80 



QUADRUPEDS. 



4. The " Rabbit " is a furry animal that lives on plants, 

 and burrows in the ground. It is the " Lepus cuniculus " 

 of zoology, being a species of that genus. Tail short, 

 nearly the colour of the body, ears black at the tip, hind legs 

 shorter than the body. This species inhabits naturally the 

 temperate and the warm parts of Europe, and even the hottest 

 parts of Asia and Africa. It is not indigenous to Britain, but 

 succeeds very well in it. It will not live in Sweden, and the 

 northern counties, except in covered houses. They were im- 

 ported from Spain into Italy. They are not natives of the 

 western world, but they have multiphed amazingly in South 

 America, since they were carried thither. They are exceed- 

 ingly prolific ; they breed seven times in a year, and produce 

 eight young at a time. They occupy dry sandy soils, forming 

 long winding burrows ; they confine themselves to these holes 

 in the middle of the day, and wander in the evening, night 

 and morning, in the search of food. The flesh is white, and 

 much esteemed. They pair, and are very faithful to their 

 mates, but never cross with hares. The most remarkable 

 difference between hares and rabbits is, that the former live 

 above ground, and the latter below ground. The rabbit 

 acquires full size in six months, and lives about eight or nine 

 years. 



The colour of the wild rabbit is brownish grey ; and the 

 tame varieties are black, uniform white, with fiery red eyes ; 

 pied, or mottled, black and white, and silvery grey, or ash 

 colour, with tawny feet. They grow to a large size, and are 

 fed in confinement. 



The rabbit is granivorous, and is much more destructive 

 than the hare to young plants. The numbers are greater, and 

 the habits are more fixed, and the residence is more perma- 

 nent. Winter vetches are much destroyed by them, as there 

 is not any other tender vegetation at that season of the year 

 to divert their attention. Young barley is a favourite food 

 with them. But rapid-growing cereal plants soon push be- 

 yond their reach, and on thick crops on well-farmed lands the 

 damage is little apparent. But on thin, straggUng crops, the 

 whole vegetation is often consumed near to the burrows, 

 where the open crops admit their hearing and watching the 



