leveret, the second a hare, and the third a
great hare. Her ears lead the way in the
chase, for with one of them she listens to
the cry of the dogs, while the other is
stretched, like a sail, to promote her flight."
This quaint description, taken from an old
dictionary, may be regarded as being like
the proverbial curate's egg which, as the
reader is well aware, was good in parts ;
for although no fault can be found with
the opening passages, yet the concluding
portion is without doubt somewhat highly
flavoured.
Let us proceed to examine this small
four-footed beast a little more definitely.
Measuring about twenty inches in length
from the tip of its nose to the root of its
tail, the latter being only an inch or so in
length, the hare exhibits several peculi-
arities that are of special interest.
Of these, one of the most noticeable is
the very marked difference between the
fore and hind limbs, the latter being nearly
twice the length of the former. It is owing
to this fact that when the animal is moving
5*4
OUR WILD AWMALS AT HOME
in a leisurely manner it progresses in a
series of lolloping and somewhat ungainly
looking jumps ; but, on the other hand,
when it is fleeing from an enemy, such as a
dog, it shows a degree of agility that is truly
remarkable turning aside from its course
by jerky leaps that are called " doubles "
or " wrenches " by the sporting fraternity.
The speed with which it is able to run
seconds, which was five seconds better
than the best time made by Gloaming, the
crack New Zealand racehorse."
Much depends upon the nature of the
ground over which the hare is travelling as
to how quickly it is able to proceed, for its
long hind-legs are better adapted for run-
ning up- than down-hill. When descending
a steep slope it is apt to topple over should
Photo: Charles Reid.
The ears of the Brown Hare are longer than its head ; the prominent eyes enable
the creature to see behind itself when pursued, but, by their position, are defective
for looking straight in front.
when hard pressed can well be judged by
quoting a letter that appeared in the cor-
respondence column of a daily newspaper
a short time back. The writer stated :
;< The relative speed of hares and grey-
hounds was, a little while ago, the subject
of a discussion in the Australian and New
Zealand press. One correspondent told
how, when he was riding a motor-bicycle
in New Zealand, a hare started up before
him on a dead straight country road.
For half a mile he managed to keep ' on
the hare's tail/ and the trustworthy speed-
ometer on his machine showed a record
of forty-five miles an hour. This, he pointed
out, worked out at half a mile in forty
it travel too fast, and, according to report,
to obviate this danger it will sometimes
progress in a zigzag fashion, like a ship
tacking.
Another difference to be noted between
the front- and hind-legs is that the feet of
the former are provided with five toes, and
those of the latter with but four, the soles
of all being covered with short hair. The
hare's teeth are unlike those of the majority
of rodents, inasmuch as there are two pairs
of incisors in the upper jaw, the second
pair quite small and concealed behind the
larger ones. The ears are remarkable for
their large size (their length exceeding that
of the animal's head), while the inner sur-
THE PAGEANT OF NATURE
Fhoto: G. A. Booth, F.Z.S.
The Hare makes no burrow, but sleeps and brings forth her young in a grassy lair
or " form."
face of the cheeks is lined with short hairs,
and the eyes are so large and prominent
that the creature is able to see behind itself
when fleeing from a foe. Its vision, how-
ever, is defective for looking straight in
front.
The colour of its coat is usually of a
tawny-grey tint with the underparts white,
but during the winter months it is generally
somewhat greyer than at other times. All-
black, and even entirely white, hares have
been recorded. The tail is black above
and white beneath, and the ears are tipped
with the former colour.
Found over the greater part of Europe,
but not in Ireland, Scandinavia, and nor-
thern Russia, the hare is of a shy and timid
disposition. Owing to its defenceless con-
dition its life is one continual struggle for
existence, and were it not for the protection
afforded it by the Game Laws, there is
little doubt that its numbers in Great Britain
would be far fewer than they are at present.
Not only has it to contend against the
attack of the fox, weasel, stoat, crow, and
eagle, but it is also largely hunted by man
with the aid of greyhounds, basset-hounds,
harriers, and beagles. In the endeavour
to escape from the hounds, the hare
displays much endurance, and also shows a
considerable degree of artfulness. Unless
it be confident of escaping from its pursuers
at the outset of the chase by bolting straight
away, it reserves its strength and tries to
tire them out ; and when fleeing from a grey-
hound it keeps ahead just sufficiently to
avoid being caught by the gaping jaws of
its enemy occasionally dodging to one side,
or turning so rapidly that the dog loses
ground before it is able to change its direc-
tion and follow in the footsteps of its would-
be victim.
