Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-04-22
THE JACK RABBIT.

Written for THE AMERICAS

time III the wild and NOotly West, AS you
people away daouwn east" admringly
call us, is the annual roundup of jack
rabbits. This is not for the purpose of
branding the rodent, might appear
to the reader at first thought when he
recognizes the term, but to annihilate
them.
Last fall was on a profession visit in
the heart of The rabbit country of Idaho,
where a function of this sort was being
held. | will try to describe it, and also to
relate some other kindred features hat
think will interest the reader, especially
the little folk
w hen he inspiratio ion first seized upon
/ me to write up the account and send it to
THE ELLSWORTH AMERICAN, it was sub
dued by the cautious after-retectio ion that
the. text is a dry one and might not live
through the gauntlet OF the argus-eyed
editor, but most likely would find a sepul-
chre in the waste basket-thst grave in
Potter's field for rejected manuscript.
But remembered how that great many
years ago the question was asked "Can
these dry bones live?n And so, ponder
boys and girls around the winter hresides
in Maine, to whom the things here re-
counted may be of more than passing in
terest, might by aid OF their bright i'm
aglnatlons make even the cold dead
words OF this dry subject live again.
These drives are by no means pecu-
liar to Idaho, but are common to every
II 81 To Npst of 4 be NJ
The jackass rabbit, called "jack rabbit
for short, is much larger than any other
of the rabbit species, and derives its
name from a resem bIance OF its aural head
gear to the ears of Mr.. Baalam's loqua-
cious interrogation point of ancient and
pious memory. Though awkward in all
Its movements, the jack rabbit can out
strip easily the teetest horse; and so
alert and abundant in nervous energy is
he hat he eludes the hound on occasion,
/ or the coyote, or even his twin brother,
the prairie wolf him of which it is
written;
with Its long gallop that can tire
The hounds deep hate, the hunters fire
He is ever on the alert for danger sig
rate is II thief of the very first water, no
bull intended; or, more appropriately, he
may lie called a four-legged Ishmaelite,
for every hand, and spiked mouth for
that matter, is against him. He is, more
over, reflective genius, and spends much
time in serious meditation, ntemplat-
ing no doubt the various fields of ripen-
iJ,ty ~ Ia,
when only the white face of the moon
witnessed the depreciation.
W lille thus engaged he affects a sitting
posture, because in that attitude he seems
to be able to think with greater facility
and composure. When startled by sud
i den premonltion OF trouble, he sits down
on the launches, whisks his stumpy tail,
+ shifts tire air nervously Wit plant nose,
and erects his ears in an interrogative
T sort OF fashion, rs II vainly essaylng to
guess the next quarter whence will come
the danger. Finally, when he makes up
his mind that he better be going he does
not long deliberate on the manner of
going, hut goes at once, and with a sud
den celebrity Of movement quite surprising
to the amateur hunter tho has eveIed his
fo~ ling piece over II stiff sage brush with
much precision and patience, the better
/ to steady his aim.
NATURAL ENEMIES.
The coyote is the jack abbit's natural
and impIacable enemy, but when the
contest is solely between the two, the
race is never III doubt, for the coyote is
I of for no 10
not always the case, for the coyote, being
wary as well as cruel, resorts sometimes
to strategy to accomplish that which he
cannot either by speed or endurance. He
/ therefore makes rum on the rabbit,
and continues the pursuit till somewhat
exhausted, when by his barking, he calls
up an ally of his own kind, who pursues
the painting fugitive to the end.
The first coyote does not relinquish he
field by any means, but in a leisurely
manner, and with tail a-droop, and
withal a humble demeanor, joys out
latterly from the trail, and eonceaIing
himself in hollow behind a bush or
/ rock, lies down to rest but not to sleep,
/ for all the while he is serenely alive to
the situation. He has not been long thus
sequestered when pursuer and pursued,
having completed the irregular circle of
more or less magnitude, are making the
home run in close proximity to the
ambuscade. This geometrical manpuvre
seems to be made with long headed de-
liberation. The rested coyote now
springs on his quarry from his we'll
concealed cover, when there is heard
what sounds like feeble squeal, but only
| for moment, and then the air is filled
with fluffy fur. All is over.
| But there is another side to the story in
which these two dissimilar quadrupeds
| figure as characters, when the play ends
quite differently, and then it is said that
! the coyote makes melancholy laugh