278 MAMMALIA. GLIRES. Hare. 



600 /3. Horned Common Hare. — Lep. timidus comutus. I. /3. 



Has {lightly branched horns. Probably fabulous or artificial. Schreber, iv. t. ccxxxiii. 

 B. 



Lepores cornuti, or Horned Hares. Klein, quad. 52. t. 3. Gefn. quad. 634. Muf. reg. Hafn. 

 n. 48. t. iv. Muf. Worm. 321. Grew, Muf. Roy."Soc. Pallas. Penn. hift.-of quad. p. 369. 



601 y. Yellow Common Hare. — Lep. timidus melinus. 



Of a flraw colour ; of the fame fize with the Hare, and runs like it. Cook, voy. Hi. -565. 

 Penn. hift. of quad. n. 369. 



A very full hiftory of the Hare is to be found. Lagographia W. Waldungii, Amberg. 1679, 

 and C. F. Paullini. Vienn. 1691. — Its anatomy. E. N. Cur. d. 1. a. 2. obf. 251. and a. 3. obf. 93. 

 and d. 3. a. 5. obf. 225. and Bartholin. a&. Hafn. 1671, n. 136. 



Inhabits every where in Europe, more plentiful in Bulgaria than in other parts ; in the northern 

 parts of Perfia, in Japan, Ceylon, and almoft the whole of Afia ; in Egypt, and Barbary ; in North 

 America, and even in Chili. — The Hare is a very timid animal, entirely deftitute of weapons, very 

 quick in both the jfenfes of hearing and of fight, and very fwift, efpecially in running up hill ; when 

 hunted it runs in a circular direction, gradually lelfening the circuit, and often doubles back parallel to 

 its path, leaping to a great diltance at the turn, on purpofe to throw off the dogs. It feeds only by 

 night, chiefly on the twigs and bark of fhrubs and young trees. It is hunted for fport with dogs or 

 hawks, and, in India, with fome fpecies of the Cat genus. The Hare is faid to be fond of the found 

 of a drum, and is much infefted with fleas ; it does not burrow, but makes a kind of neft, called by 

 fportfmen- a form, among bufhes or long grafs ; its urine is very fetid, which it takes care not to void 

 in its neft. It does not pair, but breeds often in the fummer and fpring, the male purfuing the fe- 

 male when in feafon by the fcent ; the female has alarge clitoris, and, after going thirty or one and 

 thirty days, brings three or four at a litter ; fuperfetation is not uncommon, as they are very lafcivi- 

 ous. The body and head meafure about two feet long, and weigh between eight and nine pounds 

 when full grown, fometimes, though rarely, twelve : The head is oblong, and fhaped like an egg, 

 having long ears tipt with black, large, prominent, black eyes, which are placed much outwards, are 

 provided with a membrana nictitans, and remain open even when the animal is afleep ; the end of 

 the nofe is moveable, and always moift ; the chin is white, and the fnout is furnifhed with long white 

 whilkers ; the upper lip is divided: The fur on the face, back, and fides, is white at the roots, black 

 in the middle, and tawny red at the ends ; the breaft and throat are reddifh ; the belly is white; the 

 tail is black above, and white beneath; the hind thighs are ftrong, thick, and flefhy, with a cavity on 

 each fide at the pubes ; the feet are thickly covered with hair on the foles. The Hare is fond of 

 birch, parfley, and pinks ; its flefh was forbidden by the Druids, and was held in great efteem by the 

 Romans, as itftill is by the inhabitants of modern Europe, as, though very black, dry, and devoid 

 of fat, it is high flavoured. 



g 02 3. Varying Hare. — 3. Lepus 'variabilis. 6. 



Has a very fhort tail ; the ears are fhorter than the head ; the whole fur grows white 

 in w : nter, except the tips of the ears, which remain black. Pallas, Glir. P. i. t. iv. f. 1. 



Schreber, iv. t. cexxxv. B. 



Lepus 



