942 The Gray Rabbit ( Lepus sylvaticus). [December, 



the middle, upward and backward go the heels ; and the impres- 

 sion made is not to be forgotten. But for real " fancy sparring," 

 no trick-mule could equal the deftly hitting of that mother gray- 

 back who fought a huge black snake to rescue her young one. 

 The reptile was rapidly bearing it away. A little low cry, though 

 at quite a distance, was heard by the mother-hare, for their sense 

 of hearing is marvelously keen. A few desperate leaps and she 

 had caught up and joined issue with her dreadful foe. The 

 snake dropped its prey, its sulphurous eyes glowed in lumi- 

 nous rage, and it sprang. But the heroic mother leaped into 

 the air, making a curve over its enemy, and just at passing 

 the middle of this arc putting in most deftly a double shot 

 behind, which sent the serpent rolling and squirming in the 

 dust. This feat was several times repeated, the snake darting 

 and snapping wildly, until its mouth was filled with hair, 

 without inflicting any real hurt on the little heroine. The reptile 

 was cowering fast and would fain slink away ; but the witness of 

 this fierce battle now came to the rabbit's aid. The black reptile 

 was soon destroyed, and the brave mother left to her little one. 



I think the above should warrant a clear distinction between 

 timidity and cowardice. It is the bravery of maternal despera- 

 tion. Though succumbing at last, I have witnessed a gallant 

 fight of a young rat with a large pine snake {Pitnophis mdarw 

 leuciii). These very serpents are fond of young rabbits, and will 

 capture them much as they do birds. Call it enchantment, fasci- 

 nation, charming, or what one will, there is a fearful nervous 

 subjection. The poor little beast loses head. A farmer in the 

 Pines told me that he saw at some distance up the road, a half- 

 grown rabbit, and was somewhat surprised to see that it did not 

 stir at his coming, but looked steadily at one spot. There was a 

 large pine snake slowly crawling up to its victim. Said he : " I 

 went up to the rabbit, gave it a push with my foot, when it went 

 off at a lively gait. You see the spell was broken. The snake 

 seeing me, made for the woods and got away. 



The mink and the weasel are especially feared by the wild rab- 

 bit. In Europe the ferret is used to hunt rabbits. If our com- 

 mon weasel appears in a neighborhood, the rabbits will soon be 

 exterminated for a considerable area. 



In the winter the gray-rabbit is very destructive to young trees, 

 and is the dread of the nurseryman, although n 





