(1) At leisure (one to three feet). (2) Steady lope (three to five feet); the front tracks blend into one mark. (3) On the quick jump (five to twelve feet).
Varying Hare track when the snow is deeper than a couple of inches.
VARYING HARE TRACKS
THE COTTONTAIL RABBIT
Cottontail Rabbit
Tracks—
(1) At leisure.
(2) In a hurry.
AS can be easily seen from a comparison of the life-size track picture of the varying hare and cottontail—drawn from tracks made under the same tracking conditions, i. e., on ground covered by about two inches of snow, and while the animals were running at approximately the same speed—the tracks of the cottontail, besides being much more slender than those of the hare, are also more pencil-shaped at the point of the toes. The toes are but faintly indicated, and the toenails practically indiscernible, while in the case of the hare both are plainly visible; in fact, the imprint of the toenails is a prominent feature in the track of the hare. In every case where any doubt exists in regard to the tracks of the two small varieties, this alone is sufficient to settle it; as the toe marks are more prominent in the front track, its appearance alone is sufficient for the trailer to form a correct conclusion. Except when jumping with the hind feet into the front tracks two individual tracks of the cottontail never blend into one mark on account of the slenderness of the feet. The jump picture of both the small rabbits in dry snow sometimes appears very much like that of the marten; but by following the trail for a short distance one will always dispel any doubt.
In illustrated articles the writer has seen drawings and photographs of tracks and trails claimed to have been made by the New England cottontail which looked exactly like those made by the varying hare. If there was no mistake in identification, the Western cottontail, which the illustrations represent, evidently makes tracks entirely different from those of the Eastern variety. There is every reason to believe, however, that the track of the same type of rabbit is the same in every part of the country.