THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
As might be supposed from the nature of its haunts, the Mountain Hare 
differs in its habits from the Brown Hare of the Lowlands. It is given to 
skulking amongst boulders on the hillsides, and when pursued, seldom 
goes far before retreating into some hole or cranny, in this respect seeking 
safety in hiding like a rabbit rather than by swift flight, like a brown hare. 
On this account it affords but poor sport for the gun, and were it not for 
the fact that it makes excellent soup, it would probably not often be shot 
by those who, in pursuit of grouse, or ptarmigan, have an object in reducing 
the weight they have to carry when climbing a steep hillside. Moreover, 
when a “ hare drive ” is resorted to, the Scottish animal affords but poor 
sport by comparison with “ grouse driving,” for, on account of its con- 
spicuous colour and slow rate of speed, it is very easy to shoot. Grouse 
shooters, however, if they happen to be naturalists, will regard white hares 
with some favour, since they afford food for the eagles and hill foxes which, 
were it not for their existence, would take heavier toll of the grouse. 
Whether the Common Hare and the Mountain Hare inter -breed is a 
question that is sometimes asked, and is generally answered in the nega- 
tive. That might have been true years ago before any evidence on the 
subject was available, but it is no longer the case. More than twenty years 
ago (“The Field,” August 29, 1891), I called attention to the fact of the 
occasional inter -breeding of the two species, and cited several authorities; 
and although some readers at the time professed to be sceptical on the 
point, they were subsequently converted, and it is now regarded as an 
accepted fact. 
In “The Field” of February 18, 1911, Mr J. G. Millais wrote as follows: 
“ There has been always some doubt among naturalists as to the 
inter -breeding of the Common Hare and the Mountain Hare, and a 
statement which I made some years ago that such a cross was not 
only a fact, but a fairly common one, was received with incredulity. 
“After the severe winters of 1881, 1885, and 1894 large numbers 
of blue or mountain hares descended from the mountains above the 
Tay, in Perthshire, and when spring came a certain number remained 
in the roughs and woods at river level for two and even three seasons 
afterwards. In fact, it is not uncommon to And mountain hares in the 
low Perthshire woods in any winter. However, after the cold winters of 
1885 and 1894 the mountain hares remained low down all the summer, 
and in the autumn, both at Murthley and principally at Cowpark, 
in the Earn Valley, I saw killed in a day’s shooting no fewer than eight 
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