273 



The Hare. 



are usually chosen for the increased shade or shelter they 

 afford, otherwise the bare fallows, growing corn, or the 

 pastures suit it best during the warm, fine days of spring 

 and summer. Strong winds will find the hares formed 

 in the long tufts of old grass lands, and in the very cold 

 but fine weather of the winter months the hares prefer the 

 short, thick pastures of any lands of southerly aspect. It 

 is not often that hares are found in the hedges or small 

 spinneys; in fact, where ground vermin are likely to 

 frequent, hares do not form. 



For the most part, the hare lies couched by day, and 

 feeds towards evening and at night, when it wanders, under 

 ordinary circumstances, very far afield in search of the 

 varied and carefully -chosen diet it affects, returning at 

 dawn to the form best suited to the prevailing or antici- 

 pated weather. 



It is an entirely mistaken but very general idea that 

 rabbits and hares take similar food. No two animals are 

 so much alike and so little alike. In the first place, the 

 hare can scarcely be termed a grass-feeding animal, and 

 there are only one or two real grasses and clovers which it 

 eats. As it is important that preservers should know them, 

 I mention the names of the three most prominent, if even 

 there be others to warrant the distinction. They are the 

 so-called common meadow-grass and the hard fescue grass. 

 Of the former there are one or two varieties, especially 

 the heath or moorland variety, greatly favoured by upland 

 hares. Amongst clovers the marl clover or cow-grass is 

 chiefly patronised, and hares will eat this trifolium bare 

 to the soil. In addition, the sow-thistle and dandelion 

 are much liked. Coming to the vegetable garden, 

 endive, lettuce, thyme, chicory, and, in a lesser degree, 

 parsley, are mainly favoured. The flower-garden will 

 provide them with carnations, pinks, stocks, and nastur- 



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