230 Lloyd's natural history. 



largely due to human agency, although aided by the natural 

 spread of the animal. 



Habits. — Similar as is the Rabbit in appearance and structure 

 to the Hare, it presents one remarkable difference, namely, that 

 its young are born blind, naked, and helpless; while to protect 

 them the creature lives in burrows excavated by itself in the 

 earth. Moreover, in place of being solitary animals, or consort- 

 ing in pairs, Rabbits are social creatures, forming their burrows 

 in continuity and connection with one another, and inhabiting 

 such warrens in larger or smaller colonies. So far as we are 

 aware, the only other member of the genus which resembles 

 the Rabbit in producing naked and helpless young and in 

 dwelling in burrows, is the Asiatic Hispid Hare. 



" The places most favourable to the Rabbit," observes Mac- 

 gillivray, " are sandy heather or downs, overgrown with coarse 

 grass and furze ; the latter plant not only affording shelter, 

 but also food. There it congregates in vast numbers, digging 

 burrows in the soil, in which it reposes, and to which it re- 

 treats from danger. Although, on account of the compara- 

 tive shortness of its legs, it is much inferior to the Hare in 

 speed, it yet runs with great celerity ; and a number of Rab- 

 bits scattered over a field afford a very pleasant sight, some 

 scudding along in trepidation, others bounding over the shrubs 

 or herbage, one disappearing here, another stopping a moment 

 to look around before it plunges into its retreat, and perhaps 

 a third peeping from the aperture. Early in the morning, 

 when old and young are abroad, they may be seen gambolling 

 in fancied security. If there are fields and pastures in the 

 neighbourhood, they make excursions among the corn and grass, 

 committing serious devastations when their numbers are great, 

 so that the vicinity of a warren is a great nuisance to the farmer. 

 Foxes, Polecats, Stoats, Weasels, and various Birds of Prey, 

 destroy considerable numbers j but as their fecundity is great, 



