324 



LEPORID^— LEPUS 



her along the spoor ; when hunted, therefore, at that season 

 the female makes very short rounds, while the males may 

 strike out widely. 



As a rule during the rutting season, the male spends nearly 

 the whole day wandering about, and pairs, as it is assumed, 

 with several females, usually at night. Frequently rival bucks 

 fight with each other for their mates, so that flecks of wool 

 lie scattered about, and the snow is blood-spotted ; in combat 

 they use their incisor teeth and the sharp claws of the fore 

 feet. The does often pair again while they are still suckling 

 young, and superfcetation has been occasionally observed. The 

 pairing shriek is a "hu-hu-hu," which can be heard from 

 afar, but when suddenly aroused a hare may utter a hissing 

 sound.^ 



The Dogrib Indians entice the Hudson Bay Varying 

 Hare^ by uttering a rasping squeak through the closed lips. 

 Adults of both sexes are attracted, but only during the summer 

 or breeding season ; the young seldom respond, and adults 

 rarely a second time ; but they may generally be made to 

 return within a certain distance, apparently to get a second 

 look at the intruder, and may then be heard scurrying about 

 and loudly thumping their feet. Sometimes the approaching 

 hare makes a grunting noise. 



The flesh of the Blue Hare is usually considered inferior 

 and unpalatable, but its quality is probably dependent on the 

 food, since, like that of the Irish Hare, it is often excellent eating. 

 For comparison it may be noted that the flesh of the Hudson 

 Bay Varying Hare,^ although at all times innutritious, is very 

 agreeable in summer ; it is bitter in winter, at which season 

 the animal feeds largely on the foliage and bark of resinous 

 trees. Indians living mainly on those hares (at whatever 

 season) describe themselves as starving, and are said to grow 

 very thin if no other diet be obtainable. 



' In default of British observations, the facts in the two preceding paragraphs 

 are condensed from Collett. 



2 Lepus americanus, Erxleben — see E. A. Preble, North Amer. Fauna, No. 27, 

 1908, 200. 



' Preble, op. cit., 201. 



