KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



135 



made, from his early childhood, a greater and 

 prompter use of this sense; and we should do 

 well to leave to the child the free use of its 

 hands from the moment of its birth. " Those 

 animals," says he, elsewhere, "which have hands, 

 appear to be the most intelligent; monkeys do 

 things so similar to the mechanical actions of 

 men, that they would seem to have the same 

 series of bodily sensations for their cause. All 

 the other animals that have not the use of this 

 organ, can have no very distinct acquaintance 

 with the form of things. We may, also, conjec- 

 ture that animals, which, like the cuttle fish, 

 polypi, and other insects, have a great number 

 of arms or claws, which they can unite and join, 

 and with which they can seize foreign bodies in 

 different places — that these animals, I say, have 

 an advantage over others, and know and choose 

 much better the things suitable for them; and 

 that, if the hand were divided into an infinity of 

 parts, all equally sensible and flexible, such an 

 organ would be a kind of universal geography." 



TAME HARES. 



I rejoice to see, Mr. Editor, that the love of 

 Nature, and Natural History, is happily increas- 

 ing eveiy day. The flowers of the field, with 

 their surpassing beauties and wondrous mechan- 

 ism, are more and more scrutinised. The birds, 

 the animals, with their instincts and habits, so 

 full of interest, are more regarded. 



But multitudes have yet to learn the pure 

 delight to be derived from a knowledge of 

 Nature and her works; from a study of the 

 habits and instincts of the denizens of the earth, 

 the air, and the water. In proportion as this 

 pure pleasure is known and experienced, will 

 suffering and ill-treatment be spared to animals 

 called " inferior" — and sympathy engendered in 

 the breast of the first of God's works — mankind. 



The great object of your Journal, Mr. Editor, 

 is evidently to conduct to such study and its 

 consequent pleasures; your aim is to promote 

 the happiness, and lessen the sufferings of ani- 

 mals, which, like ourselves, are part of God's 

 beautiful creation. I wish it therefore much 

 success; and now contribute, to aid the good 

 cause, an account of some favorite " pets" which 

 tenanted my kitchen some years since. 



In the month of June, 1846, my servants 

 found in my garden a leveret, which could not 

 have been long in existence. The little 

 stranger was brought within doors, carefully che- 

 rished, and fed from a spoon with milk. This 

 was readily imbibed. The foundling was a 

 female. She was forthwith named; and, under 

 constant attendance, little "Puss" prospered, 

 grew rapidly, and soon became an interesting 

 pet. She evinced no symptoms of wildness, but 

 associated with the dog and cat, suffering herself 

 to be fondled and caressed ; running about the 

 kitchen and hall — in short, living in all seeming 

 happiness and contentment. 



" Puss," when she had attained her growth, 

 was always a little " wee " hare. I was so much 

 amused with my pretty pet that, after a time, I 

 bethought me of finding her a companion, My 

 wishes were soon known and responded to. In 

 the month of August, two more infantine leverets, 



(a male and a female) were brought to my 

 house by the villagers. 



These received like attention with the first, 

 and throve famously. The lady soon outstripped 

 her female companion in size. She did not 

 however manifest so confiding and gentle a 

 disposition. But before her character was well 

 developed, I unfortunately lost her. One 

 evening, when the whole party were at liberty in 

 the kitchen, a man, followed by a dog, unex- 

 pectedly entered. The little animal, happening to 

 be near the door, in her alarm rushed out into the 

 garden ; and, although diligent search was made 

 instantly, and again in the morning, she was 

 seen no more. Her fate from that hour was 

 matter of conjecture. In the meantime, little 

 " Puss " continued in high health and spirits. 

 Her companion " Jack," also flourished, out- 

 stripping " Puss " in size, and growing into a fine 

 hare. He however never became so tame and 

 sociable as " Puss." 



Together with the hares, a small spaniel and a 

 large male Angora cat were permitted an occu- 

 pation in the kitchen. The whole quartet were 

 often to be seen reposing in a long rush-basket 

 provided for the purpose. Many of my parish- 

 ioners have beheld the happy party. Indeed, at 

 that time, visitors seldom came to the house 

 without beiug introduced to the hares. " Jack " 

 was master of the basket, and whenever he 

 chose, as sometimes he did, he would clear it of 

 its ^ other occupants, and remain sole possessor. 

 This object he effected by scratching and drum- 

 ming with his fore paws. The cat, far from 

 being amiable, was of a sullen disposition, and a 

 great coward. " Jack," when in playful mood, 

 would sometimes approach him, as he slumbered 

 by the fire, and commence drumming on his 

 back. On these occasions, the Angora showed 

 his displeasure by retiring to a closet or an out- 

 house; where, with visage expressive of the 

 most ineffable disgust, he would sit brooding over 

 his' wrongs, and sometimes would not re-appear 

 in the kitchen for hours — or even a whole day. 



The spaniel well understood his position in the 

 society of the kitchen. He would sometimes run 

 after little "Puss," who took refuge with her 

 master, or in he r basket; but he was greatly 

 afraid of " Jack." Now and then however, he 

 forgot himself; and, desirous of joining in the 

 sport, would presume to chase "Jack'' in his 

 races; whereupon the hare quickly faced about. 

 And if this was not enough, he ran at the 

 spaniel — attempting to scratch and bite. I 

 hardly need say that the dog was glad enough to 

 retreat to the kitchen. 



Whenever the clatter of plates and knives 

 announced dinner in the kitchen, the hares 

 would leave their basket ; and together with cat 

 and dog, range themselves around the table, 

 waiting for bits of bread or vegetable. They 

 were quiet for the most part during the day. It 

 was in the evening that they became animated 

 and frolicsome. When at home, I was in the 

 habit ofplacingthe kitchen and dining-room doors 

 open; and the great amusement of my "pets" 

 was, to race from the kitchen through the hall 

 and round and round the dining-room, back- 

 wards and forwards. I used to place the chairs, 

 which had projecting hind-legs, against the 



