SOPER — THE SNOWSHOE RABBIT 
107 
bies intended for ermine and designed to exclude the hare are so small 
that they really adopted the only method serving to attain their object. 
Especially when yielding to cannibalism do they appear to go far beyond 
proper bounds. The flesh of one of their own kind is fully as acceptable 
as any other. Frozen meat they seem to prefer. When one of their 
number is killed say by a rifle ball, and left lying, the living of the local- 
ity turn to and make a sordid repast. They start from the wound by 
licking away the blood, gradually nibbling the flesh and tearing the 
fur back. I cannot recall ever having seen a perfect body molested, 
such as one taken from a snare. It appears that a v/ound or tear ex- 
posing the flesh is necessary before a start is made. So accurately does 
the following published letter to Ernest Ingersoll reflect my own experi- 
ences in this respect that I can do no better than quote it for additional 
detail. 
Dear Editor: I read with interest S.’s” letter to you in the issue February 
13 concerning Animal Cannibalism as noticed by him among wild rabbits. 
I can endorse every word he says about dead rabbits being regularly eaten 
by their own kind in this part of Canada, It is a common occurrence on bright 
evenings to see rabbits about my shack, or near the stables gnawing at any dead 
rabbits or part of one left in the snow; and as a rule, very little is left of the 
carcass in the morning except the skin and bones. They will, however, rarely 
touch a whole rabbit left with the skin on but one that is torn, cut up, or partly 
skinned they make short work of. They will also eat any other animal with the 
skin off, as anyone who has done any trapping for weasels, etc., in the far north 
well knows. Baits are regularly pulled down and eaten up to the bone; and the 
trouble here is stopping the little cannibals from springing your traps. The rab- 
bits in this district are healthy enough, and have no lack of food in poplar bark, 
hay, etc,, but they never fail, to gnaw the flesh off the bones of a dead comrade, 
and have done so, to my personal knowledge ever since I came into this country 
six years ago. 
As you seem to have a doubt on the matter I may add that my experience is 
also the experience of my friends and neighbors, and no question of mistaking 
tracks in the snow can arise, as anyone can watch the rabbits any evening enjoy- 
ing a supper of flesh by just throwing down near the haystack the cut-up carcass 
of another rabbit, muskrat or any other small animal. 
Clyde, Alberta. F. B. 
In passing I wish to make reference to the peculiarity of this species 
in taking to the water. I think this habit is little recognized as of ac- 
tual occurrence, much less as one practiced more or less regularly, and 
free from the nature of accident. Although the evidence is indubitable 
on this score I instinctively feel that this essentially woodsy and fluffy 
creature resorts to such measures only on rare occasions. However 
this may be, it is certain it has no hesitation at times in voluntarily 
swimming rivers of modest width. Just how frequently such aquatic 
