MARSH-HARE. 153 



" reserves," which are dammed up or otherwise made to retain the wa- 

 ter intended to flood the rice-fields at the proper season. 



In these situations — to which few persons like to resort, on account of 

 the muddy nature of the ground, and the many thorny and entangling 

 vines and other obstructions that abound near them ; and which, besides, 

 continually exhale from their stagnant waters a noxious vapour, which 

 rapidly generates disease — surrounded by frogs, water-snakes and alliga- 

 tors, this species resides throughout the year, rarely molested by man, 

 and enabled by its aquatic habits, to make up for any want of speed 

 when eluding the pursuit of its enemies. 



It winds with great facility through miry pools, and marshes overgrovv^n 

 with rank weeds and willow bushes, and is quite at its ease and at 

 home in the most boggy and unsafe parts of the swamps. 



We have met with this animal a few miles from Columbia, South 

 Carolina, one hundred and twenty miles north of Charleston, along the 

 muddy shores of the sluggish rivers and marshes, but on arriving at 

 the high grounds beyond the middle country, where the marshes disap-- 

 pear, it is no longer to be found. 



In its movements it is unlike most of our other hares ; it runs low on 

 the ground, and cannot leap with the same ease strength and agility they 

 display. From the shortness of its legs and ears, and its general clumsy 

 appearance as we see it splashing through the mud and mire, or plung- 

 ing into creeks or ponds, it somewhat reminds us of an over-grown Nor- 

 way rat endeavouring to escape from its pursuers. 



The Marsh-Hare is so slow of foot, that but for the protection afforded 

 it by the miry tangled and thorny character of its usual haunts, it would 

 soon be overtaken and caught by any dog of moderate speed. We have 

 observed the negroes of a plantation on a holiday, killing a good many 

 of them by first setting fire to the half-dried grasses and weeds in a 

 marshy piece of ground during a continued drought, when the earth had 

 absorbed nearly all the moisture from it, and then surrounding the place, 

 with sticks in their hands, and waiting until the flames drove the hares 

 from their retreats, when they were knocked down and secured as they 

 attempted to pass. Several gray-rabbits ran out of this place, but the 

 men did not attempt to stop them, knowing their superior speed, but 

 every Marsh-Hare that appeared, was headed, and with a loud whoop set 

 upon on all sides and soon captured. 



The feet of the Marsh-Hare are admirably adapted to its aquatic ha- 

 bits. A thick covering of hair on its feet, like that on the soles of other 

 species, would be inconvenient ; they would not only be kept wet for a 

 considerable length of time, but would retard the animal in swimming, 



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