THE HARES— CRYING. 



379 



Polar Hare. It is especially abundant on the banks of the 

 Mackenzie River, where it is killed in great numbers by the 

 Hare Indians. The typical animal of this species is that of 

 the high north, but there are other varieties of the same spe- 

 cies which have been named Lepus americanus virginianus, 

 inhabiting the eastern United States; Lepus americanus wash- 

 ingtonii, found in Oregon and Washington, and Lepus ameri- 

 canus bairdii, in the Rocky Mountain region south to New 

 Mexico. The principal difference between these varieties is 

 in the coloration of the fur in summer. All are of similar 

 habits and make their resting place in "forms" just large 

 enough to accommodate their bodies, and which are usually 

 situated in long grass- Hunters pursue the Varying Hare 

 for its ilesh and fur. This is the species most common in 

 the northern markets in winter. The fur is used by furriers 



WOOD BABBIT, OB COTTON-TAIL. A familiar animal in all the 



forest regions of the United States is the Wood or Cotton-Tail Rabbit, some- 

 times Called " Molly Cotton Tail." It is a timid, pretty creature and al- 

 though it has many foes, holds its own in our woods. {Lepus sylvaticus.) 



for various purposes and is also used in the manufacture of 

 hats, but is very plentiful, and therefore cheap. Besides Man 

 it has still more dangerous enemies in Wolves, Gluttons and 

 Lynxes, which kill large numbers of these Hares. 

 ThcDrnirioHitros In Amcrican common parlance there is no 

 inerramenares,-^^^^ distinction between the term "Hare" 

 Rabbits " ^'''^ " R^-^bit" as there is in Europe where 

 the large, long-eared, stout varieties, liv- 

 ing in shallow "forms," are named "Hares," and the smaller 

 and more slender kind, which digs a deep burrow, is the " Rab- 

 bit." In this country no well defined distinction exists. The 

 several species popularly known as Jack Rabbits have none of 

 the distinctive features of the Rabbit (Lepus cuniculus) of 

 Europe. Of these so-called Jack Rabbits the Northern Prairie 

 Hare [Lepus campestris) may be taken as the type. It is one 

 of the largest species of Hares, measuring about twenty inches 

 in length, and it has long, strong and vigorous limbs, and such 

 remartably long ears that the popular name it bears is fully 

 justified. The general color is yellowish gray with black ear 

 tips. The under portion of the body is of lighter hue, and the 

 tail is white above arid below. 



This northern species is found on the western prairies from 

 British America to Colorado. It undergoes a winter change of 

 coat, becoming nearly white, but the blanching is never com- 



glete and russet streaks or patches remain through the winter, 

 'ther species of the Jack Rabbits are the Texas Hare (Lepus 

 mllotis) inhabiting Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, and the 

 Californian Hare (Lepus californicus) of the Pacific Coast. 

 These two do not change their fur with the seasons and their tails 

 are black on the upper surface. The habits of these animals are 

 those of Hares in general, and all the species known as Jack 

 Rabbits are famous for their great speed and for the astound- 

 ing leaps they make in running. They are the most fleet and 

 agile of American mammals. They are not much pursued for 

 the reason that they are difficult to shoot, and their celerity of 

 movement enables them to elude four-footed foes also. 



Swamn Hnre T^° distinct species, both of which are 

 nnH MrHihu^l^ aquatic in their habits, are found in the 

 AauatZFnrZ' southern states. These are the Swamp 

 Aquatic Forms. ^^^^ ^^^^^^ aquaticus) and the Marsh 



Hare, often called the Marsh Rabbit (Lepus palustris). These 



have similar habits, take readily to the water, and are said to 

 dive for some distance, their legs being less thickly clothed 

 with hair than are the less amphibious species. Both subsist 

 chiefly on aquatic plants, but, although alike in their mode of 

 life, they differ widely in physical characteristics, the Swamp 

 Hare being one of the largest and longest of limb of the Amer- 

 ican Hares, while the Marsh Hare has short limbs and is small 

 and plump, and is not found so far from the coast as is the 

 Swamp Hare. 

 ■fho /^nf+nn T„;/ „ Most abundant of all American species of 

 Q^hh%t;Ll this family is the Wood Rabbit (Lepus syl- 

 0°:'/:' vaticus) or Cotton-tail, also called the Gray 



opecies. Rabbit. It ranges from Hudson's Bay to 



Florida, and is a small gray species with white fur on the under 

 surface of its tail — from which it derives its popular name. In 

 general form and habits it much resembles the Rabbit of the 

 Old World, although it does not burrow to the extent observed 

 in the European species. In the warmer sections of the 

 country the Cotton-tail does not trouble itself about shelter — 

 a shallow excavation by a root or fallen tree serving its pur- 

 pose. Further north it digs out its refuge to greater depth. 

 It is more gregarious than the larger species and, in the 

 south especially, quite a number of these Rabbits will some- 

 times congregate m a friendly thicket or convenient briar- 

 patch. In the extreme southern states this animal, as well as 

 other species of the Hares, is much subject to parasitic inflic- 

 tions, and its flesh is therefore inedible, but farther north it is 

 not so infested and is well liked as food. It is shot and 

 trapped, not only for its fur but also on account of the damage 

 it does in fields and gardens, and it is subject to the attacks of 

 all carnivorous beasts, birds and reptiles, yet it is so prolific in 

 the propagation of its species that its numbers do not much 

 decrease, and it is common in nearly all sections. 

 The Sage Rabbit In the prairies of the west and particularly 

 nndnther "^ the valleys and sage brush plams which 

 Snedes Stretch between the Rocky Mountain aijd 



" Sierra Nevada ranges, is the Sage Rabbit. 



(Lepus artemesia) much like the Cotton-tail, of which it seems 

 to be a local variety with such changes as are appropriate to 

 its environment. It exists in very large numbers in spite of 

 the attacks of Coyotes and other predaceous beasts. In size it 

 is about equal to the Cotton-tail. There are other less promi- 

 nent forms of the Hare family in the United States, mostly in 

 Texas and on the Pacific coast. 



THE CRYING HARES OR PIKAS. 



The Crying Hares or Pikas {Lagomys) are indige- 

 nous to Asia [and western North America]. They 

 differ from the common Hares by their considerably 



AKEBIGAN PIKA.— This animal, perched on a flat rock in its native 

 Rocky Mountains as shown in the picture, keeps up a squeaking noise, 

 which as many of them are usually together, infallibly attracts the attention 

 of the passer by. It is a peculiar creature and the only representative of 

 the Crying Hares on this continent. (Lagomys princeps.) 



shorter ears, only slightly elongated hind legs, a 

 short or a hidden and rudimentary tail, and in their 

 dentition, which exhibits five molars instead of six 



in each row. 

 _, . . A single species of this sub-family is found 



n #»*"''"* °'^ in America. It is known as the American 

 Rocky Mountain pjj^^ ^^ ^^^ Rocky Mountain Pika (Lagomys 



"■ princeps). The scientific name is borrowed 



from that given to the animal by the Indians of the western 

 mountain regions, who call it the "Little Chief " Hare. Miners 

 and frontiersmen call it the "Coney" or "Starved Rat," so 



