46 



this district intermediates prevail. Two specimens from 

 Hastings which were examined by Mr. Bangs were pro- 

 nounced by him to be intermediates, but trending toward 

 mallurus. Mr. Miller, in his list of New York mammals 

 quotes Dr. Fisher (who records ' L. sylvaticus, — common') 

 as having taken both forms at Sing Sing. The status of the 

 Westchester Cottontail is therefore in doubt, with the weight 

 of present evidence in favor of mallurus. 



When one considers the persecution to which this timid 

 animal is subjected by its numerous enemies and the compara- 

 tively long period of time for which the helpless young lie 

 exposed in the nest trusting only to concealment for safety, 

 it is surprising that this creature should be so common as it 

 now is, even in the lower part of the county. Mention of 

 some of its enemies in this section will perhaps more fully 

 emphasize the truth of the above assertion. By day and by 

 night, and at all seasons of the year, the Rabbit must exercise 

 constant vigilance, for at least four species of hawks, two of 

 owls, two species of foxes, the skunk, mink, weasel, dog, cat, 

 and — last, but not least — the blood-thirsty ferret manip- 

 ulated by the sportsman. Besides these enemies the young 

 are subject to the attacks of snakes and many are killed acci- 

 dentally by the mowing machine or the scythe. To make up 

 for the numbers yearly slain, nature has rendered them 

 extremely prolific, two and sometimes three litters being 

 brought forth each year, the number in a litter varying from 

 four to nine. 



The Cottontail is the only hare now inhabiting this comity. 

 It is probable that the Varying Hare (Lepus americanus virgin- 

 ianus (Harlan)) formerly existed here, but it has disappeared 

 with the clearing away of the heavy forest. In Sullivan 

 County where much of the evergreen timber has been removed 

 to furnish bark for the tanneries, the Cottontail has gradually 

 taken the place of the Varying Hare and where twenty-five 

 years ago the former was unknown it is now very abundant, 

 while the latter has become correspondingly scarce. 



