1 882.] The Gray Rabbit (Lepus sylvaticus ) . 855 



stupid harmlessness. In its wild state dwelling in communities, 

 with a living to get, and many foes to shun, the wild rabbit 

 has sharpened wits and many entertaining ways. I have seen 

 them in their warrens abroad, and a rollicking abandon is their 

 early morning frolic. Then all of a sudden comes a still, serious 

 watchfulness, a oneness of circumspection, the whole camp 

 mounting guard, for sitting on his hinder parts, every individual 

 is on the alert. It is light and shade, Milesian merriment topping 

 off with a bit of a row. Let one get its temper up, and it will 

 stamp the ground in pettish, and it may be angry demonstration. 

 All which has in it a spice of high-class nature ; for I have seen 

 chimpanzee do the same thing — yes, and coming higher, have 

 painful recollections how a little motherless lad used to quail un- 

 der a similar plantigrade terrorism, inflicted by Madam Anthro- 

 pos. So this animal pantomime of "stamping out" is very 

 human. 



Though not without cunning, if a ferret invade its domicile, it 

 is all up with bunny, sure. But a terrier dog has been known to 

 squeeze itself into the burrow, and coney, returning to find his 

 home invaded, has with great energy closed up the entrance, thus 

 burying alive the disturber of his peace. 



But all this is writing about real rabbits, which is not what we 

 started to do. Perhaps the following occurrence may set our 

 subject in a proper light: A friend had procured an Irish farm- 

 hand at the immigrant depot, at Castle Garden, New York. He 

 brought him to Keyport, New Jersey, by steamboat, then took 

 him in his own vehicle to the farm, some five miles away. William 

 was intelligent and made sensible remarks on the new scenes 

 through which he was riding. Our farmer friend, an inveterate 

 wag, said : " Yes, a fine country, William. But wait till I show 

 you some of our native animals. You have not yet seen an 

 American rabbit." On reaching the first field of the farm a large 

 Spanish stud appeared. Seeing his owner, Sancho approached 

 the fence by the roadside, and brayed a sonorous welcome. 



Farmer : " There, William, what do you think of that for an 

 American rabbit?" 



William: "An' is that an American rabbit? Sure an' if I'd 

 seen the baste at home I would have pronounced him a jackass! 

 But this is a fine country !" 



It was not long before the man did make the acquaintance of 



