98 
ORDERS OF MAMMALS— GNAWING ANIMALS 
dogs or men until the mowers found the nest 
almost under their feet. Every year one or 
two pair breed in the adjoining grounds of the 
Department of Agriculture. 
When a rabbit can have his choice of hiding- 
places, he chooses a burrow directly beneath a 
large tree, the roots of which render it difficult, or 
it may be impossible, for man or beast to dig him 
out. Crevices in rock ledges are equally good, 
but he often finds that hollow logs, hollow trees 
and brush piles only lead to swift destruction. 
He never sleeps in daylight, when enemies are 
afoot. If the Man-With-a-Gun approaches, he 
crouches low and lies as still as a stuffed rabbit, 
breathing seldom, winking never, but with legs 
all ready to spring. His keen eyes and ears 
measure every yard of his enemy’s approach, 
until the dead line is crossed when — Zip! Out 
Hashes a long, gray streak, — flying over logs, and 
darting through openings so swiftly that in two 
or three seconds a snow-white signal flag waves 
an adieu, and disappears. 
In summer hares and rabbits feed on green 
twigs, soft bark, buds, grass, leaves and berries. 
In winter they are forced to subsist chiefly on 
the bark of bushes and the berries of the wild 
rose. Whenever they gnaw the bark from young 
fruit-trees, it is a sign that they are hard pressed 
for food. 
Rabbits breed very rapidly, often raising three 
litters a year, and if not kept in check by birds of 
prey and carnivorous animals, would soon be- 
come altogether too numerous. In Australia 
and New Zealand, the rabbits “introduced ” 1 
from Europe have multiplied until they have be- 
come a fearful scourge, and are now so numerous 
it is impossible even to keep them in check. 
Possibly the use of their flesh as food, and their 
skins as “fur,” may lead to an abatement of the 
evil. The moral of the rabbit in Australia, the 
mongoose in the West Indies, and the English 
sparrow in America, is, before “introducing” a 
foreign species of bird or mammal into America, 
take expert advice, — and then don’t do it! This 
refers to species able to live wholly by their own 
efforts when imported and set free. 
Bibliographical. 
The following popular papers are of special 
interest and value: 
On Jack Rabbits . — The Jack Rabbits of the United 
States. By Dr. T. S. Palmer; pamphlet, 88 pages. 
Bulletin No. 8, Biological Survey, Department 
of Agriculture. Washington, 1897. 
On Gophers . — The Pocket Gophers of the United 
States. By Vernon Bailey; pamphlet, 47 pages. 
Bulletin No. 5, as above, 1895. 
On Prairie-Dogs . — The Prairie-Dog of the Great 
Plains. By Dr. C. Hart Merriam; pamphlet, 14 
pages. Yearbook of the Department of Agricult- 
ure, 1901. 
On Ground Squirrels.— The Prairie Ground Squirrels 
of the Mississippi Valley. By Vernon Bailey; 
pamphlet, 69 pages. Bulletin No. 4, Biological 
Survey, Department of Agriculture, 1893. 
1 A species transplanted from one country to another is said to be “introduced. 1 
