highest approval of the delicacy and 



delicious flavor of his flesh, which is much lighter in 

 2* 



