336 LEPORIDJl. 



chapter of his work on *' Vulgar Errors " to the Hare, in 

 which he refers to the same subject, and M. Frederic 

 Cuvier has also alluded to it. The solution of the diffi- 

 culty will at once strike any one who is acquainted with 

 the anatomy of this group of animals. 



The Hare has been the subject of various superstitions. 

 Of the medicinal qualities of its flesh frequent mention 

 is made by Pliny ; and various omens were derived from its 

 appearance both in ancient and mediaeval times. Izaak 

 Walton observes that " there are many country people 

 that believe that Hares change sexes every year, and there 

 be very many learned men think so too, for in their dis- 

 secting them they find many reasons to incline them to 

 that belief." In some parts of Sweden a Hare's head is 

 always cut off as soon as it is shot, lest a pregnant woman 

 should happen to see it, in which case her child would be 

 born with a " hare-lip" ; and in Scotland it is believed 

 that the same effect will be produced if the mother 

 should step over a Hare's form. 



This appears to have been a well-known animal from 

 remote antiquity. It was the Xaywg of the Greeks and 

 the Lepus of the Romans; and from the latter name are 

 derived the Italian Lepre and Lievora, Spanish Liebre and 

 Lehratillo, Portuguese Lehnmho, French Litvre and our 

 own Leveret. The English name Hare, Anglo-Saxon Hara, 

 German Hase, Danish Haas, and Swedish Hara, are evi- 

 dently all from one root, but their derivation has been 

 disputed. Some have derived them from the Saxon har, 

 " hair," from the hairy coat of the animal, others from 

 hergian, " to harry." More probably tiiey may be traced 

 to an Ayrian root, represented by the Sanscrit gag, gaqa, 

 " to jump." The derivation of the Scotch name maukin 

 is still more obscure. 



The head of this animal is thick, the inside of the 



