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ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 
buds of trees. The flesh is esteemed by the Indians the 
greatest luxury. In confinement it will eat bread and vege- 
tables from the hand, come when called, and exhibit fondness 
for its owner. 
The Hare (. Lepus ) next engrosses our attention. 
Description . — Upper incisors placed in pairs ; head large ; 
ears long ; eyes large, projecting laterally ; hind feet long ; 
bottoms of feet, hairy ; tail, very short and elevated. Never 
burrowing like the European rabbit. 
The American Rabbit ( Lepus nanus or Sylvaticus') 
though, strictly speaking, a hare, is the most common of the 
species throughout the continent. Fleming says, that the 
American hare and European rabbit so nearly resemble each 
other, that it puzzles zoologists to assign distinguishing marks. 
The only points in which they differ are as follows : The nest 
of the hare is open, while that of the rabbit is closed, and 
lined with its own fur. The young of the hare are brisk, 
have eyes and ears perfect, their legs in a condition for run- 
ning, and their bodies covered with fur at birth. The young 
of the rabbit have their eyes and ears closed, are unable to 
travel, and are naked. It has been said that the American 
rabbit forms burrows, but this is decidedly a mistake, probably 
arising from its occasionally taking refuge when hard-pressed 
in the holes of foxes or wood-chucks. 
The Varying Hare (Lepus Americanus') sometimes called 
the Northern hare, is found all through the mountainous 
regions of the West, and is not dissimilar to the Alpine hare 
of Europe. In the winter season it becomes perfectly white ; 
it is less prolific than the preceding, hence its greater scarce- 
ness. Warden says this hare differs from the Alpine, by 
changing from gray-brown to white ; its ears are shorter ; its 
legs more slender. According to Godman, scarcely sufficient 
distinction exists to warrant the idea of its being other than 
the Alpine ; and in this the writer agrees, pronouncing it only 
a variety. In summer the hares feed on grass, juicy herbs, 
