OCR Text |
Show s MARSH RABBIT $ This wetland rabbit resembles a Cottontail that has lost its cottony tail and which has developed shorter, shor-ter, wider ears and narrower, short-haired hind feet. The general impressien is that the Marsh Rabbit Rab-bit is darker than the Cottontail with the back rather heavily peppered pep-pered with black and with the brown more rusty , than that of the Cottontail. Pure white seems to be lacking in this rabbit though it is gray on the under parts including in-cluding the under part of the tail. Because of its preference for wet spots, we find a number of appropriate' common names given the animal. It is called Pontoon, Wet Rabbit and Water Rabit with minor modification of these terms at times and in some regions. The total length of a Marsh Rabbit is just over 17 inches while a Cottontail may be an inch and a half longer. The weight of the two animals may be about the same. The comparative nakedness of the hind feet of the Marsh Rabbet Rab-bet is appropriate to the needs of an animal whose hind feet may frequently become wet and which must be dried out and also appropriate ap-propriate for the needs of that animal ani-mal to do considerable swimming now and then. The Marsh Rabbit ranges through the coastal area of the United States from southern Virginia Vir-ginia to Alabama with two recognized recog-nized sub-species being found in Florida. It should not be confused with the larger Swamp Rabbit. While 'the Cotontail and the Marsh Rabbit may not exceed 3 pounds in weight, the Swamp Rabbit may reach a weight of 6 pounds. Like the Cottontail, the Swamp Rabbit is pure white under the tail. Marsh Rabbits are active mostly most-ly at night and their presence in the daytime may be indicated by the injury they may cause to the plants on which they feed. They establish rather definite trails in their home teritory and may rest in identical spots day after day, even though they may move about freely at night or at dusk or dawn. Usually 2 to 4 , young are born, probably about 5 or 6 weeks after breeding begins in early February, and there are probably a number of litters born during the year. The young are at first protected in a sunken nest lined wtih fur and Well hidden. Even after the young rabbits are weaned, they may return re-turn to the old nest site for some days before becoming more independent. inde-pendent. Because of the preference of these animals for marsh lands, they do comparatively little damage dam-age to agricultural crops which are not normally cultivated in such places. They wil be found in areas flooded by brackish water but prefer pre-fer fresh-water situations. The rabbits will dig up the underground under-ground portions of plants of their range. They swim readily and strongly and in hot weather may prefer to rest in the water rather than on dry ground. . Because of the limited range these mammals are not so well known as some of their relatives, but it illustrates the tendency of Nature to have plants and animals ani-mals capable of occupying niches not used by related species. The national wildlife federation encourages en-courages studies of problems of this sort. |