THE HARE. 



only remark, that the ears are tipped with black ; the tail is black above and 

 white underneath ; and that the feet are all clothed on the underfide, with 

 long, thick hair, even to the ends of the toes. 



The fur of the Hare is generally very full of fleas ; and it would feem 

 that thefe troublefome infects are particularly fond of reliding in it; for 

 Linnaeus tells us, in his account of the animals of Sweden, that the 

 Dalecarlians manufacture a fort of clothing of this fur, which they call felt ; 

 the wearer of which is thereby preferved from the tormenting attacks of the 

 fleas, which all creep into the garment, and remain there. 



The Hare multiplies very fart ; the female breeds three or four times in 

 the year ; the goes with young thirty days, and ufually produces from two 

 to four at a litter ; me fuckles them only twenty days, and then leaves them 

 to iTiift for themfelves. It feeds during the night, and remains motionlefs 

 on its form during the day, unlefs it is difturbed. It lives entirely on 

 vegetables, and gives the preference to the molt tender blades of grafs, pinks, 

 parfley, and plants which contain a milky juice ; it is likewife fond of the 

 bark of trees, particularly the birch, which it frequently Itrips of its bark in 

 the winter. 



The hair of this animal is much ufed in the hat manufacture ; and as the 

 produce of this country is infufficient for that purpofe, great quantities of 

 hare-fkins are annually imported from Ruflia and Siberia, and form a very 

 conliderable article of commerce. 



The flelh of the Hare is accounted a favourite article of food, but the 

 manner of obtaining it, by hunting, where a numerous band of dogs, 

 accompanied by men and horfes, is at once let loofe on the moft timid and 

 defencelefs animal in the brute creation ; where the poor creature, in its 

 fears, is made to die a thoufand deaths, feems fo incongenial with our ideas 

 of humanity and polilhed fociety, as to require our marked difapprobation. 

 This practice is thus beautifully defcribed by Thomfon : 



Vain is her beft precaution, tho' flie fits 

 Conceal'd, with folded ears, unfleeping eyes, 

 By Nature rais'd to take th' horizon in, 



