The Sporting Dictionary, and Rural Repository, Volume 1 (of 2) / Of General Information upon Every Subject Appertaining to the Sports of the Field

by William Taplin

HARE

.—This small, harmless, inoffensive animal affords a greater diversity of sport in the field, and a greater degree of luxurious entertainment upon the table, than any species of GAME in this, or, probably, in any other country. The form, shape, and make of the HARE is too universally known to require description; but the most curious naturalists describe, and affect to believe, there are four kinds of hares in different parts of the kingdom. The fact is not so; the species is strictly the same; but they are known to differ in size, speed, substance, and somewhat in colour, according to the soil, climate, fertility, or sterility, of the country where they are bred.

Hares in hilly and mountainous countries are smaller, but more fleet than any other; those who are the natives of low, wet, marshy ground, or moors, are larger, but less firm and delicious in flesh, as well as less nimble in action. Hares bred in open countries, diversified with woods, parks, and arable lands, are in size between both, and afford the best coursing before GREYHOUNDS, as well as the longest chases before HOUNDS. Every part of the hare is admirably formed for the promotion of speed; which, in conjunction with other natural advantages, greatly enables her to evade the pursuits and stratagems of her numerous enemies.

The sense of SMELLING, as well as of HEARING, the hare possesses in a more exquisite degree than any other animal; the latter of which may be justly attributed to the great length, and singular formation, of the ears, so well adapted to receive the slightest vibration of sound, which even the earth is so well known to convey. Its sense of smelling is so incredibly nice, that the hare can wind an enemy (either man or beast) at a considerable distance, particularly in the stillness of the night; this is evidently occasioned by the elastic formation of the nostrils, and the depth of the division between both, from whence has arisen the appellation of a hare-lip, with which defect some of the human species are afflicted, in consequence of fright to the mother during the early months of pregnancy. The ears seem to be the regulators of almost every action; for during the chase one is always erect, the other horizontal; unless in suddenly coming upon an unexpected object, when they are for a moment both erect; but, upon turning and renewing her speed, they invariably resume their former position.

The EYES of the HARE, from the peculiar prominence of their formation, enable her to distinguish objects in almost every direction, without altering the position of either her head or her body; and it is remarkable, that their sight in a straight forward line seems less perfect than in any other. The natural timidity of the hare is excessive; she exists in perpetual fear, and is tremblingly alive to every breeze that can possibly produce alarm. Formed entirely for RUNNING, she either possesses no power, or makes no attempt to walk, but in her slowest motion proceeds by JUMPS. The food of the hare varies with the season, and consists chiefly of young clover, green wheat, short sweet grass in parks or upon lawns; and in the winter, parsley, turnip greens, and other succulent plants. During severe frosts, or deep snow, they make no small havock amongst young fruit-trees and fragrant shrubs, by nibbling the bark, thereby retarding their growth, if not (as is frequently the case) promoting their destruction. It is asserted by Mr. Daniel, in his publication called "Rural Sports," that the plantations of a GENTLEMAN in the county of Suffolk, had suffered so much in this way, that, in defence of his improvements, he felt himself under the necessity of destroying his HARES, when no less than five hundred and forty brace fell victims on the occasion.

The almost perpetual and incredible destruction of HARES, by HUNTING, COURSING, SHOOTING, and the nocturnal net and wire of the poacher, (as well as the infinite increase to supply that destruction,) having occasioned suggestions, that they possess the property of SUPERFŒTATION, it becomes immediately applicable to introduce a remark or two under that head. We are told by Mr. Daniel, that "Sir Thomas Brown, in his Treatise on Vulgar Errors, asserts this circumstance from his own observation: and Buffon describes it as one of this animal's peculiar properties, introducing an idea of hermaphrodite hares; as well as that the males sometimes bring forth young; that they are alternately MALES and FEMALES, occasionally performing the functions of either sex." Nothing can be more contemptible and ridiculous than such conjectures; they are the very essence of mental fertility; and it must suffice to admit, that Sir Thomas Brown and Buffon were not inquisitive sportsmen, or not scientifically acquainted with the parts necessary to generation.

For want of information so very easily to be obtained, some one of these speculative writers promulgated an erroneous assertion, every day liable to the most palpable confutation; "that in the formation of the genital parts of the MALE HARE, the testicles do not appear on the outside of the body, but are contained in the same cover with the intestines." It should seem these authors write more to SURPRIZE than to INSTRUCT, or that they knew little of the subject they wrote upon; as nineteen sportsmen out of every twenty, who have handled hares in the field, or taken them up before the hounds, can demonstrate the contrary; as the testicles, when the hare is full grown, are not only prominently perceptible externally, but of considerable size for so small an animal.

