490 
THE SAVAGE WORLD. 
by their companions. In spite of their timorousness, one of them has been 
known to kill two large rats which invaded the burrow with no good intent. 
The Tapeti, or South American Hare (. Lepus brasiliensis) , is happy in the 
possession of both hare-like and rabbit-like qualities. It is peculiar in its small 
ears, short stumpy tail, and in its littleness. It is found in Brazil and the 
adjacent countries. 
The European Rabbit, or Cony ( Lepus cuniculus ), the lapin of the French, 
is about sixteen and one-half inches long, with the tail three inches in addition, 
and the ears also are about three inches long; the tarsus is shorter than in the 
hare; the general color grayish-brown above, white below, the back of the neck 
rufous, tail white below, blackish above, but pencilled with dirty-white; ears not 
tipped with black. Compared with that of the hare, the skull has the muzzle, 
inter-orbital space, and incisive openings narrower; the mammae are five pairs, 
two pectoral, three ventral. In the wild state the rabbit inhabits Europe except 
the more northern portion, and northern Africa. It is thought to have been 
originally from Spain, but being hardy, to have been carried to most parts of 
the world. It is easily distinguished from the hare by its smaller size, grayish 
color, and short feet and ears; it also differs from the hare in its habit of 
burrowing. 
Unable to escape from its enemies by speed, it seeks safety in deep holes 
dug in dry sandy places; living gregariously in what are called warrens, with 
an ample supply of food at hand, in places suitable for burrows, such as sandy 
heaths covered by a prickly furze. Remaining concealed during the day, they 
come out at twilight in search of food, and often do considerable mischief by 
digging up the newly-sprouted corn and gnawing the bark from young trees. 
The warrens are often of large extent, and a source of great profit from the 
flesh and skins of the animals which are caught in snares and traps, dug or 
drowned out, or hunted with dogs and ferrets. 
They are very prolific, beginning to breed at the age of six months, and 
having several litters in a year, producing from five to eight at a time; the 
period of gestation is about three weeks, but as the uterus is double, there may 
be two distinct litters at an interval of a few days. The young are born blind 
and naked, in a nest lined with the mother’s soft fur. Rabbits are said to live 
eight or nine years. They seem to have social laws, the same burrow being 
transmitted from parents to children, and enlarged as the family increases. It 
is estimated that a single pair of rabbits would, if unmolested, become the pro¬ 
genitors of more than one million two hundred and fifty thousand of their kind. 
To check this increase there is the persecution of man, and of carnivorous 
beasts and of birds. The ravages of the rabbits are more than counterbalanced 
by their flesh, which forms a nutritious and easily digested article of food, and 
by their skins which are used in making hats and are dyed to imitate more 
expensive furs. White and gray are the prevailing colors; in the silver-gray 
variety the hairs are white and black. 
The American Gray Rabbit, or Cotton-tail ( Lepus sylvaticus ), is about 
sixteen and one-half inches to the root of the tail and twenty-six and one-half 
to the end of the outstretched legs; the fur and pads of the feet full and soft; 
on the back light yellowish lined with black, grayer on the sides; on the rump 
mixed ash, gray and black, pure white below; upper surface of tail like the back, 
below pure cottony-white ; posterior edge of ears whitish, edges of dorsal sur- 
