Till': COMMON CAi.W KAIUilT. 



llijil ill ;i I.-ilcrnl \ i('W ol' the skull, it is seeu to Ik; perforated by a 

 large hole, passing- through the eye region from side to side. The 

 molars and premolars are wide in a transverse direction and the 

 upper ones vary narrov;^ antero-posteriorly, with a transverse 

 ridge of enamel in the middle; the last one is small, however, and 

 the first is also of different form. The teeth of the lower molar 

 series each consist of two lobes.* 



Range. — The prairie cottontail occupies the upper Mississippi 

 valley from ^linnesota to southern Indiana and east to New York 

 and Ontario. Specimens from Mitchell have been identified by Mr. 

 E. W. Nelson, the best authority on American rabbits, as belonging 

 to this subspecies. Those from the northern part of the State are 

 also mcarnsi, and hence it probably occupies the whole State, al- 

 though examples from the lower Wabash valley may be found to 

 intergradc with the subspecies mallurus. There is not a county, 

 perhaps not a township, in the State in which the cottontails may 

 not still be found. 



Habits. — It would be difficult to find two species of mammals 

 that show more contrasts than the rabbits and porcupines. The 

 former are among the most defenseless of our mammals. They 

 can not climb trees nor do they burrow to any extent. When they 

 find a natural cavern among the rocks or occupy a woodchuck's 

 deserted den, they are still liable to attack by bloodthirsty weasels. 

 They have been ruthlessty shot, snared and chased to death by 

 men. The natural enemies include every predatory mammal and 

 rapacious bird. 



Yet in spite of their enemies, and in spite of the fact that their 

 intelligence is of a low order, they have frankly acknowledged f 

 their shortcomings, their weaknesses and even their cowardice. As 

 an adaptation to these conditions, they have learned to produce a 

 large number of young each year, so that some may be left to con- 

 tinue the species, although many perish. 



Consecjuently, where the porcupine with few enemies has dis- 

 appeared, the rabbit still holds his own, although persecuted in- 

 cessantly. I think it is safe to say that where sinkholes, stony 

 hillsides or thickets and uncultivated land have been left for re- 

 treats, the rabbits have not been reduced in numbers since the 

 country was first settled. Although shotguns play havoc with 



* This description is based on 8. f. mearnsi and applies, for the most part, to 

 other cottontail rabbits. as well. 



t The writer does not mean to imply by this or similar expressions that the, 

 animals have reasoned it out. In the race history natural selection has forced 

 upon the species the same results which might have been arrived at by a process 

 of reasoning and perfect control of surroundings. 