The natural fecundity of HARES almost exceeds belief; they continue to breed for nine months out of the twelve; and leverets (young hares) are frequently found and chopped by the hounds in January, when the winter has been mild. The doe hare goes a month after conception, and at her first produce seldom brings forth more than two, afterwards three, and sometimes four. Whenever the number exceeds two, it is a received (and generally believed just) opinion, that each of the young has a white star in the forehead, which, however, is gradually obliterated as they approach maturity. The dam is supposed to suckle them about one-and-twenty days; but takes care to separate them before that time, and deposits them individually in such forms as she has previously prepared for their reception, at a considerable distance from each other; but so situate, that she can afford maternal protection to the whole. Their prolific powers, and perpetual increase, will create no surprise, when we are respectably informed, that a brace of hares, (the doe pregnant when shut up) were inclosed in a large walled garden, and proper aliment supplied for their sustenance; when at the expiration of TWELVE MONTHS the garden was searched, and the produce was fifty-seven hares, including the original brace turned down: this fact alone demonstrating the certainty, that the females begin to breed when, or before, they are six months old.

The length of a hare's natural life is limited to six or seven years, and they reach their full growth in eight or nine months. The male is by much the smallest, seldom exceeding in weight five or six pounds; but the females, particularly in some very rich and fertile counties, weigh from seven to eight: some few instances have been known of their weighing nine pounds, after being paunched. The hare is supposed to be in gentle motion all night during the summer months, and a great part of it in the dreary nights of winter; during the length of which their works are of such immense perplexity, (in heads, doubles, and circles,) that little expectation is entertained of finding a hare by the trail, unless the field is taken early in the morning, soon after she is gone to seat; which is seldom, if ever, before the dawn of day; and in the summer months, very frequently not till long after day-light.

The HARE till full grown is called A LEVERET, and at any age is very difficult to be found sitting; so nearly does the downy fleak (when close contracted) approach the colour of the ground. In this position the old and experienced SPORTSMAN will declare the gender of the hare before it is started. The head of the male is short and round, the whiskers longer, the slit in the nose wider, the shoulders more ruddy, and the ears shorter and broader, than those of the female; the head of which is long and narrow; the ears long, and sharp at the tip; the fur of the back of a dingey hue, inclining to black, and of superior size to the male. When a hare is observed in its FORM, it may be easily ascertained, by the ears only, whether it is a BUCK or DOE; and this is a useful kind of knowledge, particularly at the latter part of the season, when no man, but a hardened poacher, or pot-hunting sportsman, would turn out a female hare before either HOUND or GREYHOUND, where there is a chance of destroying a leash, or two brace, by the wanton destruction of one.

If the hare found sitting is A BUCK, the ears will be seen drawn close in a parallel line with each other, directly over the shoulders, pointing straight down the back; but if A DOE, the ears are distended on each side of the neck, having a space between them in the centre. In the chase, a Jack hare, (as the male is sportingly termed,) after the first ring or two, particularly in the spring months, flies his country, goes straight forwards, and affords a good run, but generally falls a victim to his own fortitude at its termination. The female hangs closer to her native spot, depending more upon her instinctive efforts, in heading, doubling, soiling, and squatting, than speed for her preservation.

Hares bred upon the downs, or in hilly countries, are always the stoutest, and best enabled to escape from GREYHOUNDS; of which they are so conscious, that they always make for the nearest rising ground, so soon as started. When so severely distrest that they plainly perceive there is no other means of escape, they will take to a brick or wooden drain for security, or even run to earth, if one should luckily present itself in the emergency. They are thought to foresee a CHANGE in the WEATHER, and to regulate their sitting accordingly. After harvest they are found in stubbles, banks of hedges, woods, and thickets; during the fall of the leaf, they seat themselves more in open fields; and when the severity of winter begins to decline, warm, dry, hilly fallows are hardly ever without them. As one species of GAME, they are held in high estimation; and, notwithstanding the utmost efforts, by every degree of interdiction, with all the pains and penalties that successive parliaments could devise, from Richard the Second to the present day, for their preservation, and appropriation to the use of the superior classes, yet no laws ever proved more fallacious or deceptive; for the infinity of POACHERS, with which every rural district abounds, and the alacrity with which STAGE COACHMEN and COUNTRY HIGLERS supply their friends, will never let any inquirer be in want of A HARE, who has his five shillings in hand as a means of retribution. This INSUFFICIENCY of the LAW to check nocturnal depredation, and progressive infamy, is most sincerely to be regretted; but experience has long held forth ample conviction, that regret cannot produce redress.