OEDEE OP EODENTIA. 491 



numerous and varied. It nearly always goes witli the wind, so as 

 to hear more distinctly the noise made by the hounds, and yet 

 prevent its scent being carried to them. It alters and confuses 

 its trail, to put its adversaries at fault and to gain time ; it doubles 

 frequently, returning precisely in the same course, often jumping 

 suddenly to one side to make a break in the scent. If close 

 pressed, it crosses rivers, or conceals itself in the middle of a 

 pool, only leaving the tip of its nose above water to respire. 

 Others have been seen to take refuge among a flock of sheep, 

 enter villages, flee into courtyards, make a hundred turns and 

 detours on dungheaps, then spring on a wall, and start ofi' again 

 after resting. And their numerous wiles are often rewarded by 

 success. 



When they are residents of a district, they invariably return 

 to their old retreats, where they may be found even next day. 

 In such case, when pursued, they do not go a great distance 

 from home, but run in a circle. On the contrary, when the 

 animal goes straight from the place where it was started, it 

 may be concluded that it is a wandering Hare, probably a male. 

 At the breeding season — that is, from January to March — there 

 are many males that become wanderers, resulting from a paucity 

 of females in their own localities. 



In France the Hare is hunted with a pack of Hounds (Fig. 

 213) ; but this sport, from its expense, is now becoming less 

 common. It is also hunted with Greyhounds. Their fecundity is 

 very great, and it is owing to this provident law of nature that 

 the species is not totally destroyed by the numerous efforts used for 

 its capture. The female brings forth three or four litters yearly, 

 and each is composed of from three to five young ones, which are 

 born with their eyes open and their bodies covered with fur. The 

 Hare not making a nest, the young are deposited on the bare 

 earth, among the herbage, or in a thicket. Nevertheless, the 

 mother anxiously tends them, and even defends them against their 

 enemies, though, it is feared, seldom with success. Twenty days 

 they are suckled, after which the Levrets are sufficiently strong 

 to attend to their own wants. Each then retires into solitude, 

 and is soon old enough to reproduce. The mean duration of a 

 Hare's life is from eight to ten years. 



The Hare has a remarkably fine sense of hearing, but it is 



