124 COMMON HARE; 
however, that the females live longer than the 
males ; of this M. Ruffon makes a doubt ; but 
Goldsmith was assured that it is so. They pass 
their lives, in our climate, in solitude and silence ; 
and they seldom are heard to cry, except when they 
are seized or wounded. Their voice is not so sharp 
as the note of some other animals, but more nearly 
approaching that of the squalling of a child. They 
are not so wild as their dispositions and their habits 
seem to indicate ; but are of a complying nature, 
and easily susceptible of a kind of education 
They are easily tamed. They even become fond 
and caressing, hut they are incapable of attach- 
ment to any particular person, and never can be 
depended upon ; for, though taken never so young*, 
they regain their native freedom at the first oppor- 
tunity. As they have a remarkable good ear, and 
sit upon their hind legs, and use ther fore paws 
as hands, they have been taught to beat the drum, 
to dance to music, and go through the manual ex- 
ercise. 
But their natural instincts for their preservation 
are much more extraordinary than those artificial 
tricks that are taught them. The hare, when it 
hears the hounds at a distance, flies for some time 
through a natural impulse, without managing its 
strength, or consulting any other means but speed 
for its safety. Having attained some hill or rising 
ground, and left the dogs so far behind that it no 
longer hears their cries, it stops, rears on its hinder 
legs, and at length looks back to see if it has not 
lost its pursuers. But these, having once fallen upon 
the scent, pursue slowly and with united skill, and 
the poor animal soon again hears the fatal tidings 
of their approach. Sometimes when sore hunted 
it will start a fresh hare, and squat in the same 
form; sometimes it will creep under the door of 
$ sheep-cot, and hide among the sheep ; sometimes 
