6 Wild Life in a Southern County 



the form heedlessly this could not be the case, as their 

 size and weight would crush it down. When startled by 

 a passer-by the hare — unless there is a dog — goes off in a 

 leisurely fashion, doubtless feeling quite safe in the length 

 of his legs, and after getting a hundred yards or so sits 

 upon his haunches and watches the intruder. Their 

 ' runs ' or paths are rather broader than a rabbit's, and 

 straighter — the rabbit does not ramble so far from home ; 

 he has his paths across the meadow to the hedge on the 

 other side, but no farther. The hare's track may be traced 

 for a great distance crossing the hills ; but while the roads 

 are longer they are much fewer in number. The rabbit 

 makes a perfect network of ' runs,' and seems always to 

 feed from a regular path ; the hare apparently feeds any- 

 where, without much reference to the ' runs,' which he 

 uses simply to get from one place to another in the most 

 direct line, and also, it may be suspected, as a promenade 

 on which to meet the ladies of his acquaintance by moon- 

 light. 



It is amusing to see two of these animals drumming 

 each other ; they stand on their hind legs (which are very 

 long) like a dog taught to beg, and strike with the fore- 

 pads as if boxing, only the blow is delivered downwards 

 instead of from the shoulder. The clatter of their pads 

 may be heard much farther than would be supposed. 

 Eound and round they go like a couple waltzing; now 

 one giving ground and then the other, the fore-legs striking 

 all the while with marvellous rapidity. Presently they 

 pause — it is to recover breath only ; and ' time ' being up 

 to work they go again with renewed energy, dancing 

 round and round, till the observer cannot choose but 

 smile. This trick they will continue till you are weary 

 of watching. 



