Lepokid.e.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Lepokid^e. 



145 



its specific title. In form, size, and general appearance 

 it very closely resembles oiu: English rabbit; feeding 

 on grass and various vegetable matters, and being parti- 

 cularly fond of willow bark. During the winter, great 

 numbers are destroyed on the banks of Mackenzie river 

 by the Hare Indians, who capture them \vith snares. 

 According to Sir John Richardson, this species has 

 numerous other destructive enemies, " such as wolves, 

 foxes, wolverines, martens, ermines, sno\\'y owls, and 

 various hawks; but tlie Canada hnix is the animal 

 which perhaps most exclusively feeds upon it. It has 

 been remarked that IjTixes are numerous only when 

 there are plenty of hares in the neighbourhood. At 

 some periods a sort of epidemic has destroyed vast 

 numbers of hares in particular districts, and they have 

 not recruited again imtil tlie Lapse of several years, 

 during which the lynxes were likewise scarce. In the 

 spring and summer the hares are much infested by a 

 species of cimcx. In the firr countries this hare becomes 

 white in the winter." In the milder districts the ordi- 

 nary greyish-browii colour is retained throughout the 

 cold season — a phenomenon which also occurs in the 

 Alpine species. Several thousand furs are annually 

 imported to this counby, under the title of rabbit skins, 

 but their value is scarcely sufiicient to reward the 

 trouble of exportation. 



THE PRAIRIE HARE (Leptts Virginiamts) very 

 closely resembles our common English species, not only 

 in form and general appearance, but also in its habits 

 and swiftness of foot. It is tolerably plentiful on the 

 plains bordering on the Saskatchewan, and on tliose of 

 Columbia. In winter the fur becomes pure white. 



THE POLAR HARE {LejMs glacialis) is a large spe- 

 cies, and now very generally considered to be distinct 

 from the Alpine, or varyuig hare. The fur is quite 

 white, except at the free ends of the ears, which are 

 tipped with brownish-black. Its weight is said to 

 extend to as much as fourteen pounds. The authority 

 above mentioned states, that "although it does not fre- 

 quent thick woods, it is often seen near tlie small and 

 thin clumps of spruce fir which are scattered on the 

 confines of the barren grounds. It seeks the sides of 

 hiUs, where the wind prevents the snow from lodging 

 deeply, and where, even in the winter, it can pi'ocure 

 the ben-ics of the Alpine arbutus, the bark of some 

 dwarf wiUows, or the evergreen leaves of the Labrador 

 tea plant. It does not dig bru-rows, but shelters itself 

 amongst large stones, or in the crevices of rocks, and 

 in the winter-time its form is generally found in a 

 wTeath of snow at tlie base of a cliff." It does not 

 appear to be at all a shy anmial, for Captain Lyon 

 remarks that, while on the coast of Winter Island, the 

 hares went out on the ice to the ships, to feed on the 

 tea-leaves thrown overboard by the sailors. It may 

 generally be approached -within shooting distance with- 

 out much difficulty. Dming the Arctic explorations 

 of Dr. Kane and other bold adventm-ers, tliis little 

 animal formed a frequent addition to their scantily 

 pro\'ided feasts. 



THE RABBIT {Lepus cunieulus) is familiar to every 

 resident in the country throughout Europe. The brown- 

 ish grey colour of the fur, becoming quite white under- 

 neath the tail and belly, associated with a ruddy tinge 

 Vol. I. 



about the neck, are characters familiar to all. The 

 ears are nearly as long as tire head, but do not present 

 the black markings at tlieir ends, such as we find in the 

 hares. The habits of tlie rabbit are too well known 

 to require minute detail. Their destructive propen- 

 sities are so great, that tlie generality of farmers extir- 

 pate them by every means at then disposal. Not only, 

 however, do tliese little animals afford a considerable 

 source of food to our population, but their skins are so 

 highly valued for manufacturing purposes, that in addi- 

 tion to tliose procured at home, we have several hun- 

 dred thoasand skins annually imported into this country 

 from Germany. Fortunately the rabbit is extremely 

 prolific; and as it begins to breed at the age of six 

 months, and is capable of producing litters of seven or 

 eight young, six or seven times in tlie year. Pennant 

 has calculated that in the course of four years, other 

 conditions being favourable, the progeny of a single 

 pair and their offspring, would amount to upwards of a 

 million individuals ! 



THE LITTLE-CHIEF HARE {Lacioinys princeps) is 

 the name apphed by Sir John Richardson to a small 

 rodent, less than seven inches in length, and which 

 inhabits the Rocky Moimtains of North America. The 

 fur is blackish-bro\\'n above and gi'cjnsh beneath ; the 

 head being short and thick, and the ears somewhat 

 rounded. It has no tail. " It is often seen at sunset, 

 mounted on a stone, and calling to its mates by a pecu- 

 liar shriU wliistle. On the approach of man it utters a 

 feeble cry, like the squeak of a rabbit when hurt, and 

 instantly disappears, to reappear in a minute or two at 

 the distance of twenty or tliirty yards, if the object of 

 its apprehension remains stationary." They do not 

 appear to constract any kind of burrow, but make their 

 habitations among crevices in the limestone rocks. The 

 Little-Chief Hare is distinguished from its congeners in 

 presenting small digital pads at the base and end of its 

 toes; these have a black tint. The claws are also 

 dark- coloured, short, compressed, and concealed by 

 the fur. 



THE CALLING SAS,T:{Lagomys ptisilhis) — Plate IC, 

 fig. 54 — is a native of the south-eastern parts of Russia 

 and the slopes of the Ural Mountains, as well as of the 

 western side of the Altai chain. The head is long, the 

 ears large, short, and rounded, and the tail absent. 

 The molar teeth are twenty in number ; that is, five on 

 either side of each jaw. The body is about six inches 

 only in length. The fur has a gi'eenish-brown colour, 

 being hoary underneatli. The Calling Hares frequent 

 sunny banks in tlie neighbourhood of woods. They 

 form burrows amongst the shrabs and herbage ; their 

 openings being difficult to detect, but for the peculiar 

 cry which the occupants make. This noise, which can 

 be heard at a considerable distance, is uttered at regidar 

 intervals every morning and evening, and sometimes 

 duruig tlie day if the weather be cloudy. The Tartars 

 apply to it the name of barking mouse, while the Cos- 

 sacks of the Wolga call it Semlanoi sactsJiik, or ground- 

 hare. The young at the time of birth are blind and 

 destitute of fur. 



Closely allied to this species is the Ogotona of tlie 

 Mongids [Lagom.ys Ogotona), which is foiuid to the 

 south of Lake Baikal. 



T 



