Connecticut western news., 1881-12-21
The Jack.Rabbit of Texas.

1uo AuSCu A6AH5J D yCTtSS b1ys. 4uo iack-rabbit is an inhabitant of Texas and of some other Western States. He is often called the 'mule-eared rabbit" and, by the cowboy, is familiarly spoken of as the "muley." He is not rabbit at all. A rabbit is an unobtrusive little animal, who is found by schoolboys in hole in the ground at the end of long track in the snow. The so.called jack rabbit is quite different sort of soup meat. He is identical with the British hare, except that he is larger, his color lighter, and his ears much longer. His avoirdupois is about 12 pounds, and his ars measure, from tip to tip, about 16 inches. He does not burrow in the ground. He lies under cover of a bunch of prairie grass, but is very seldom found at home, his office hours being between sunset and sunrise. He is to be found during the day on the open prairie, where he feeds on the tender shoots of the mesquite or sage grass. He is not ferocious animal, as a stranger might be led to suppose from an examination of what purports to be his picture, under the alias of "The Texian Hare, " in Gov. Roberts's book. The jaek-rabbit has several enemies, among them the cowboy, who shoots him with his rifle, the coyote and the dog, who try to run him down, and the Gov. ernor of Texas above alluded to, who ibels him in his book. He has two ways of protecting himself against his enemies. One way is to squat, when he suspects danger, and fold his ears along his sides. By doing thls he often escapes observation, as only his back is exposed, the color of which harmon. izes with the brown of the withered grass. The other plan, that he uses when discovered and pursued. is to create reno teness between himself and his pursuer. In giving his whole atten- to this matter, when necessary, he is a stupendous success, and earnest to a fault. When disturbed he unlimbers his long legs, unfurls his ears, and goes off with a bound. He generally stops after running about a hundred yards, and looks back to see if his pursuer is enjoying the chase as much as he thought he would, and then he leaves for parts unknown. There are many fast things, from an ice-boat to note maturing in the bank, but nothing to equal the jack-rabbit. An unfounded rumor gets around pretty lively, but could pot keep up with him for two blocks. When an ordinary cur dog tries to expedite iack-rabbit route, he makes humiliating failure of it.
 He only gives the rabbit gentle exer else. The latter merely throws up hit ears, and, under easy sail, skins leisure ly along, tacking occasionally to give the procession time to catch up. But i you want to see velocity, urgent speed and precipitated haste, you have only tt turn loose greyhound in the wake of iack-rabbit. Pursued by greyhound he will "let himself out" in 8 manne, that would astonish prepaid half-rat' message. If he is rabbit that hai never had any experience with 8 grey hound before, he will start off at an easy pace, but as he turns around to winl derisively at what he supposes to be al ordinary yellow dog, he realizes tha there is force in nature hitherto un known to him, and his look of astonish ment, alarm and disgust as he furls hi
 ears and promptly declines the nomina tion, is amusing. Under such circum stances he goes too fast for the eye t.
 follow his movements, and presents tn optical delusion of streak of jack . rabbit a mile and half long,