50 



JACK RABBITS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



netting and were not more than 2 feet bigh. Altliougli lie saw rabbits 

 leap much higher during the early part of the drive they made no 

 attempt to escape over the fences when the wings were reached, the 

 animals evidently being too wearied, as they had been driven for some 

 distance. On the other hand, in a small drive which took place near 

 Claremont on September 9, 1893, no wings or corral were built, but an 

 attempt was made to utilize a corner of a stone wall 3 or 4 feet in height 

 instead. The rabbits were driven only a short distance and when the 

 wall was reached it is said that most of them went over it like sheep, 

 and comparatively few were killed. In the great drive at Wildflower, 

 Fresno County, the wings, made of wire netting, were 3 feet in height 

 and extended for a distance of 7 miles, converging toward a circular 

 corral at the apex. ' 



A drive always means a gala day, and is a favorite way of celebrat- 

 ing some special occasion. The announcement is the signal for a 



gathering of the clans from 

 all the neighboring country 

 and the jMipnlation of the 

 l)lace is increased to sev- 

 eral times its normal size 

 when such an event takes 

 l)lace. r^xcursion ists are at- 

 tracted iji large numbers by 

 the si>ecial rates olVered by 

 the railroa<ls.and sometimes 

 come from jioints as far 

 distant as 8an Francisco 

 and Sacramento. Upon the 

 Mjtpointcd day large num- 

 bers of i)eople turn out armed with sticks and clubs, and, scattering 

 over a considerable area, start the rabbits and drive them toward the 

 mouth «)f the corral. Every available vehicle is pressed into servi<'e, 

 but the larger part of the throng is usually on foot. The lines grad- 

 ually close in. and the frightenet! rabbits, urged on by blows and 

 shouts, rush blindly into the opening between the wings and are grad- 

 ually crow (h'd toward the narrow end of the pen where they are soon 

 dispatched with clubs. Firearms are seldom used either in driving or 

 killing, as clubs are cheai)er, safer, and eijually elTective. Tht^ <lrives 

 take place in winter or si>ring, and the number of rabbits killed varies 

 from a lew hundred up to ten or even twenty thousand in a single day. 

 The town of Traver regularly celebrates its birthday in Ai)ril by a rabbit 

 drive and barbecue. On April H, 18!H', it was estimated that no less 

 than 0,(190 persons were i)resent, and more than 4,(l(K) ])eople and 1,009 

 teams took part. 



Fio. 2.— Diagram Hhowing form of imrlnlilc corral iihimI l>y 

 the (loHli.n llnbbil Drive Club. 



A, I!, wings of wire iicttiug t'acli lialf a milo long; C, 

 corral CO to 200 fet-t in clianu-ttT; K, xliding gat«>. (From 

 M. S. FeathcTstone.) 



Jigi 



in Siientifi.- AineriiJiii, LXI. N". !!• . \ov, <i, IKS!*, p. 2«»n. 



