THE MOUNTAIN OR BLUE HARE 323 



sheltered sides of the mountains in severe weather, but 

 generally makes for the hill-tops when disturbed. Such 

 seasonal wanderings are purely local, and quite insignificant 

 in comparison with the extensive migrations of hares which 

 are reported to take place, for instance, in Siberia ; ^ but, as 

 stated above (p. 237), these movements are accentuated in 

 exceptionally rigorous winters. 



Its ordinary food is similar to that of the Brown Hare, 

 but its stronger teeth must influence its diet by enabling it to 

 utilise heather or other coarser forage. It is said also to feed 

 in winter on lichens ^ and to chew up the cones of conifers to 

 get at the seeds. Probably also, like the Skandinavian Hare, 

 as described by Professor Collett, it may eat berries in autumn. 

 Its stout fore legs enable it to remove snow from over its food. 



Little has been published in connection with the sexual 

 habits, period of gestation, and number of young. They 

 are supposed to be similar to those of the Brown Hare, except 

 that the Mountain Hare is erroneously' believed not to produce 

 more than two broods in the year. 



There is probably much variation in this respect, due to 

 climate, food, and season ; Mr Millais shot females in full 

 milk in September, and has seen many small leverets in that 

 month. He thinks that these are the young of leverets of 

 the previous year ; but the facts point equally well to the 

 occurrence of a third litter in the season. Professor Collett 

 states of Skandinavian hares that the sexual season seems to 

 be of variable duration. There many females produce young 

 two or three times in the yea'r, and some pregnant does may be 

 found in every month. The number of young is also variable, 

 but may be as many as eight.* 



As early as February the female takes up a fixed place 

 of residence, and awaits the male, who finds her by scenting 



' John Bell {Travels from St Petersburg in Russia to Diverse Parts of Asia, 

 1763, i., 222, 224, and 231), early in March 1720, met with "prodigious" flocks 

 of White Hares on migration near the river Yenisei and its tributary the Tongusta. 



^ John H. Dixon's Gairloch in North-west Ross-shire, 1886, 239. 



' Having regard to the habits of the Skandinavian Hare (Collett). As stated 

 above (p. 168), the rule would seem to be, the farther north the fewer the litters and 

 the larger the number of young in each. 



* The American "Snowshoe Rabbit," Lefus americanus, may have as many as 

 ten (Thompson Seton, i., 631) ; and for the Greenland Hare, see above, p. 160. 



