SMALL POLK WITH LIVELY PEBT. 265 



same as thoae of the gray rabbit— and he is ever on 

 the alert for an unexpected attack. 



He follows definite paths of his own making, like 

 the gray rabbit, but unlike him he does not inhabit a 

 burrow. His nest is the rather uncertain shelter of a 

 fallen tree, or the covering of some hollowed log. In 

 this he remains most of the day and ventures out for 

 food at night. The female bears from four to six 

 young iu the latter part of May. 



This hare is very common in the North country, 

 and is sought in the early winter by sportsmen, who 

 consider his flesh the best of eating. Many of the 

 animals find their way to the Boston market, and a 

 well-conditioned one, which may weigh from four to 

 nearly five pounds, makes a savory stew fit for the 

 table of an epicure. In parts of northern Maine, 

 New Hampshire, and Vermont, this hare is abundant ; 

 and in the vicinity of Nipigon, Ontario, during the 

 fall and winter, many of the poor things are killed 

 in the night by the passing trains of the Canadian 

 Pacific Railroad. Mr. G. S. Miller, Jr., writing of 

 the varying hare which he found plentiful just north 

 of Lake Superior, says that one was taken on the 5th 

 of October at Peninsular Harbor, the winter pelage 

 of which was just begiiming to appear on the ears 

 and buttocks ; but on certain others taken two weeks 

 later the winter coat was nearly complete. 



