4^8 THE COMMON HARE. 



accustomed to kindness and attention, no sooner Is 

 he arrived at a certain age, than ]ie generally seizes 

 ihQ first opportunity of recovering his liberty, and 

 flying to the fields. 



While Dr. Townson was at Gottingen, he had 

 a young Hare brought to him, which he took so 

 much pains w-ith as to render it more familiar than 

 these animals commonly are. In the evenings it 

 soon becanie so frolicsome, as to run and jump 

 about his sofa and bed : sometimes in its play it 

 would leap upon him, and pat him with its fore-feet ; 

 or, while he was reading, even knock the book out 

 of his hand. But whenever a stranger entered the 

 room, the little creature always exhibited considera- 

 ble alarm *. 



Mr. Borlase saw a Hare that was so familiar as to 

 feed from the hand, lie under a chair in a common 

 sitting-room, and appear in every other respect 

 as easy and com.fortable in its situation as a Lap-dog. 

 It now and then went out into tlie garden ; but 

 •after regahng itself, always returned to the house 

 CIS its proper habitation. Its usual companions were 

 a Grey- hound and a Spaniel ; both so fond of Hare- 

 hunting, that thi'v often went out together without 

 nny person accompanying them. Wit!i these two 

 Dogs this tame Hare spent its evenings : they always 

 slept on the same hearth, and very frequently it 

 would rest itself upon them -j^. 



Hares are very much infested with Fleas, Lm- 

 nceus tells us that cloth made of their fur will attract 



* Townson's Tr.cls, p. 1 16. f Ijoilase, p. '289. 



