256 
ZOOLOGY. 
family, is the singular sewellel or showW {Haplodo7i riifus, 
Fig. 294) of the mountains of western Oregon and Wash- 
ington Territory. It is nearly as large as a musk-rat, is 
nocturnal in its habits and therefore rarely seen, and bur- 
rows in the earth, feeding on roots. 
The lowest in intelligence are, perhaps, the hares, rep- 
resented by the common varying hare {Lepus Americanus), 
of which an interesting variety {L, Bairdii, Fig. 295) lives 
on the Alpine summits of the Rocky Mountains. 'J'he hares 
are mainly nocturnal in their habits, living concealed by 
day in shaded places, under fallen trees or in burrows in 
thickets and swamps as well as forests. Our commonest 
species is the white hare {Lepus Americmius), which turns 
white in December, changing to its summer dress in April. 
It eats grass and herbage in summer, in winter it gnaws 
the bark of the willow. The long-eared kinds live in the 
desert regions of the western plains, those with longest ears 
in the driest tracts. The gray labbit or cotton tail^' 
{Lepus sylvaticus) does not change its fur in winter. In 
the east, according to Mr. Lockwood {American Natural- 
ist, 188<?), it makes a rude nest by scratching a hole slop- 
ing slightly downwards into the ground about eighteen 
inches. ^^It has abed made of dry leaves and grass, and 
on top some fur or hair, which the mother has torn from 
her own breast. The litter numbers from four to six.'^ 
There are three or four litters a season. The jackass rab- 
bit {Lepus callotis) is so called from its large size and enor- 
mous ears; when running among prickly pears and sage 
brush it looks absurdly like a diminutive jackass. The 
name rabbit is only applicable to Lepus cuniculus, the do- 
mestic burrowing rabbit of Europe, which is gregarious and 
varies so wonderfully under domestication. All the hares 
are solitary and make nests or forms of grass on the surface; 
while rabbits are born blind and naked, hares are said to 
be born with the eyes open and hairy. The water-hare 
{L. aquaticus) lives near the water and swims and dives 
when pursued. In Australia the rabbits introduced there 
