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Show Agility of Hares and Rabbits. Interesting figures on the relative agility of hares and rabbits are given in a volume by J. G. Millais. "When running at ease," he says, "the length of the hare's stride is about four feet, but under conditions of fear its leaps extend to ten and twelve feet, while some authors claim that it can jump ten ditches twenty to twenty-five feet in width. Perpendicularly a hare can jump on to a five-foot' wall, but seems to be nonplused by one about six feet. The stride of the rabibt is about two feet. When necessary it can make leaps-of six of seven feet horizontally. About three feet is the highest that a rabbit can attain to even when helped by the asperities of .a stone wall." Mr. Millais tells how rabbits swim when compelled to. "They swim with the head held as high as possible, while the hocks of the hind legs appear above the element at each stroke. The shoulders and front part of the body are buried beneath the water, while the rump and tail are high and dry." |
