HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 371 



During the clay, Hares sleep or repose in their 

 seats, and seldom remove from them : the night is 

 the season when they go about in search of food ; 

 and they are sure to return to their forms or seats 

 by the same paths which they took in leaving 

 them. 



" Tis instinct that directs the jealous Hare 



" To chuse her soft abode. With step revers'd, 



'' She forms the doubling maze; then, ere the morn 



" Peeps through the clouds, leaps to her close recess." 



The following instances of the sagacity of the 

 Hare in endeavouring to escape from its enemies 

 are worthy of notice : Fouilldux says he has seen 

 a Hare start from its form at the sound of the 

 hunter's horn, run towards a pool of water at a 

 considerable distance, plunge itself in, and swim 

 to some rushes in the middle, where it lay down, 

 and concealed itself from the pursuit of the Dogs. 

 He mentions another, which, after running two 

 hours before the Dogs, pushed a Hare from its 

 seat and took possession of it. Others he has seen 

 run into a Sheep-fold, and lie down among the 

 Sheep ; and some have effected their escape by 

 mounting an old wall, and clapping themselves 

 down in the midst of the ivy which covered it. 



The fur of the Hare is of great use in making 

 hats, for which purpose many thousands of their 

 skins are annually imported from Russia. 



The Hare was reckoned a great delicacy among 

 the Romans, but was forbidden to the Jews, and 

 held sacred among the ancient Britons, who re- 

 ligiously abstained from eating it. We are told, 

 that Boadicea, immediately before her last conflict 

 with the Romans, let loose a Hare she had con- 



