The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-28
A RABBITS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
He Tells the Little hoy How They
Live and What They Eat.
Savannah News.

You should understand" began the rab-
bit, as he ceased hopping about and sat
down in front of the boy, that rabbit Is
not hare, although many people speak OF
him as such. A hare is much larger than
rabbit, and has longer ears and legs In pro-
portion. The two differ also in what they
like to eat. And you should know that the
American rabbit differs from the English
and Australian rabbit, being smaller In size,
far more active and preferring home In
hollow to burrow In the earth.
II never could understand why rabbit
hind legs We're the longest" said the boy
the rabbit paused.
'Well, will tell you The rabbit is no
fighter He is runner instead. He can
bite you hard enough If you take hold of
him, as his teeth are sharp and strong, but
he won't stop to bite IL he can get away.
outrun most dogs, but to spring logs
and brush heaps, and whatever else may be
I'm the way. And there's another thing. The
rabbit has so many enemies that he must
always be on his guard, and his long hind
legs permit him TO get his head above the
grass and look around. His eyesight Is
very sharp and his hearing is acute and he
can smell danger ten times as far as you
can smell smoke. III I hadn't wanted to
talk to you, you couldn't have approached
within half mile of me-
but why are rabbits bobtailed?" asked
the boy. THE coon, possum. woodchuck,
fox and other animals have long tails"
1T is because he Is a runner" replied the
rabbit. 1.-The coon and possum and squirrel
are climbers, and the woodchuck is q
digger. If rabbit had long tail, it would
be a nuisance to him In the thick grass and
bushes. The fox, who has long tail, is
both a runner and a digger, but in a fair
run can beat him all to pieces. If he ever
catches a rabbit, it is by sly work We
make our hones mostly in hollow logs, and
If we had long tails they might catch and
hold U.S. One time a fox who ran me into
a hollow log and went in after me caught
his tail a silver and was held fast until
he starved to DEATH.
hot a
"Well, there are the hawk, the owl, the
fox, the dog, the wolf and man himself.
of course, there are no wolves around now.
except in the far West, but the other enc
mics keep me busy. The hawk, the dog and
man are on the lookout for me by day,
while the fox and the owl are WATCHING
for me at night. The hawk catches sight
of me as he sails in the air, so high that
you can ardly make him out. and down he
drops like a bullet Sometimes the rabbit
escapes being hit by dashing into the bush
es, but he is not always lucky. The owl is
much to be dreaded. He sits quietly on
the limb of tree or the roof of a barn, and
when he makes his dash rabbit has TO be
good dodger and runner TO escape him
| Twice in my life an owl has Knocked me
| over. but both times escaped him. AS for
| the fox. IL he does not catch his rabbit as
| IL comes out of a log. can sneak softly
all ali ""eH It Is ies'"s' nc WIN "O"' q
And what do you eat?' asked the boy.
| "Our favorite food is the bark of young
| do great damage to fruit growers, but we
eat the leaves of eabbages turnips. carrots
parsnips and celery. where a garden Is
handy. and when not we get along on this
| tie. dandelion. chickweed, catnip and other
plants L have many a time made good
| meal of an ear of corn or have nihbled al
| apples. The rabbit can find food wherever
/ he goes, winter or summer. The only bad
| times for him are when the snow is so deer
| that he can't go about. He then digs down
| TO the frozen earth and nibbles at the roots
of weeds and grasses
You have nice. soft fur" said the boy
/ as he bent over and stroked the rabbit.
Yes, and that's why men hunt me as
| they do replied Bunny. I'm the frs
| place. the furrier makes three or four kinds
| out of my fur all to be sold under false
names and for a good price, and in the
| next all the best felt hats. both for mer
| and women. made from my hair.
| don't believe you knew that. but any hat
| ter will tell you so. My skin is made into
/ gloves. belts. pocketbooks. etc, and any
| scraps left over go into the glue pot. Al
an article of food, / am worth Is cents
| or more. but with my pelt and all my value
| Is half dollar and more. That's all to-
| day. I haven't had any dinner yet and
| must hop about after 1t. and think yours
! Is ready at home.