WINGED RABBITS. 
71 
honeycombed: at last, on turning a corner, we sud¬ 
denly came on a dozen rabbits, gravely sitting at the 
mouths of their holes. They were quite white, without 
ears, and with scarlet noses. I made several desperate 
attempts to catch some of these singular animals, but 
though one or two allowed me to come pretty near, just 
as I thought my prize was secure, in some unaccountable 
manner—it made unto itself wings, and literally flew 
away! Moreover, if my eye-sight did not share the 
peculiar development which affected that of the Doctor’s, 
I should say that these rabbits flew in pairs. Red¬ 
nosed, winged rabbits ! I had never heard or read of 
the species; and I naturally grew enthusiastic in the 
chase, hoping to bring home a choice specimen to 
astonish our English naturalists. With some difficulty 
we managed to catch one or two, which had run into 
their holes instead of flying away. They bit and 
scratched like tiger-cats, and screamed like parrots ; 
indeed, on a nearer inspection, I am obliged to confess 
that they assumed the appearance of birds , 1 which may 
perhaps account for their powers of flight. A slight 
1 The Puffin (Alca arctica). In Icelandic, Soe-papagoie; in 
Scotland, Priest; and in Cornwall, Pope. 