The hare will also take advantage of any
opportunity afforded it of jumping through
a gate, an opening in some wire netting,
or a hole in a fence ; and in this manner it
often succeeds in escaping from its pursuer.
When chased by harriers, beagles, or
basset-hounds, all of which hunt by scent,
the animal will sometimes mingle with a
flock of sheep so as to throw the dogs off
the trail ; while it has also been known to
OUR WILD AMMALS AT HOME
run along the top ol a newly-cut hedge, or
to swim a stream in an endeavour to escape.
It can leap vertically to a height of five
feet, and in a single forward bound has been
known to cover a distance of five yards.
When running at full speed the impress
of the hind-feet appears in front of that of
the fore-feet, making a group of marks
something in the form of a reversed 7.
Except during the mating season, when
the males fight furiously with one another,
the hare leads a solitary life. Although it
is generally accounted a timid animal, it
is, as a matter of fact, an exceedingly
courageous one. In defence of its young it
will not hesitate to attack even human beings.
Unlike the rabbit which seeks safety
within burrow r s, it spends all its time above
ground, making its home beneath the
shelter of a bush or amidst some herbage,
and scratching away a shallow depression
in the soil which is known as its " form,"
this residence being changed from time to
time.
In the early spring the animal's tempera-
ment undergoes a peculiar transformation.
It no longer acts with the discretion that
formerly regulated its conduct, but dashes
about in a manner that has given rise to the
saying " as mad as a March hare." Its
fits of wildness are noticeable chiefly during
bad weather, and in the afternoon rather than
at any other time of the day.
Several litters of young are born during
the course of a year, the breeding season
extending from early spring to September.
In exceptionally mild winters quite young
hares have been seen as early as January.
The leverets, as the young are called,
number from two to five in a litter. They
have their eyes open at birth and their
bodies clothed in fur thus differing from
the rabbit, the young of which are born
blind and naked. The mother is very
attentive to her offspring, and realizing their
defenceless condition she deems it best to
hide them separately, making each one a
little form of its own, and concealing them to
the best of her ability. By this means the
risk of all her family being killed by a lurk-
ing foe is reduced to a minimum. She
visits them at regular intervals in order to
Photo: G. A. Booth, l-.Z.S
The particular speckled brown of the Hare's fur makes it almost imperceptible when
lying in its " form " amidst tangled brown grass.
THE PAGEANT OF NATURE
Photo: Riley Fortune, F.Z.S.
Unlike young rabbits who are born blind and
naked, Leverets have their eyes open at birth
and their bodies clothed in fur.
feed them, and when coming or going
endeavours to hide her scent by crossing
swampy ground, or even by entering the
water. She takes pains, too, with their
education, teaching them how to behave in
times of danger, the art of " freezing "
or " clapping " (crouching low down and
remaining motionless upon the ground so
as to avoid being seen) being one of the
first lessons that they have to learn. The
male hare has little to do with his offspring,
but leaves the task of rearing and educating
them entirely to the mother. Fortunately
for her, however, they soon become inde-
pendent ; when a month old they are left to
shift for themselves and about a year after
their birth they undertake parental duties on
their own account. Leverets become very
tame in captivity ; the writer knew of one
individual that was brought up with a pair
of nestling blackbirds and fed with milk and
water, which it sucked out of a doll's feeding
bottle.
The hare, known in some parts of the
country as " Puss," the " grass-cat," and also
as " Sarah," is mainly nocturnal or crepus-
cular in habits.
It is found in cultivated districts, and often
does much damage to growing wheat and
garden vegetables ; while it is also
responsible for killing numbers of
young trees by gnawing away and
feeding upon the bark. Although
usually silent, it will at times give
vent to an inward grunt, and when
caught it utters a most pathetic
scream.
Except for the mountain hare,
which is found only in the wilder
parts of Scotland and Ireland, and
which will be described in a
separate article this brown hare
is the only one known in the
British Isles. Owing to its habit
of extreme caution and timidity it
may not often be seen by the
casual wayfarer, yet there must
be copses or open fields and
downs where those who walk silent-
ly and keep their eyes and ears
alert, may not get a momentary
glimpse of this the fleetest and
most wary of our wild animals.
