BABBITS 167 



son is from April to September or even later. 

 The young are produced in natural depressions 

 under rocks, stumps, or weeds, or in shallow 

 burrows made by other animals. When these 

 are lacking, the female scratches a shallow hole 

 under a bunch of grass or weeds, makes a nest 

 of leaves or grasses and lines it with fur from 

 her own body. Here the young, averaging in 

 most of our species about four, are produced; 

 they are fully furred and have their eyes open 

 when born. 



The female, while caring for her young, re- 

 mains in the vicinity of the nest. If enemies 

 approach, she runs away for a short distance; 

 but when the young are attacked and cry out, 

 she has been known to fight desperately in their 

 defense, and even to vanquish such a formidable 

 foe as a cat or a snake. When attacking, she 

 jumps and strikes the enemy with her hind 

 feet members capable of a powerful blow, as 

 many a boy who has captured a live rabbit can 

 testify. 



Young rabbits are attended and suckled in 

 the nest for about three weeks, after which they 

 are left to shift for themselves. Since sue- 



