MARSH-HARE. 155 



This species possesses a strong marshy smell at all times, even when 

 kept in confinement, and fed on the choicest food. Its flesh, however, 

 although dark, is fully equal, if not superior, to that of the gray rabbit. 



The Marsh-Hare never, that ■we are aware of, visits gardens or culti- 

 vated fields, but confines itself throughout the year to the marshes. It is 

 occasionally found in places overflowed by salt, or brackish, water, but 

 seems to prefer fresh-water marshes, where its food can be most conve- 

 niently obtained. It feeds on various grasses, and gnaws oS" the twigs of 

 the young sassafras, and of the pond-spice (Laurus geniculata.) We have 

 seen many places in the low grounds dug up, the foot-prints indicating 

 that it was the work of this species in search of roots. It frequently is 

 found digging for the bulbs of the wild potatoe, {Apios tuberosa,) as also 

 for those of a small species of amaryllis, {AmaryUis atamasco.) 



We kept an individual of this species in confinement, which bad been 

 captured when full-grown. It became so gentle in a few days that it 

 freely took its food from the hand. It was fed on turnips and cabbage- 

 leaves, but preferred bread to any other food that was oflered to it. In 

 warm weather it was fond of lying for hours in a trough of water, and 

 seemed restless and uneasy when it was removed ; scratching at the 

 sides of its cage, until the trough was replaced, when it immediately 

 plunged in, burying the greater part of its body in the water. 



This species, lilce all others of the genus existing in this country, 

 as well as the deer and squirrels, is infested with a troublesome larva 

 of an oestrus in the summer and autumn ; which penetrating into the flesh 

 and continually enlarging, causes pain to the animal and renders it lean. 



The Marsh-Hare deposits its young in a pretty large nest, frequently 

 composed of a species of rush, (Juncus effasus) growing in convenient 

 situations. The rushes appear to be cut by it into pieces of about a foot 

 in length. We have seen these nests nearly surrounded by, and almost 

 floating on the water. They were generally arched by carefullj- bending 

 the rushes or grasses over them, admitting the mother by a pretty large 

 hole in the side. A considerable quantity of hair was found lining them, 

 but whether plucked out by the parent, or the result of the natural shed- 

 ding of their coat, (it being late in the spring, when these animals 

 shed their hair,) we were unable to ascertain. 



The young number from five to seven. They evidently breed several 

 times in the season, but we have observed that the females usually 

 produce their young at least a month later than the gray rabbit. 

 Twenty-one specimens were obtained from the 9th to the 14th day of 

 April ; none of the females had produced young that season, although 

 some of them would have done so in a very few days. On one occasion 



