CHAPTER XLI 
THE HARE AND RABBIT FAMILY 
Some authorities would restrict the term rabbit to our 
domestic breeds kept chiefly as children’s pets, and to the 
small European species from which they are derived, and apply 
the name hare to all other members of the family. But in 
this country this distinction is not generally observed, and 
we commonly call any animal of this class a rabbit. 
In the summer season rabbits live on the green and tender 
parts of plants, as leaves, buds, berries, grass, garden vege- 
tables, green. twigs, and bark. In winter they may not be 
able to find any of these items but the berries of the wild rose 
and the bark of bushes and young trees; and therefore it 
often happens that they include the bark of young fruit trees 
in their bill of fare. When very numerous, they devour 
large quantities of field and garden crops in summer and play 
havoc in the orchard when hard pressed for food in winter. 
All these animals multiply rapidly, and under favorable 
conditions may become serious pests in a very short time. 
This is illustrated in Australia, California, and other regions, 
where great “ drives” are often organized by the people and 
vast numbers of the animals slain. In the northern states 
there seems to be no danger of such a great increase. No 
doubt if we are wise enough to protect and spare our hawks 
and owls they will continue to hold these animals in check 
and keep them from becoming a pest. 
There are more than twenty species of hares and rabbits 
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