DUVAR ON ADDITIONS TO GAME OF NOVA SCOTIA. 63 



mind is educated up to a proper pride in the maintenance of our 

 forest life. 



Taking the sportsman's definition of " fish, fur, and feathers," 

 it is only among the Ruminants and Rodents that Ave can look for 

 additions to our running game. Of the wolf vre have but a rare 

 visitor from the adjoining province of New Brunswick — and he, 

 gaunt, solitary, and cowardly. Our hunters always know where to 

 find a bear, or a loup-cervier (vulgar : hicifee). Moose and cariboo, 

 if let alone, and especially if the Legislature would prohibit their 

 being hunted for the next four years, would largely increase. 

 But other furs are few. Naturalists, rather than sportsmen, must 

 determine whether the white hare of Newfoundland, found also in 

 this Province, is identical with the prolific Scottish mountain hare, 

 or wherein either may differ from the bold and agile Irish hare 

 (lepus Hihernicus). Should they be of diff'erent species there yet 

 appears no reason Avhy all should not thrive here. The common 

 English hare (lejms timidus), Avould manage to maintain itself in the 

 highly cultivated Avestern portions of the Province, but as the 

 thrifty farmers of that region would not care to burden themseh^es 

 Avith its feed, there is not much hope of seeing it domesticated 

 among them. Besides, the hare, as an object of pursuit, belongs 

 to what may be called the advanced stage of sporting, and would 

 serA'e, mainly, as an inducement for the breeding of the grey- 

 hound, " the regent of dogs," — a title Avhich, whether applied to 

 his sagacity, courage, docility, and susceptibility of instruction, 

 extending CA^en (contrary to general opinion) to the education of 

 his nose, experience of the animal amply A^erifies. Here let me 

 mention, incidentally, that Avhere the hare Avill find a form the 

 English skylark will live, to cheer the sportsman's heart with its 

 song. There is probably not one acclimation that could be more 

 easily made in the agricultural districts of NoA^a Scotia than the 

 songlark. The geographical range of the bird is extensiA'e — from 

 Southern Europe to Siberia. Larks can be bought in quantity in 

 either England or Germany at trifling cost, and Avould survive the 

 A'oyage hither. The grey rabbit or burrowing hare (lepvs cvnicnlvs'), 

 is another introduction that would naturalize itself, and would, 

 doubtless, increase in a more rapid ratio than its enemies. Speci- 

 mens of the house or domesticated rabbit, have escaped from con- 



