874 



THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 



but at no point less in number than elsewhere. No 

 wonder that, beset by so vast a host of enemies, the 

 Hares do not multiply as fast as they otherwise 

 would. It is fortunate for us that such is the case, 

 for else they would lay all our fields completely 

 in waste. As it is, they become a sore pest in all 

 localities where their numbers increase to any con- 

 siderable extent. 



THE HARES PROPER. 



The distinctive features of the Hares proper 

 (Lepus) are the ears, equaling the head in length, 

 the shortened thumbs of the fore-paws, the very long 

 hind legs, the erect stumpy tail and six molars in 

 the upper jaw. 



The Com- The Common Hare {L^pus vulgaris, 

 mon Hare, and its erroneously called Lepus timidus) 

 Peculiarities. ig a stoutly built Rodent of a total 

 length of thirty inches, only three of which are in- 

 cluded in the tail; it is twelve inches high and is 

 one of the two species" iijdigenous to Germany. It 

 attains a weig(ht of about?,^n or twelve pounds, but 

 in a few rare instances tnere are old males weighing 

 fourteen, sixteen or even eighteen pounds. The 

 coloring of the fur is difficult to describe in few 

 words. There is a short woolly inner fur and a long 

 outer one of a genuine earthy color. The upper 

 surface is brownish yellow dashed with black; the 

 neck is a yellowish brown mottled with white; the 

 hind parts are whitish gray and the under surface 

 white. The color is subject to regularly recurrent 

 variations in winter and summer, and the female has 

 a more ruddy hue than the male; there are different 

 variations, however, and one meets with dark, pie- 

 bald and white individuals. In the majority of cases 

 the coloring is excellently adapted to conceal the 

 animal from discovery by its enemies when it lies 

 on the ground. 

 The Home of the The Common Hare is indigenous to 



Common all of central Europe and a small 

 Hare. part of western Asia. In the south 



it is replaced by the Hare of the Mediterranean, 

 which is a variety of smaller size and ruddy hue; on 

 the high mountains by the Alpine Hare, and in the 

 north by the Varying Hare, which is perhaps dis- 

 tinct from the Alpine variety, but certainly assimi- 

 lates very Qlose to it. The northern boundary of 

 the Common Hare is Scotland, southern Sweden and 

 northern Russia, to the south it is confined by south- 

 ern France and the north of Italy. Fertile plains, 

 with or without forests, and the wooded, low-lying 

 spurs or foothills of mountains are its favorite 

 haunts; in the Alps, however, it is found 4,500 feet 

 above the sea and in the Caucasus above 6,000 feet. 

 Habits and Food In general the Hare's habits are more 

 of the Common nocturnal than diurnal, though it is 

 Hare. often seen roaming about in the 



fields before sunset and in the morning on a clear 

 day. It is very averse to leaving the locality in 

 which it has grown up. All kinds of vegetables 

 similar in nature to cabbage and turnips are favorite 

 dainties with it. It seems to be especially fond of 

 parsley. 



The Hare The Hare spends the main portion 

 a Nocturnal of the day sleeping or dozing in its 



Animal. "form." It never goes straight to 

 the locality where it once occupied an old form or 

 intends making a new one, but runs a little past the 

 place, then turns round, makes a few bounds for- 

 ward, one to the side and so on, and thus reaches, 

 by an indirect course, the spot where it wishes to 



remain. In preparing its " form," it digs a depres- 

 sion in the open field from two to three inches deep 

 and slightly curved at the rear end. The size of 

 this depression is such that when the Hare, lying in 

 this "form," stretches out its fore-legs, puts its head 

 with the folded ears on them and presses the hind 

 legs close to the body, the hind part of the back is 

 all of the animal that is exposed to view. Such a 

 hole is a passably good shelter against storm and 

 rain during the mild season. In winter it hollows 

 out this "form" until only so much of its body as 

 appears to be a small, grayish black dot is seen. 

 Speed of The great speed of the Hare in run- 



a Hare in Run- ning is chiefly due to the fact that 

 "''"£'• its hind legs are longer than the 



fore pair. This is also the reason why it can run 

 better up hill than down. Generally it utters a 

 sound only when it sees itself in danger. This cry 

 resembles that of little children, being a shrill 

 scream or squeak. 



Among the perceptive senses of the Hare, hearing 

 is developed best, as is indicated by the large size of 

 the external ear; the smell is fairly keen, but sight 

 is rather deficient. Among its intellectual qualities 

 an exceeding prudence and vigilance stand out most 

 prominently. The slightest noise, the wind rustling 

 in the leaves, a falling leaf suffice to excite its atten- 

 tion and wake it when it sleeps. The supposed 

 inoffensiveness of the Hares is based more on fic- 

 tion than on truth. Dietrich aus dem Winckell 

 says outright that the greatest vice of the Hare is 

 its malice, not because it expresses it in biting and 

 scratching, but because it often proves its disposi- 

 tion in the most revolting manner, the female deny- 

 ing her maternal love, the male by his cruelty to the 

 little Leverets. 

 Propagation of The first litter in a family of Hares 



the Hare Spe- is generally born between the middle 

 cies. and the end of March, the fourth and 



last litter in August. The first litter consists of one 

 or two, the second of three or four, the third of three 

 , and the fourth again of one or two Leverets; in very 

 rare cases there may be five or more young. There 

 are five litters in the twelve months in only very 

 rare, favorable years. The young are born with their 

 eyes open and certainly in a well developed con- 

 dition. It is an established fact that the mother 

 spends only five or six days with her progeny and 

 then leaves them to their fate. From time to time 

 she comes back to the spot where she gave birth to 

 the little family, calls them by a peculiar flopping of 

 the ears and suckles them. At the approach of an 

 enemy she leaves her young, though there are cases 

 on record where old female Hares have defended 

 their offspring against birds of prey and Ravens. 

 The majority of first litters perish. 

 l\/lany Monstrosi- Among no other animals living in a 

 ties Among state of nature have been observed 

 the Hares. go many deformities as among the 

 Hares. Two-headed individuals, or such as have 

 double tongues or projecting teeth, are no rarities. 



The True Way Whole books have been written 

 of Hunting about the right and wrong methods 

 Hares. of hunting Hares, and it therefore is 



not my intention to discuss the different modes of 

 hunting at length. In my opinion, the greatest 

 pleasure is derived in looking for the Hare and 

 shooting it. The coursing of the Hare with Grey- 

 hounds is highly exciting, but degrades the hunt; 

 the sport where the game is driven into an enclosure 

 may be very gratifying in regions where the animals 



