30 LEPORID.€. 



sit in its accustomed form, it would find itself buried, perhaps twenty feet, in the 

 morning:, under the blowing sand, as under a snow-rath. Accordingly, the hares 

 have burrowed ; they choose out a thin and high sandhill, which stands somewhat 

 like a solidified wave of the sea. Through this Puss perforates a horizontal hole, 

 from east to west, with a double opening ; and seating herself at the mouth of 

 the wnidward orifice she there awaits the storm ; and as fast as her hill wastes 

 away she draws back, ready at all times to make a start, in case the storm rise 

 so as to carry off the hill altogether." 



The Rabbit, Lepus cimicidus, Linn., 



Is common over the island. 



This animal passes under the names of hnrrotv and hiiftji rabbit, in the 

 North of Ireland : the former term being applied to those which burrow 

 in the ground, in the ordinary manner ; and the latter, to such as live in 

 " forms," like the hare, among bushes or underwood. Dr. II. Ball in- 

 forms me, that he has long been aware of the difference of habit and ap- 

 pearance between burrow and bush rabbits, in the County of Cork ; and 

 the Ilev. G. F. Dawson, in a short communication published by him in 

 the " Zoologist," vol. iii. p. 903, refers to the hiish-rahhit or stuhh-rahhit, as 

 distinguished in Bedfordshire. The departure from their usual habits is, 

 I conceive, only resorted to by rabbits where the soil is unsuited to bur- 

 rowing. 



My friend Mr. W. Ogilby informs me that he has frequently, in the 

 North of Ireland, witnessed the partiality of both hares and rabbits for 

 Swedish over other kinds of turnips, the former being selected even 

 when a field of the latter intervened. 



Captain Kennedy, of Finnart (AjTshire), told me, in 1843, that, within 

 twelve months, upwards of four thousand rabbits were killed on his pro- 

 perty there a few years previously. All the rabbits I saw (about a 

 dozen) one evening, in driving through Glcnappe, and on Captain K.'s 

 property, were jet black. 



Howitt, in his " Book of the Seasons " (August), describes a fight, wit- 

 nessed by him. between a rabbit and a large weasel, in which the latter 

 was worsted. He supposed that it had been intending an attack on the 

 young rabbits in the burrow, when it was met, several times, by the 

 parent, and repelled. 



Mr. AY. Darragh (Curator of the Belfast Museum) once had a domesti- 

 cated male rabbit, which not only partook of cooked flesh-meat, but 

 greatly preferred this food to any vegetables ; it was in the habit of 

 watching for a bone, just as a dog would do, and of gnawing it in like 

 manner, when obtained. This rabbit evinced no fear of dogs or cats ; 

 and was so courageous as to attack any one who pointed a finger or stick 

 at it. It showed great fondness for music, stationing itself close to the 

 performer, and sitting erect in a very ludicrous attitude. 



The Red-Deer, Cervus elaplms, Linn. 



" Oh, Forest-king ! the fair succeeding morns 

 That brighten o'er these hills shall miss your crest 

 From their sun-lighted peaks ! " * 

 This species, once abundant over Ireland, is now confined to the wilder 

 parts of Connaught, as Erris and Connemara ; and to a few localities in 

 the south, more especially the vicinity of the Lakes of Killarney. 



* Lines applied to the red-deer, in Mrs. Norton's " Child of the Islands."— 

 Autumn, Canto ix. 



