LUNGS OF THE HATIE. 137 



success in hunting for a living, clia?e the hare Avith 

 dogs. The animal is then in its poorest condition, 

 and bounds away so lightly on its broad furry feet, 

 that it escapes with the greatest ease ; while the heavy 

 dogs flounder in the snow up to their bellies at every 

 step till, finding the pursuit hopeless, they wisely 

 return to their foolish masters. The habitual timidity 

 of the hare, and its constant apprehension of danger, 

 may go far to preserve it in that state of leanness 

 in which it is best able to profit by its speed. The 

 hare never walks but jumps, and, according to Buffon, 

 is the only member of the animal kingdom which 

 has hair inside its lips. Although the breast of the 

 hare is narrow, the chest is very capacious and well- 

 fitted to give free play to the lungs, which are in a 

 continual state of violent expansion w^hile the animal 

 is flying from its foes. The frequent inspiration and 

 expiration thus caused, make a much larger space 

 requisite for their free action than is assigned to most 

 animals. 



The signs of old age are much the same in the 

 American hare as in the Enghsh. The claws become 

 blunt and raor^ed, the ears become dry and tough, and 

 the cleft in the lip spreads. The general age is sup- 

 posed to be six or seven years, though it is doubtful 

 whether the exact age of any individual of the species 

 has ever been ascertained. 



In the summer time hares feed on various kinds of 



