H A R 
the head and neck are covered with long nar- 
row feathers; the wings are of a plain chefnut co- 
lour; and the tail is principally black and white. 
The plumage of the body is whitifh, brown, and 
rufb-coloured, every diftinft feather containing all 
thefe three colours ; the legs are yellow, ftrong, 
thick, and feathered a very little way below the 
knees; and the claws, v/hich are of a deep fhining 
black hue, are ftrong, and extremely hooked. 
This bird frequents Ireland, and feveral parts 
of Britain; and principally fubfifts on fifh, which 
it feizes, when fwimming near the furface of the 
water, by darting down on them. 
HALIOTIS. An appellation fometimes given 
to the ear-lhcll. See Ear-Shell. 
HARDER. A name given by fome authors 
to a fifh of the mullet kind ; called by Marcgrave 
paftor pifcis. 
HARDY-SHREW. A term by which fome 
naturalifts exprefs the mus araneus; ufually called 
the Shrew, or the Shrew-moufe. 
HARE. In the Einn^ean diftribution of na- 
ture, the Hare makes a diftind: genus of animals 
of the order of glires. The charafters are thefe: 
there are five toes on the fore-feet, and four on the 
hind; the ears are long; the tail is fiiort ; and there 
are two cutting-teeth in each jaw. Under this 
genus are comprehended all the different fpecies of 
the Hare and rabbit kind. 
Hare, Common. The Common Elare is one 
of the moft timorous and perfecuted of all animals. 
It is weak and defencelefs, and therefore endued 
' in a remarkable degree with the preferving paffion 
of fear: this principle renders it perpetually atten- 
tive to every alarm, and keeps it continually in a 
lean ftate. In order to enable this creature to per- 
ceive the moft diftant approaches of danger, na- 
ture has provided it with very long ears, which, 
like tubes applied to the auditory organs of deaf 
perfons, convey to it fuch founds as are remote; 
and the motions of the Hare are direfted accord- 
ingly. It has large prominent eyes placed back- 
wards in it's head, in fuch a manner as to receive 
the rays of light on every fide; fo that, while it 
runs diredtly forward, it can almoft fee diftinftly 
behind: it's eyes are never wholly cloftd; for 
the animal being perpetually on the watch, it even 
fleeps with them open. The mufcles of it's body 
being ftrong, and without fat, it has therefore no 
fuperfluous burden ot flefh to carry: and, to affift 
it in efcaping f om it's purfuers, the hinder legs 
are confiderably longer than the fore, which adds 
to the fwiftnefs of it's motions; and fo very fenfi- 
ble is the Elare of this peculiar advantage, that, 
when ftarted, it always makes towards the rifing 
ground. 
This creature being fo well formed for a life of 
efcape, it might reafonably be fupoofed to enjoy 
a ftate of tolerable fecurlty ; but it'i enemies are 
fo verv numerous, that it feldom lives the ufual 
term prefcribed to it by nature. Every fpecies of 
the dog kind purfues it by inftinfl; the cat and the 
weafel tribes exercife all their little arts to eni?''re 
it; and birds of prey, ants, fnakes, and adders, 
drive it from it's form, particularly during die 
fummer feafon. But man, as he is it's moft pow- 
erful, fo is he alfo it's moft inveterate and deftruc- 
tive enemy: it is hunted by the fportfman, ftiot 
and fnared by the poacher, and often finds it's moft 
cruel adverfary in the farmer whofe lands it fre- 
quents. Perfecuted thus on every fide, did it not 
find a refource in it's amazing fertility, the whole 
race would long fince have been exterminated. 
H A R 
The Hare being amazingly prolific, is capal:)]e 
of conception at the age of a few months : flie goes 
with young but thirty days, and generally brings 
forth three or four at a time. Buftbn, and fome 
other naturalifts, ftrongly affert the do6trine of fu- 
perfetation, or conception on conception, in this 
animal ; but, as Hares breed frequently in the fpace 
of one year, their vaft numbers may be accounted 
for without acceding to an iiypothefis which feems 
contrary to the ordinary courfe of nature. 
The young of thefe animials are brought forth 
with their eyes open: their dams fuckle them for 
twenty days; after which time tliey leave them, 
and begin to ftiift for themfelves. Hence we may 
obferve, that the education thefe creatures receive 
is but trifling, and their fiimily connexions but of 
fiiort duration. With refpc6l to the rapacious 
kinds, the dam continues to tutor her young for 
feveral months fucceffively ; teaches them the arts 
of rapine; and keeps them under her care till thev 
are able to hunt for themlelves. But a long con- 
nexion of this kind would be quite unnecefiary, as 
well as dangerous to the timid animals nov/ un- 
der confideration : their food being procured with 
facility, their aflbciations, inftead of afibrding them 
proteftion, would only cxpofe them to tlieir pur- 
fuers. However, they feldom migrate far from 
the fpot where they are produced, but each animal 
makes a form at a fmall diftance; ftiewinga predi- 
leftion rather for the place of tlieir nativity than 
the fociety of their kind. 
Thefe animals repofe in th.eir form.s in the day- 
time; and may be faid to live only by night, when 
they go forth for the purpofes of coupling and 
feeding. They do not hov/ever pair except at the 
rutting-feafon, which begins in Eebruary; and 
then the male purfues and difcovers the female by 
the lagacity of his nofe; and they are frequently 
obferved by m.oon-light, playing about, ficipping, 
and purfuing each other, in the moft fportive 
manner; but the leaft motion, the flighteft breeze, 
or even the falling of a leaf, is fufficient to difturb 
their revels ; and they inftantlv flv ofi', each pur- 
fuing a feparate track. 
Elares live on roots, leaves, fruits, and corn; 
and prefer fuch plants as afford the moft fucculent 
repaft. They alio ftrip the bark from trees during 
the winter feafon, and feed almoft indifcriminatelv 
on the fpoils of every tree except the lime and thi'e 
alder. When kept tame, they are fubfifted on 
lettuce and other hortulane produftions; but the 
flelh of fuch of them as have been thus brought 
up, is always deftitute of that luxurious rehfi] 
which diftinguifiies that of wild Hares. 
The Hare feldom lives above feven or eip-ht 
years at the utmoft: it arrives at it's full perfedion 
in one year; and this multiplied by feven, the ra- 
tio which the maturity of every creature bears to 
it's duration, gives the extent of it's life. It is 
faid, liowever, that the females are longer-lived 
than the males; and fome creditable authors con- 
firm this circumftance, though Buffon feems to 
queftion it's authority. In our climate, thefe crea- 
tures pafs a life of folitude and filence: they are 
feldom heard to cry, unlefs when either feized or 
wounded ; and their voice is not fo fliarp as that 
of fome other animals, but approaches more nearlv 
to the fqualling of an infant. They are far lefs 
wild than their habits and difpofitions feem to in- 
dicate, being of a complying nature, and eafily 
fufceptible of Ibrne degree of education : they even 
become fond and carelfing; but being incapable 
of attachm.ent to any particular perfon, they will 
4 Y 'ftrive 
