o'M DIVISION I. VERTEBKAL ANIMALS. —CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



twenty indies in lengtli. The cars are about a fourth shorter tlian the head, 

 with a blaci<ish tip. Tiie legs are sliorter than those of the former species, 

 and the feet are capable of digging. It constructs dwellings in the earth, 

 uherc it retires to repose, or retreats from danger. " Although, on account 

 of the comparative shortness of its legs, it is much inferior to the hares in 

 speed, it yet runs with great celerity ; and a number of rabbits scattered over 

 a field, and retreating, on being alarmed, to their lioles, afford a very pleasant 

 sight, some scudding along in trepidation, others bounding over the shrubs 

 or herbage, one disappearing here, another stopping a moment to look around 

 before it plunges into its retreat, and pcrha[)s a third jiccping from the aper- 

 ture. Early in the morning, when old and young are abroad, they may be 

 seen ^amliolinu; in fancied security, for tlie rabbit is ' full of fun and frolic,' 

 and takes pleasure in exercising its faculties. If there are fields and pas- 

 tures in the neighborhood, they make excursions among the corn and grass, 

 committinnf serious devastations when their numbers arc "reat." 



In the wild state, rabbits arc not polygamous, but pair, and it is said, 

 remain thus attached for life. The female, when about to deposit her 

 young, forms a separate burrow, and makes a nest for their recej)tion of the 

 fur plucked from her breast. Unlike the young of the hare proper, they are 

 naked at birth ; but they grow rapidl}-, and in a short time are able to take j i 

 care of themselves. 1 | 



The j:hm:ria(ii Iidrc, so well-known under the name of vdhhlt, is found [ ! 

 in most jiarts of is'orth America. The summer iiair is dark brown on the i i 

 upper part of the head, lighter on the sides, and of an ash color below ; the •; 

 cars arc wide, edged with white, tip[)cd with brown, and dark colored on | j 

 tlicir back; tail, dark above, white beneath, ba\ ing the inferior surface i j 

 turned up; the fore legs are sliorter and the hinder longer in proportion 

 than those of tlie Euro[)ean. In the ^Middle and iSnuthcrn States the 

 change in the color (jf the hair is by no means as remarkable as it is firthcr 

 north. This species is from fourteen to eighteen inches long. The Ameri- 

 can b:;re generally keeps within its form during the da}-, feeding only in the 

 morning or at night. The flesh is in its prime late in the autumn and in 

 the winter. The hare is not hunted in this country as in Europe, but is 

 generally roused by- a dog, and shot or caught by means of a common box- 

 trap : this latter is the most usual mode. In its gait, it is very similar to 

 the European, leaping rather than running. Like that animal, it breeds 

 several times during the year. There arc several other species of the hare 



j inhabiting Xorth Ainci'ica, of which the most remarkable is the polar hare. 



! This occurs in vast numbers towards the extreme northern part of tlie con- 

 tinent. It is larger than the common hare. The fur is exceedingly' thick 



1 and woolly, of the purest white in the cold months, with the exception of 