Photo :
Frances Pitt.
A half-grown Leveret. At about a month
old Leverets are left to shift for them-
selves, and at about a year old they
undertake parental duties on their own
account.
518
THREE LEVERETS IN THEIR "FORM."
A litter numbers from two to five individuals. Usually the mother makes each one a form
of its own, and there hides her offspring to reduce the risk of death by a lurking enemy.
Curiosities of Insect Life
14.-THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOTH
FAMILY: THE HAWKS
By H. M. CRAWFORD
With photographs by the Author
FROM the earliest days of summer to
the beginning of winter some of the
hawk moths will be on the wing.
The first to show itself is usually the
humming-bird (Macroglossa stellatarum). As
The little Humming-bird Hawk Moth (Macro-
glossa stellatarum} is usually the earliest to
show itself. Its proboscis, when uncurled,
is as long as its body. (Enlarged.)
a rule, it appears in May, but it has been seen
as early as March. This moth is a good
example of the typical differences between
the Sphingidce (or hawk-moth family)
and most of the other large moths.
Also, incidentally, these differences upset
many of the amateur's ideas about dis-
tinguishing marks regarding moths and
butterflies as a whole. Moths, for instance,
usually fly at dusk and butterflies in the
sunshine, but here is the humming-bird
that prefers sunlight to twilight, and
sucks nectar from flowers. Then the
antennae of moths may be bristle-like,
thread-like, spindle-shaped, dentated, and
so on, whilst those of butterflies terminate
in a club or knob ; but the scaly, bristly
hooks at the tips of the humming-bird's
antennae strongly suggest the butterfly's
club or knob. Again, butterflies are con-
sidered more gorgeously coloured insects
than moths, but in all the range of insect
liveries there are none so exquisite and gor-
geous as those of the hawk moths.
As an instance of this beauty of colouring,
the lime hawk is, without exaggeration,
one of the loveliest things on earth. To see
it in perfection the pupa or chrysalis should
be procured, and the moth's emergence
between May and June, in its first purity
of colour, watched for. It is a marvel of
pale olive-green loveliness. The fore- wings
are crossed with irregular dark green
markings, varying in shape, size and tint,
and at the waved edges there is an olive-
green border. The soft down on the head
and round the eyes is of the palest green,
with just a hint of warmth. On the pale
greeny-brown margin of the hind-wings,
which are concave near the anal angle, is a
broad band of darker colour, often of a
delicate plum-bloom shade.
The caterpillar of the lime hawk is also
green, obliquely striped with yellowish-
golden bands that are outlined with pale
purple. Most caterpillars are either hairy
or smooth, but the skin of many of the hawks
can only be described as granulated, like
520
CURIOSITIES OF INSECT LIFE
What a Lime Hawk ^K| Moth
(Smerinthus liliae] looks ^B I like a few
hours after emergence ^Jr from the
chrysalis. It is one of the
commonest Hawk Moths in the British Isles.
shagreen. Looked at closely it will be seen
that the lime hawk larva has green for the
underlying and ground colour, and this is
sprinkled with little gold dots. There is
also a horn at the end of the body, as in
most of the hawk larvae, and this also is
beautifully coloured purplish blue above
and yellow underneath.
All the hawk caterpillars are worth rear-
ing for their beauty alone ; in many cases
their delicate colouring defies description.
In addition, they have many remarkable
characteristics. They take their family
name of Sphingidee from the $**
strange, sphinx - like attitude
assumed by some when dis-
turbed or alarmed. The common
poplar hawk caterpillar and the u - f%:
equally common privet ha\vk, if
touched, immediately take up this
position. The elephant sphinges,
as larvae, have a different habit ;
instead of raising the head when
alarmed they contract the first
three segments of the body and
take on a snake-like appearance.
On the fourth and fifth segments
are round, dark spots with white
centres ; when the first three
segments of the body are con-
tracted, these spots resemble eyes.
Possibly this attitude is adopted in order
to terrify its enemies. In its normal
position the caterpillar's head seems ex-
tremely small, the first two segments
tapering towards it, and giving the cater-
pillar a shape something resembling an
elephant's trunk ; hence its popular name.
