290 The Rodentia. 



need of protecting themselves by acuteness of hearing and 

 extreme speed. All the members of the family breed with 

 great rapidity; the young being able to reproduce their 

 kind within about six months after birth. "Whereas, how- 

 ever, the young of the true hares are' born fully clothed 

 with hair and with their eyes open, those of the rabbit 

 and probably also of the hispid hare, come into the world 

 blind and naked." 



The Common Hare (Lepus-europaeus) is from two to 

 three feet long, and weighs from seven to eight pounds. 

 The highly developed teeth are placed in a circular 

 socket in the skull and the upper lip is divided. The 

 under fur is of a whitish hue, but the general color of 

 the full pelage which is white on the belly and yellowish 

 on the cheeks, is a warm brownish grey on the top. 

 In the winter the sides, ears, cheeks and haunches become 

 white like the belly, and in very severe seasons and in 

 the more northern climates the grey gradually disap- 

 pears entirely. The average life of a Hare is said to be 

 from six to seven years. They pair in March and the 

 young are generally produced, one to five to a birth, 

 in May or June, but in some cases the period of develop- 

 ment is less and in others greater than the average. 

 The short thick fur of this species is at its best in 

 January and February, and is not only used to some 

 extent by the furriers, but also by the fur-cutters who 

 remove it from the pelt and use it for felting. ]\Iillions 

 of these animals are killed every year, being valued for 

 their flesh as well as their pelts. 



The Polar or "White Hare (Lepus-glacialis) is really 

 a variety of the Common Hare, although it is longer 

 and has the feet well padded to protect it from the 

 snow. The Polar Hare inhabits the Scandinavian Penin- 

 sula and the extreme northern regions of both Hemi- 

 spheres, showing considerable variation in character and 

 numbers in different localities. This species is grey in 

 summer, becoming pure white in winter, except for the 

 black tips on the ears. Most of the millions of skins 

 that find their way into the channels of trade annually 

 come from Russia and Siberia ; and are worked up in 



