QUADRUPEDS. 71 
have not room to enumerate, that he was happier in 
human society than when shut up with his natural com- 
panions." 
Hares are some of the animals called game, and they 
are hunted by greyhounds, which is called coursing ; and 
also by packs of dogs called harriers and beagles. There 
are white Hares in the northern regions, the change in 
colour being the effect of cold. 
THE RABBIT ( Lepuf cuniculus, ) 
Is not unlike the hare ; its flesh is white and good, but 
not so much prized ; its head, ears, and tail are shorter 
than the hare's. The colour of the wild Rabbit is con- 
stantly the same ; but we have domestic ones of nearly 
every colour. The female begins to breed when she is 
about twelve months old, and bears at least seven times 
a year ; and such is her fertility, that if we should calcu- 
late the produce of a single pair, in one year, the number 
would be amazing. They commonly bring forth eight at 
each time, and on a supposition that this happens regu- 
larly, at the end of four years, a conple of Rabbits might 
see a progeny of almost a million and a half! Hence we 
might justly apprehend being overstocked by their in- 
crease, did not their destruction by various enemies bear 
a near proportion to their fecundity. The young of the 
Rabbit are born blind, and almost destitute of hair ; while 
those of the hare can see, and are covered with hair. The 