The following is a full list of the hawk
moths that are seen in the British Isles:
humming-bird (Macroglossa stellatarum),
broad-bordered bee (Sesia fuciformis),
narrow-bordered bee (S. tityus), oleander
(Chcerocampa nerii), silver-striped (C.
celerid), elephant (C.elpenor), small elephant
(C. porcellus), striped (Deilephila livornica),
madder (D. galii), spurge (D. euphorbia),
pine (Sphinx pinastri), privet (S. ligustri),
convolvulus (S. convolvuli), death's-head
(Acherontia atropos), eyed (Smerinthus
ocellatus), poplar (S. populi), lime (S.
tilice). There are seventeen in all, though
a few are very rare and doubtful natives.
The commonest are the humming-bird,
the poplar, the privet, the eyed, the lime,
and the two elephants. The largest, and
the only one, with the possible exception
of the eyed, that is harmful, is the death's-
head. The bee hawks, both day-fliers, are
only common in certain places. The
oleander is very scarce, and is usually re-
garded as a casual immigrant, finding its
way here during very hot summers in its
migration northwards. In the south of
Europe it feeds on the oleander, chiefly on
the blossoms, but caterpillars reared in
Great Britain have fed on Vinca minor,
the common small periwinkle.
A newly-emerged Poplar Hawk Moth (Smerinthus populi)
drying its wings.
THE PKGERttT OF NATURE
Another rare species is the convolvulus
(sometimes called the unicorn) ; this moth
also is quite able to fly over from the Con-
tinent, and all specimens found here are
supposed to be immigrants. The beautiful
silver-striped is another immigrant ; though
it possesses a wing expanse of only three
inches it is exceedingly strong and active ;
frequently it is found at rest on ships at
sea, thus proving that it is in the habit of
crossing from one country to another. The
It is in May generally that one sees the
first humming-bird and bee hawks. These
are not common in all districts, or rather
they are uncertain in their appearance, and
their flight is so different from that of
ordinary moths that they are very often
missed. In the case of the humming-bird
there are several broods up to September ;
the moth has a very quick, bird-like way of
flying, and possesses a proboscis as long as
the body. It hovers and darts amongst the
flowers, probing the blossoms while
still on the wing. It is specially
fond of the blue viper's bugloss,
though the caterpillars feed on bed-
straw and the glossy, whorled leaves
of the wild madder. The female
moth will sometimes deposit her
eggs without alighting, turning up
A Poplar Hawk Moth
Caterpillar 1 . if touched,
immediately assumes the
characteristic "Sphinx"
position, which accounts
for the family name of
Sphingidas.
striped hawk, popularly
so-called on account of the
white stripe down the
middle of the olive-brown
abdomen, has large,
prominent eyes and a very
striking appearance ; the
fore - wings are olive-
brown, with pale yellow
band and greyish margins,
while the hind-wings are
reddish-pink with a very
dark coloured band near
the margins ; a further
characteristic is that it
produces a distinct humming sound when
flying. To the same genus (the Deikphila =
evening-loving) belong the very rare spurge
and madder hawks, the latter, though ex-
tremely sensitive to cold in its larval state,
can breed in Great Britain.
The lovely pine hawk, with its narrow,
pointed, pinkish-brown and ashy-grey
wings, is certainly a British native, but it
lives almost exclusively in Suffolk. An
old writer has called it the " fir-tree arrow-
tail moth," because its caterpillars feed on
firs, also because of the broad, arrow-like
mark on the dark brown abdomen.
The Poplar Hawk Moth is quite common. Although the
ground-tint of the wings, when fully developed, is usually
a reddish-brown, the colour and markings vary considerably.
the tip of the abdomen so as to reach
the underside of the leaf. The narrow-
bordered bee hawk has the same habit ;
she lays her eggs on the undersides of
honeysuckle leaves, where they may easily
be detected.
The little bee hawks, with their short,
stout bodies covered with long hair, their
long antennae, their transparent, bordered
wings, are marvellous little creatures ; but
they are so much like bees, and their flight
is so incredibly swift, that they are rarely
noticed. The wing expanse of the largest
never exceeds two inches. The body of the
522
CURIOSITIES OF IHSECT LIFE
broad-bordered bee is yellow-green, with
two reddish-brown bands on the abdomen,
and a black and yellow anal tuft ; the body
of the narrow-bordered is a beautiful golden-
green, with bands of black and orange and
a black and orange anal tuft. These fea-
tures, together with their hovering, curving,
darting flight, cause these sun-loving in-
sects to resemble bees more strongly than
moths. The only time when it is
easy to see them is when they hover and
pause over a flower. The fact that the wings
of both the bee hawks are dusted with fine
greyish-black scales on emergence from the
pupa case seems to indicate that there was
a time when the wings were always scaled,
and that the scales have gradually disappeared.
