COURSING. 463 



back, and where it rests, there is also a streak of dark 

 brown. 



The color is a light brown or gray, very closely 

 resembling the dry grass. The gray color gradually gets 

 lighter from the back to the under part of the body, 

 where it is pure white. 



A full-grown jack-rabbit will weigh from eight to 

 fifteen pounds, the female being larger by two or three 

 pounds. 



The white-tail variety has shorter legs, a heavier 

 body, with a closer coat, than the black-tail, and closely 

 resembles a young deer in color. The ears are shorter, 

 and tipped with black; the tail is pure white, about four 

 inches long, and has a coat of hair less compact than 

 the black-tail; it tapers to a point, and when running is 

 carried straight back. This variety is found in greater 

 numbers on the open buffalo-grass prairies, and is often 

 spoken of as the prairie hare, and probably quite resembles 

 the English hare in many respects. 



The jack-rabbit never burrows; but when closely 

 pressed by a greyhound, especially when nearly ex- 

 hausted, will suddenly dash into a badger-hole, or even a 

 wolf-den, and not infrequently will take refuge in an old 

 deserted burrow tliat will scarcely conceal their form from 

 view. They rarely resort to a thicket, but depend on speed 

 and ability to dodge their pursuers to effect their escape. 



Their home, or form, as it is called, is a slight depres- 

 sion in the ground, under a tuft of grass. They back into 

 this, and flatten themselves out, with ears laid close to 

 their backs, only about half of the body being exposed. 

 With the grass blowing over them, and with the color so 

 nearly the same hue, it is a difficult matter to see them 

 when not more than six feet away. They remain at 

 home during the day, but are on foot as soon as the 

 shades of night appear. Not infrequently they are found 



