302 
WALDEN. 
over the snow crust, straightening its body and its limbs 
into graceful length, and soon put the forest between me 
and itself, — the wild free venison, asserting its vigor 
and the dignity of Nature. Not without reason was its 
slenderness. Such then was its nature. ( Lepus , levipes , 
light-foot, some think.) 
What is a country without rabbits and partridges ? 
They are among the most simple and indigenous animal 
products; ancient and venerable families known to an¬ 
tiquity as to modern times; of the very hue and sub¬ 
stance of Nature, nearest allied to leaves and to the 
ground, — and to one another; it is either winged or it 
is legged. It is hardly as if you had seen a wild crea¬ 
ture when a rabbit or a partridge bursts away, only a 
natural one, as much to be expected as rustling leaves. 
The partridge and the rabbit are still sure to thrive, 
like true natives of the soil, whatever revolutions occur. 
If the forest is cut off, the sprouts and bushes which 
spring up afford them concealment, and they become 
more numerous than ever. That must be a poor coun¬ 
try indeed that does not support a hare. Our woods 
teem with them both, and around every swamp may be 
seen the partridge or rabbit walk, beset with twiggy 
fences and horse-hair snares, which some cow-boy tends. 
