Abstract
WHILE rambling in the winter time over the snow-covered plains in this region, I have recently interested myself in ascertaining how far, on a level surface, a hare or rabbit may leap at each spring, at a time when either of these animals is put to its best speed. Two species of Lepus are quite abundant in this vicinity, viz. the Mexican hare (L. callotis callotis), and the sage hare, which is really a medium-sized rabbit (L. sylvaticus Nuttalli), while the first-mentioned is a big hare. It is not uncommon to find here, in certain localities, a stretch of perfectly level prairie extending for a distance of 3 or 4 miles, and when this is covered by an even layer of 1 inch or more of snow, it offers an admirable surface on which to take account of the distance which may separate any two tracks of one of these animals, either one made by a hare or one made by one of the rabbits. On such a prairie as I have just referred to, I have on numerous occasions fired at these animals when they have been running, and at the same time beyond the range of my fowling-piece; such a shot almost invariably has the effect of so alarming the game as to make it run at its very best rate of speed, and upon coming up with the tracks they have left on the snow at such times, I have been surprised at the distances they can clear at each individual leap. Under these conditions I once measured the spaces cleared by an old Mexican hare, and found the first two equalled 12 feet apiece, while the third effort was rather more than 13 feet, and I have never known this species to exceed this, although I have tested not a few of them. Of course the rabbit cannot compete with such magnificent gymnastics as this: it will, however, when thus frightened, make leaps of fully 6 feet; and on one occasion I measured one on the dead-level prairie, which was rather more than 7 feet. At their common rate of going, the hare rarely clears more than 4 feet at any single leap, while the rabbit is satisfied with rather more than 2 feet, and, when quietly feeding about the sagebrush, the tracks made by an individual of either species may actually overlap each other.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
SHUFELDT, R. The Leaps of Lepus. Nature 37, 247 (1888). https://doi.org/10.1038/037247b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/037247b0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.