To the Editor of the "Nonrit-Cinwa Day News"
May 1 contribute my amateur fevidenee to Mu. Sowsnay's profes: sional observation of the behaviour lot hares?
One day in October, when my nephew and sister and I" were in Petping, we were out walking with Jour dog in the park of the ruined FYuan Ming Yuan Palace. A hare suddenly dashed. past. us—with the Jdog in pursuit some distance. behind J—and instead of running on stopped perfectly still at the side of the path Jagainst a mound, and as the grass was a dull dead brown, the hare was Jalmost invisible. But' instead crouching, "it sat upright, and the Jdog, in the headlong' chase, ran Fight by it—much to our relict, 'By ithe time the dog found ™ that the scent was cold, and doubled back, the clever little hare had escaped, We all three of us watched this tittle drama of wild' fife knd rejolted at its dénowement, Shanghai, July 17. ire Mo Harren Mr, Richardson's Rejoinder To the Editor of the "Nonru-Cutxa Daruy News"
Sm=I feel Couxmy Dranisr in his letter from Weihaiwei is a very Jconsiderate correspondent, and did not reply to it sooner" because Jexpected Mx. Sowsmny to make some further comment upon it. However, 11 hate opening up the matter again, although so many of my friends have told me it was quite interesting, for was actually "at Mest. against. my feelings and I considered the whole matter was of very litle interest to the Shanghai public "(or—rather foreign population),—because it is Jdoubttut if anyone" or many ever take a special interest" in' open Jcountry life or have been especially. fortunate in seeing many live wild hares against the very great Jabundance of wild" rabbits, which almost everyone has been accustomed to see some time or other throughout. their' tives, As you said in your heading to [Coury Dianisr's letter, he "sums lup"—but then there is nothing said Jabout the jury or the Judge." Mr, Sowznay, either as one of a "Jury"
a "Judge," is fully quabed "up to a certain' point, I' personally do not depreciate his exceptional ability Jond wide range of knowledge on many subjects beneficial to all.
My opinion at this moment ly that when T was ten years of age, and that was not yesterday, I knew. as much about the instinety and habits of the wild hare as Mx, Sowrnny and Mx, Wauxinsow know today, and this is a perfectly straightforward sta ment to make and to be, satis ed The hare tribe—swinhoei—and the snipe tribe—swinhoei—T knew well long ago as being named after and honouring a good sporting Consul of old, named Mr. Swinho, in China, 'The Couwmy Dianist'in his letter introduces matter quite interesting from_the London magazine "Game jand Gun" (of June) by Mx. Charles Upton, 1 have just read this' article, Jand while it is fairly correct, it is really not quite correct, becatise he [speaks of hares being" hunted by {four different and distinct. breeds lof hounds, viz. the Harrier, Beagle, Basset and Greyhound. This is very far wrong in pat, because the grey Hound does not hunt the hare but Jchases it by sight, even when left ficose or coursing' it at regular Jcoursing meetings such as the Altear Jecursing meeting, known as. the "Waterloo Cup meeting." near Liverpool, on the Earl of Sefton's estate.
Shanghai, July 20,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.