^eer Ways of Brer Kabbit. 51 



spirits, as the top of a kettle blows off when the 

 pressure below becomes resistless ? 



Many of the rabbits saw me, I am sure, for they 

 sometimes gave a high jump over my foot; and one 

 came close up beside it, and sat up straight with his 

 head on one side, to look me over. Perhaps it was 

 the first comer, for he did not try his scare again. 

 Like most wild creatures, they have very little fear 

 of an object that remains motionless at their first 

 approach and challenge. 



Once there was a curious performance over across 

 the clearing. I could not see it very plainly, but it 

 looked very much like a boxing match. A queer 

 sound, piit-a-pjit-a-pjit-a-piit, first drew my attention 

 to it. Two rabbits were at the edge of the ferns, 

 standing up on their hind legs, face to face, and 

 apparently cufiing each other soundly, while they 

 hopped slowly around and around in a circle. I 

 could not see the blows but only the boxing attitude, 

 and hear the sounds as they landed on each other's 

 ribs. The other rabbits did not seem to mind it, as 

 they would have done had it been a fight, but stopped 

 occasionally to watch the two, and then went on 

 with their fun-making. Since then I have read of 

 tame hares that did the same thing, but I have never 

 seen it. 



At another time the rabbits were gathered together 



