THE JACK RABBIT 
61 
each with comical long ears and long legs, sprang out 
like bouncing rubber balls. In a twinkling they had 
leaped away, and could be seen no more. 
“We were lucky to see them," Uncle Ely then said. 
“Baby jacks are smart fellows. They can find food and 
take care of themselves when they are no more than 
a week old, and when a month old they can run like 
lightning. However, when danger is near, Nature 
teaches them to stay hidden as long as they dare. The 
old jacks will run at once, when an enemy appears; 
the babies will hide, because they know that they are 
little and can be caught more easily. But when the 
moment comes— zip! and they are gone, too, just as 
we saw." 
“Are there always twin babies?" asked Ginger. 
“No. The parents will have from one to six in a 
family." 
“What do jack rabbits eat, Uncle Ely?" 
“Almost any kind of plant. They especially like 
to eat green vegetables in our gardens, such as cab' 
bages and lettuce. Sometimes, in the southwestern 
country, they become so numerous that they destroy 
much garden growth, and farmers have to shoot 
them. More often, however, it is the owls, foxes and 
larger wild beasts that try to slip up on jack to catch 
