THE RABBIT 



173 



THE RABBIT 



The common rabbit lives in holes which it digs in the ground. 

 These holes are known as burrows; and, when there are a number 

 of burrows close together, the place is called a warren. 



In order to see the rabbits in a warren, it is best to go either 

 quite early in the morn- 

 ing, or else a little after ^ ' 1 



sunset, for then they 

 come out of their bur- 

 rows, and do not seem 

 to suspect any danger. 

 And what games they 

 have! Such romping, 

 and scampering, and 

 chasing one another; 

 such running in and 

 out of their holes, and 

 even playing a sort of 

 hide-and-seek! So full 

 of fun are they that 

 they are almost like 

 so many kittens. And 

 they will gambol away 

 merrily until it is too 

 dark to watch them any 

 longer. 



If you move while 

 you are looking at 



them, or make the slightest sound, they will at once disappear 

 into their burrows. But you have only to wait quietly, and you 

 will see first one pair of long ears poked out of a hole, and then 

 another, and very soon the pretty little creatures will be playing 

 about as merrily as before. 



In order that it may be able to dig its burrows, the fore-legs 

 of the rabbit are very strong, and the claws are large and stout, 



Wild Rabbit 



