28 



THE RABBIT. 



males will stop suddenly in their race and im- 

 patiently strike the earth with their hind-legs 

 several times, and then bound away again more 

 swiftly than before. 



Their active forms are pictured in many fan- 

 tastic shapes upon the surrounding banlcs and 

 rocks, while their shadows, as if caricaturing the 

 supple creatures, follow them every where and 

 imitate their motions upon the sward. And so 

 this dance of shadows is continued for hours, un- 

 til their appetites, shaqjened by the cool niglit 

 and by their exertions, cause them to think upon 

 the evening meal, and in little groups they scat- 

 ter over the field and commence to crop the ten- 

 der grass. 



Even when thus occupied they cannot alto- 

 gether repress their inclination for a romp, and 

 ever and again some sprightly little fellow will 

 suddenly start forward, and after executing a few 

 exceedingly intricate and rapid evolutions, will 

 settle gravely down once more and continue his 

 repast. 



Rabbits have many enemies, and are preyed 

 upon both by the birds of the air and by the 

 beasts of the field. Eagles and Owls seize 

 and carry them off to their nests by day and 

 night. 



Slowly sailing over the white fields, on noise- 

 less pinions, the great bird of the night is seeking 

 his evening's meal. Many are the stoops and 

 curves he makes, as he investigates, in liis pro- 

 gress, the different objects that catch his eye, to 

 learn if they are suitable for his purpose. Over 

 the frozen plants, each bearing on its few remain- 

 ing stems a load of the fleecy snow, he comes, 

 straightway steering toward the play-ground of 

 the little quadrupeds, who are all unconscious of 

 the vicinity of their foe. Like a swift cloud, his 

 shadow falls upon them, and the affrighted Rab- 



bits dash toward their homes beneath the low 

 bank. But quick as is their speed, still more 

 rapid is their pursuer's flight, and poor Bunny is 

 seized by the fur with the hooked claw. 



One of the most dreaded foes is the Fox, which 

 is ever on the alert to seize tliem as they gambol 

 about in fancied security. His sharp nose easily 

 detects their whereabouts, and his ready cunning 

 and fertility of resource enable him to approach 

 and fall upon them unawares. 



Even now one of these keen-scented animals is 

 apprised of the presence of such a little colony 

 as we have described, whose members are sport- 

 ing together in the early morning after a night of 

 gamboling and feasting. The thickets that in- 

 tervene between him and his prey hide them 

 from his sight, but his nose tells him that there 

 can be no mistake, and so he crawls gradually 

 toward them. 



How carefully he moves! Crouched low toward 

 the ground, the feet are lifted slowly in succes- 

 sion, and then are placed softly upon the grass 

 as if he was feeling his way, while his bright 

 eyes cast eager glances on every side, and the 

 pointed ears are thrown forward to catch the 

 slightest sound. Soon he sees before him, por- 

 trayed upon the side of a rock that glistens in the 

 briglit light of early morning, the dancing shad- 

 ows of two of the graceful creatures that are 

 playing together just beyond him. All kinds of 

 movements are depicted upon that novel mirror 

 by the lively animals, and the face of the stone 

 seems itself in motion as the shadowy forms pass 

 rapidly about its surface. 



But Reynard is altogether too knowing to take 

 the shadow for the substance, and, disregarding 

 the show that is passing before him, he endeav- 

 ors to peer around the friendly bush that hides 

 the Rabbits from his view, and to ascertain their 



