I70 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



drink, but obtains such moisture as it requires from certain suc- 

 culent roots. 



Towards the middle of spring the mother porcupine busies 

 herself in constructing a nursery, in which to nourish and bring 

 up her young. This she does by making at the bottom of her 

 burrow a warm nest, lined with leaves, grasses, and other vege- 

 table substances. The young porcupines, when first born, are 

 very unlike their parents, for their quills, which are quite white, 

 are almost transparent, and are pressed closely against the body. 

 They grow very rapidly, and are soon able to leave the burrow 

 and find food for themselves. 



For commercial purposes the porcupine is valuable only for its 

 spines, which are largely employed for penholders. Its flesh, how- 

 ever, is frequently eaten, and in flavour is said greatly to resemble 

 that of a sucking pig. 



THE HARE 



Perhaps the most remarkable feature in the Hare is her 

 wonderful speed. The animal dashes along almost like a flash 

 of light. Even the swift - footed greyhound, which is so much 

 larger, can scarcely overtake her. And the strange thing is that 

 she is able to run uphill almost as fast as upon level ground. 



That is because of the curious way in which her limbs are 

 formed. The hinder legs are much longer than the front ones, 

 so much longer, indeed, that the animal does not really run, but 

 travels by a succession of long leaps. She can ascend a hill 

 therefore with much greater ease than an animal whose front 

 and hind legs are of the same length. But, on the other hand, 

 when she tries to run dowjthxW, her long hind-legs are very apt 

 to overbalance her; and therefore she always takes the side of 

 the hill in a slanting direction, so as to reduce the danger of fall- 

 ing head over heels to the bottom. 



The eyes of the hare are set in a curious way. They are 

 situated quite upon the sides of the head, so that the animal 

 can scarcely see an object exactly in front. The writer was once 



