Page:The Hare.djvu/42

20 leveret (which I held in my hand) cried out, the old hare (which was evidently its mother) rushed up to us snorting as if it would attack us, and remained near all the time we hunted for the weasel, which I am sorry to say escaped us that night. The old hare once, in her boldness, to defend her young, ran up within a few inches of the dog's nose.'

Practical men always assure me that the doe hare lives a solitary life, except in the season of love. The charge of the leverets, which are born with open eyes, depends entirely upon the female parent. They say also that it is a mistake to keep as many jack hares as does on a farm, because the superabundant males fight viciously, and one buck will amply suffice to pair with half a dozen does. Some people maintain also that they can distinguish the sexes of hares by the way in which the animals carry their ears. The female allows her ears to fall back (as they do while she rests in her form) when fleeing from her enemies. The male animal carries one of his ears partly raised as he races away. I cannot vouch for the truth of this belief; but it is prevalent among poachers who depend upon hare catching for their subsistence, and are therefore fairly well acquainted with the actions of the animal they persecute. My