The largest British moth is the death's-
*
A newly-emerged Privet Hawk Moth
(Sphinx ligustri) with its empty pupa ease.
Inset, a fully-grown caterpillar of this
moth as it appears at the end of summer,
just before pupation.
When the larva of the Elephant Hawk
Moth (Chosrocampa elpenor) is alarmed it
contracts the first three segments of the
body and takes on a snake-like appear-
ance. The dark spots with white centres
on the fourth and fifth segments now
resemble eyes. (Enlarged.)
head hawk. It is not very
common, fortunately for the
interests of the farmer and
the market-gardener. It has
a fondness for honey, and
is known in the south of
Ireland as the " bee-robber."
It is extremely abundant in
eastern Europe, where it does
a great amount of harm,
and is there generally re-
garded with superstitious
dread as a fore-runner of disease and
death. This is not altogether on account
of the harm it does, but because of the
fact that it is able to produce a sound
resembling a squeak, and is also capable
of emitting a strong musk- like odour when
pressed with the fingers. The squeak
may be made by friction of the palpi
against the base of the proboscis, and it has
been compared to that made by a pencil
5 2 3
THE PAGEANT OF NATURE
The larvas of the Eyed Hawk Moth (Smerinthus ocellatus)
live on willow and poplar leaves, but they will also
thrive on apple and pear.
on a slate. Another theory of the squeak
is connected with a little cavity or bladder
situated in front of the stomach ; it is
thought that the moth is able to fill this
cavity with air, and to eject the air sharply
through throat and proboscis. This noise
to give a glimpse of the rosy-red
hind-wings and body ; the antennae
were thick and white and long,
slightly hooked at the ends. A
strange thing about this species i?
that sometimes it remains in the
pupa state for two years.
The photograph of the poplar
hawk shows the peculiar way in
which it holds its wings ; these
vary considerably in colour and
markings, but usually the ground
tint is reddish brown. Its antennae
are dark red along one side and
dull white on the other. The caterpillars
are beautiful in their coats of golden-green
dotted with lighter gold, and with their
seven oblique pale yellow lines on the sides
of the body. They are subject to curious
diseases, and if the food supplied in
is made when the moth is handled or captivity has not just the right degree of
disturbed in any way. It is regarded with dampness they die. The same happens to
superstition by country people also because the larvae of the elephant hawks. On the
of the curious pale mark borne on the
thorax, which so strongly suggests a human
skull that the fact is recorded both in the
scientific and the popular names.
Although both moth and larva are large,
neither is seen very often, but the pupae
are frequently dug up in potato fields. The
threes. A peculiarity of the hawks
is that the caterpillars will eat
only the leaves of the plant or
tree on which the eggs were laid.
other hand, the larvae of the eyed hawks
live and thrive even in really adverse
circumstances. They will live very well
on leaves of apple or pear, as well as on
their more usual diet of the leaves of
willow and poplar.
The eggs of the hawk moths are a decided
caterpillar which when full fed is often six green colour, large, and generally smooth.
inches in length prefers the flowers and Closely-packed groups are uncommon ; they
leaves of the potato plant to any other are oftener laid singly or in twos and
vegetable food, but it has been found
feeding also on jasmine, woody night-
shade, tomato and tobacco plants.
The privet, the eyed and the poplar
hawks are very common and
very beautiful. They haunt
the open parts of woods and
their outskirts, and flat open
country as well as gardens.
They all fly at dusk, and are
easily attracted by a light.
One of the photographs
shows a privet hawk and its
empty pupa case. This moth
was bred in captivity from a
caterpillar that had fed on
lilac leaves the preceding
summer ; its long, grey,
pink-tinged fore- wings, as
it clung to the rough wood
,., The Eyed Hawk Moth has
like a huge fly, were now - <
and then raised sufficiently
eeuliap method of walking>
Its attitude displays its very beautiful wing markings to
advantage.
524
15.-THE GIANT TAILED "WASP"
By T. M. BLAGKMAN
With photographs by the Author
WALKING through a pine wood with
observant eye, one may occasion-
ally see upon the trunk of one of
the trees what might pass as a large hornet.