156 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



* 4 



IIARK'S FOOTPRINTS 

 IN SNOW. 



RABBIT'S FOOTPM.VI = 

 IN SNOW. 



These photographs show the tracks of animals advancing up the 



picture. The two lower marks directly in front of each other 



are made by the fore feet and the higher of the four by the 



overlapping hind ones. 



consists of scratching a tunnel or burrow 

 in some deep drift of snow and spending 

 the day therein. 



It is always easy to distinguish a 

 Hare's footprints in the snow from those 

 of a rabbit, because in addition to making 



larger marks the former animal nearly 

 always sets down one hind foot a little 

 way in front of the other, whereas a 

 rabbit running leisurely over the ground 

 invariably places its hind feet opposite 

 to each other. 



In the pairing season Hares are astir 

 a good deal by day, and anyone who 

 has watched two males fighting will 

 easily understand and appreciate the 

 saying " As mad as a March hare." 

 Standing up on their hind legs, they box 

 each other with their fore feet, dance 

 round, and produce the most indescrib- 

 able sounds. I have watched many 

 kinds of birds and beasts in combat, but 

 never saw anything half so grotesque 

 as a couple of Hares fighting. 



Some authorities state that two litters 

 of young Hares are produced each year, 

 whilst others are of opinion that more- 

 are born. From two to five young ones 

 are brought forth at a litter. Leverets 

 are born with their eyes open and a 

 good coat Of down upon their bodies. 

 No kind of nest is prepared by the 

 mother for their reception. 



