THE COMMON OR BROWN HARE 291 



These three were all males, and were given no opportunity of 

 breeding. As a matter of fact, hares are very infertile if kept 

 in close confinement, but the reverse is the case if a small 

 grass run is provided. Mr Drane's hares produced two litters, 

 but they had the unrestrained freedom of his house at night. A 

 pair confined in a small run measuring only fifteen by six feet 

 produced young as follows : in 1901, three in two litters ; in 

 1902, two in two litters ; in 1903, four in three litters. In 1904 

 the doe hare died.^ 



Mr Drane, who has written a most sympathetic and appre- 

 ciative account ^ of his pet hares, states that they panted for 

 pleasure like dogs, and, again, like dogs also, dreamt in their 

 sleep. Some of their dreams must have been as unnatural as 

 those of the human species, for they were accompanied by 

 actions suggestive of burrowing,^ a practice to which they are 

 little addicted when awake. Of the attitudes of the hare he 

 writes, that " they are very striking and bewitchingly graceful. 

 It will sometimes lie at full length on its side, with its head 

 only erect, its hind legs stretched out to their full length. In 

 this position its white underside, otherwise but rarely seen, is 

 very conspicuous, and as the back may not then be visible, the 

 creature looks mainly pure white, with blue or French grey 

 ears, for the inside of the ear is very blue at times. It will 

 romp and roll itself with infinite delight and sprightliness on 

 a clean, white counterpane or table-cloth. Sometimes it will 

 sit with its hind legs extended forward, so that the hind feet are 

 in advance of the nose, when it looks as if it had four fore feet 

 and no hind ones. Again, it will draw back its hind feet and 

 extend its fore ones to their fullest length, and then its head 

 seems to rise from the centre of the back. But perhaps the 

 prettiest thing of all is to see it clean its ears. It puts its head 

 on one side, pulls down its ear, and passes its two paws over it 

 again and again most strikingly, like a lady dressing her hair. 



' T. Thompson, Zoologist, 1904, 470. For other instances, see John Ditch, Field, 

 17th May 1890, 733. 



^ Op. cit. supra, p. 270. 



' In this point Drane may have been mistaken, since the motion of the hare's 

 forearms may have been the result of thoughts other than of digging ; there is no 

 evidence that the ancestors of hares were burrowing animals ; even in the case of 

 the Rabbit the evidence is all the other way. 



