Show Y r rr rBy r m By Ted Katie Kesting g gIn In Nature the battle does docs not always go to the strong and fierce Consider the cottontail and his vigorous prosperity advises Byron Dalrymple author of many out out- outdoor outdoor door articles 3 es The well loved little rabbit known everywhere op up th J. J United States and 2nd hunted from border to border and coast to t by mil mul lions is not as he has always been portrayed a cute little bunny of bedtime stories or a cartoon char acter He is actually a sly crafty soldier of fortune who has padded silently about chuckling inwardly over the hoax he has perpetrated upon his neighbor including man He Re has managed this great hoax by taking the role of or forage beast in his world of enemies He lIe has aroused our sympathy and love by posing as the meekest of the meek all the while prolifically re re- reproducing reproducing producing pr his species He lIe has at at- attained tamed an enviable position in the world of or wildlife he consorts with mankind and prospers We must assume that the cot cot- cottontail cottontail started in some restricted territory Yet today his beat cov coy covers covers ers era almost every section of the United States States and and more He has pushed his trails up mountain slopes of or the West out into south- south I deserts felt his way into the cold of southern Canada probed I ed the tropics below our borders and on down don into South America No timid spirit ever colonized such vast varied aried and dangerous lands To the rabbit every moment is filled with personal danger Hawks Haks owls foxes wolves bobcats house cats dogs hunters seek them al al- always always ways waS and everywhere Yet he eaves eL the mark of his hunger for adventure everywhere e He lie goes gocs out in plain pl n view of all the dang dang- dangers ers ens which beset him Perhaps his philosophy is primarily primarily marily manly one of or fateful resignation but certainly theres there's nothing de de- defeatist de- de defeatist about it Curiously he holds bolds a wry sort of or natural power block for by suddenly stopping his breeding he could starve his lus en en- enemies enemies and thereby al al- alter alter ter the entire wildlife economy econom |