218 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 
instead of endeavouring to pass through it, it is occasionally rubbed with a little 
of their own dung. The Hare-Indians, when they come toa place where the 
hare-tracks are numerous, begin their operations by beating a circular path in the 
snow, so as to enclose a pretty large clump of wood, knowing that the hares will 
not readily cross such a path. They next bar the ways by little hedges, in the 
gaps of which they set snares, and then they enter the circle and beat amongst 
the bushes with their dogs to drive the hares into the nooses. On the success of 
this operation the supper of a whole horde often depends, as, with the wsuak 
improvidence attendant on a hunter’s life, these Indians seldom keep any stock of 
provision by them. Unless when disturbed, the American hare rarely runs about 
during the day. It has numerous enemies, such as wolves, foxes, wolverenes, 
martins, ermines, snowy owls, and various hawks; but the Canada lynx is. the 
animal which perhaps most exclusively feeds upon it. It has been remarked that 
lynxes are numerous only when there are plenty of hares in the neighbourhood. 
At some periods a sort of epidemic has destroyed vast numbers of hares in par- 
ticular districts, and they have not recruited again until after the lapse of several 
years, during which the lynxes were likewise scarce. In the spring and summer 
the hares are much infested by a large species of cimex. In the fur countries 
this hare becomes white in the winter. This change takes place in the 
northern districts in the month of October, and the animals retain their white 
coat until the end of April, when it begins to fall off, and is replaced by their 
shorter and coloured summer dress. The white colour is less perfect in more 
southern districts, and to the southward of New England, according to Pennant, 
the brown dress endures all the year. The same author says that the winter 
coat, in northern districts, consists of a multitude of long white hairs, twice the 
length of the summer fur, which still remains beneath. After a careful exa- 
mination, however, of many specimens in different states, I agree with the clerk 
of the California* in thinking that the change to the winter dress takes place 
by a lengthening and blanching of the summer fur; whilst the change in the 
beginning of summer consists in the winter coat falling off during the growth 
of new and coloured fur. 
The winter skins of this animal are imported by the Hudson’s Bay Company 
under the name of rabbit-skins ; but from their small value the importation does 
not at present exceed eight or ten thousand in a year, as they will not cover the 
expenses of carriage from the interior. Mr. Jeremie relates that in one season 
* Voyage in search of a North-West Passage. 
