322 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



Nowadays the hare finds nothing is to be gained 

 by rendering itself conspicuous, and in this way 

 paying a tax which was originally imposed for the 

 sake of the welfare of a community. It therefore 

 keeps the white part of the tail carefully tucked 

 out of sight when disturbed by an enemy while 

 feeding or lying in its "seat." This action on 

 the part of the hare surely should inspire us with 

 respect for the integrity and public spirit of our 

 friend the rabbit ; for it would seem as if in his 

 case the payment of the tax were to some extent 

 optional. Certain animals of the deer kind have 

 white markings on the body around the tail, which 

 serve the same general purpose as the peculiarity 

 we are discussing, and which could not possibly 

 be concealed. But where the upper part of the 

 tail itself is of a dark colour and the lower part 

 only is white, it is obvious that a bolting rabbit 

 desirous of " defrauding the public revenue " 

 might easily do so if he chose by always holding 

 his tail down, hare-fashion, between his hind legs. 



Whether his apparent virtue as a citizen — for 

 I have never known a rabbit to shirk his obliea- 

 tions in this fashion — be due to a tender con- 

 science or merely to some detail of caudal 



