THE HAKE. 25 



" The Lepus Hibernicus is, in a wild state, easily distinguished from the Lepus 

 timidus, by its shorter ears, differently coloured fur, and by the whiteness of the 

 upper surface of its tail. The last-named distinction can rarely be observed 

 except in parks where the animals are preserved, and Mhere, admitting of a 

 near approach, they move gently off ; but in such places the difference is very 

 obvious. 



" Some sporting friends, who, from coursing much, both in Ireland and Scot- 

 land, have had ample opportuniiies of observing the difference between the two 

 sjiecies before greyhounds, consider that in an open country the Irish hare goes 

 off faster from the dogs than the Scotch, and is ihus less likely lo be killed at 

 the first dash : in other respects their speed is equal. This was remarked in 

 similar groimd in both countries, and with the same greyhounds. It has like- 

 wise been stated by these gentlemen, that, when wounded by the gun, the Scotch 

 is more easily captured than the Irish species. It is probable that imder both 

 circumstances the difference may be owing to the hare m the Irish counties, in 

 which my friends sport, bemg more persecuted, and consequently more on the 

 alert against her enemies; and 1 speak from personal knowledge of both 

 countries. 



" With respect to the points of economy to which allusion has not already 

 been made, and to habits generally, there is a very great similarity between the 

 two species. Thus the places selected for the ' form' are the same, as are those 

 for the reception of the young ; the number of the latter, except in extraordinary 

 cases, being four or five. By intelligent gamekeepers both are considered to 

 produce five times in the course of the year. When the parent has been killed, 

 I have seen the yoinig extracted with their eyes full open, and within the first 

 hour of their untimely birth able to run about. Towards the end of their third 

 week, the leverets are said to be independent of their parent ; and at this time, 

 what Daniel, in his Rural Sports, remarks of the English hares, equally applies 

 to the Irish, — that ' when Ave meet with one young hare we are almost certain of 

 finding more within a small distance.' 



" The Irish hare changes its quarters according to the weather, leaving situ- 

 ations exposed to cold winds for more sheltered places. 



" In the choice of food I am not aware of any difference between the two 

 species. In the severity of winter, when the Irish hares betake themselves to 

 the flower-garden, the delicate leaves of the pink or carnation are especial 

 favourites; in the kitchen-gardeti, parsley and the more tender varieties of cab- 

 bage, young plants of the cauliflower and broccoli being preferred to any of the 

 coarser kinds ; and in young plantations, consisting of an average number of 

 species of deciduous forest trees, I have particularly remarked their predilection 

 for the oak, not another species being touched until the whole of these had been 

 first barked. 



" Mr. Bell observes that the English hare 'swims well, and takes the water 

 readily, not for the jjurpose of escaping from pursuit merely, but for the sake of 

 obtaining a plentiful supply of food.' This applies equally well to the Irish 

 hare, with the exception of the last clause of the sentence, for which I cannot 

 vouch, though I have no doubt of its accuracy also, a friend, when quietly 

 angling, having once observed a hare, that was quite undisturbed, enter and swim 

 across a deep pool of a mountain-stream, though by going a very short way 

 lower down she could have passed in the usual manner. 



'' When collecting marine productions, in company with Mr. Hyndman, 

 about the entrance to Strangford Lough, in January, 1^3'), avo, at dilferent 

 times in one day, started two hares that were lying very far out upon low rocks, 

 upon which marine plants only vegetated; and had one of them remained imdis- 

 turbed for only a few minutes longer, she would, without resorting to swimming, 

 have been cut ort' from the mainland until the tide had ebbed, the rocks being 

 insulated for at least the half of every twelve hours. 



" Were such instances as the one mentioned of the hare swimming across 

 the stream, rather than go a short way about, general (which they are not as- 

 serted to be), it would seem that, when undisturbed, this animal has less aver- 



