220 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



and, as every one knows, is naturally of a greyish-brown colour, though black, 

 sandy, silver-grey, and other varieties occur even among wild ones. Its ears and 

 tail are much shorter than those of the Hare, and the former have no black patch 

 at the tip. The weight of a wild specimen is two to three pounds. 



The social and burrowing habits of the Rabbit are well known, and also the 

 fact that the young, which are kept by the doe in a warm nest in the burrow lined 

 with her own fur, are helpless and naked at first, very different from the young 

 of Hares. There is little need also to dwell on the excellence of Rabbits as food, 

 and their destructiveness when too numerous, especially in our Australasian colonies, 

 where the climate is more favourable to them than it is here. It is important, 

 however, to point out that the animals called "Rabbits "in America are various 

 species of Hares, solitary, non-burrowing animals, with active young ; the breeding 

 habits of the true Rabbit being quite exceptional among the Hare kind. 



Hares of one sort or another are, indeed, found almost all over the world, 

 except in the Australian region and in Madagascar and southern South America ; 

 they are all sufficiently like our species in general appearance to be recognised as 

 members of the Hare and Rabbit family, though they differ much in detail both 

 in form and habits. There are Desert-Hares, Rock-Hares, and even swamp-loving 

 species. 



In hot countries Hares are often very foul feeders, and in India, at any rate, 

 are for this reason not often eaten by Europeans, which makes it easier to under- 

 stand Moses' prohibition of Hares to the Jews, though they do not chew the cud as 

 he imagined when mentioning them as cud-chewing animals without divided hoofs. 



THE PIKAS 



Pikas (Lagomyida), also known as Mouse-Hares or Calling-Hares, are a small 

 family of little animals inhabiting Asia, and in one case North America. In general 

 character they are much like the Hare family, and like them have two pairs of 

 upper incisors, but they have quite short limbs and ears, and no tail at all. 



In fact, except for their soft, Rabbit-like fur, they at first sight remind one much 

 more of Guinea-Pigs than anything else. They hide among rocks in mountainous 

 districts as a rule, though in Central Asia they are found burrowing on the steppes 

 in communities. Several of them are also remarkable for their loud whistling calls. 

 Like true Hares, they remain active in winter, but have the foresight to lay up 

 in summer a large store of the grass and other plants which form their food, for 

 consumption at that time. The young are said to be naked at birth. Pikas are 

 seldom seen in captivity, but of late years the London Zoological Gardens have 

 had examples of one or two kinds. 



