•74 



THE GNAWERS OR RODENTS. 



equal length, and in each half of each jaw 

 there are only five cheek-teeth with a single 

 fold of enamel. Moreover, the ascending 

 part of the lower jaw has only a simple hole 

 instead of being perforated by several holes. 

 The large incisors are deeply grooved. The 

 piping hares are further distinguished from 

 the ordinary hares by the short oval ears, 

 which are almost naked on the upper surface, 

 and by the entire ab- 

 sence of the tail, the 

 place of which is taken 

 by a small lump of fat. 

 The species selected 

 for illustration inhabits 

 the stony plateaux of 

 the Altai Mountains 

 and other lofty ranges 

 of Central Asia. It is 

 found even at a height 

 of 13,000 or 14,000 

 feet. Another species 

 prefers the naked 

 steppes of the low 

 grounds. In Quater- 

 nary times the piping 

 hares were distributed 

 over all Central Eu- 

 rope. 



These small agile ro- 

 dents live in holes and 

 have no winter sleep, 

 regular stacks of hay and herbs, which they 

 protect from the rain with broad leaves. 

 They never retire far from their holes, and 

 like the marmots give warning to each other 

 of the approach of danger by a shrill whistling 

 sound. 



The other genus composing this family 

 [Lepus) comprises the ordinary hares and 

 rabbits. These are distinguished by their 

 long hind-legs, which are four-toed, while the 

 short fore-legs have five toes, and also by 

 their large spoon-shaped ears, by the six 

 cheek-teeth of the upper jaw, the last of 

 which, however, is poorly developed, and by 



Fig. 236. — The Alpine Pika {Lagomys alptnus). page 173 



They accumulate 



their small erect tail. An enormous number 

 of species difficult to distinguish inhabit almost 

 the whole earth. Only those which have a 

 special interest for us are here illustrated and 

 described. 



The Common Hare {Lcpiis thuidtis {etiro- 

 pe^us)), fig. 237, has a rather long body and 

 long legs; its ears are at least as long as its 

 head. It attains a length of about 26 inches, 



and is of an earthy gray 

 on the back and whitish 

 on the under parts. It 

 inhabits the plains, hills, 

 and mountains to the 

 height of about 3500 

 feet, and by day pre- 

 fers to confine itself to 

 woods and thickets, 

 which it quits in the 

 evening in order to 

 seek its food in the 

 fields. It is particu- 

 larly fond of juicy 

 plants, cabbages, tur- 

 nips and other sweet 

 root crops, parsley and 

 clover. The common 

 hare makes no hole for 

 itself; during the winter 

 it buries itself under 

 the snow. It is the 

 principal object of chase for the ordinary 

 huntsman. It is a good runner, full of a 

 timid curiosity, but rather stupid. In many 

 districts it multiplies with extraordinary ra- 

 pidity. When it has been able to feed on 

 plenty of aromatic herbs its flesh is all the 

 more tasty. 



The Alpine, Mountain, or Northern Hare 

 iyLepus alpinus {variabilis)), fig. 238, takes the 

 place of the common hare in the Alps and the 

 Arctic regions. Its winter coat is perfectly 

 white, except the tips of the ears which are 

 black. This animal confines itself principally 

 to the zone between the trees and the limit of 

 perpetual snow; but in winter it betakes itself 



