68 THE MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND FISHES OF ESSEX.
August, 1885. The Vole was rescued by him, uninjured,
from a cat, and was forwarded alive to the Zoological
Gardens.
The habits of Arvicola glareolus appear to be similar to
those of the last species, but I think it is never found in such
damp situations as the Field Vole. The only distinguishing
characters to be entirely depended upon are the teeth.
Colour, length of tail, and brush at the end of it, are uncertain
marks in such a variable family, and I advise no one to
trust any of these traits singly in the identification of
specimens.
Family LEPORIDAE.
Genus Lepus, Linn.
Lepus timidus, Linn. Common Hare.
I shall say little about this animal, as it must be well-
known to everyone. It occurs in all parts of the county, and
is, from its manner of feeding, a great pest to the corn-grower
and the gardener.
Hares vary much in weight. From seven to eight pounds
is the average in this county ; but I once saw a female turn
the scale at ten pounds and a half.
Occasionally a perfectly black Hare has been captured.
Mr. James Cooper records (Zool., 1856, p. 5058) shooting
one such on the estate of Sir W. Bowyer Smijth, Hill Hall,
Epping, on January 31st, 1856. Others are noted from Ongar
(Field, Jan. 3rd, 1863, p. 16), and Epping, where within a cir-
cuit of about five miles four black Hares and leverets were
taken about the year 1865.
I have once seen a very light-coloured, almost white, Hare
at Paglesham. A similar specimen was killed, after a very
long chase, on the estate of Sir C. C. Smith, at Suttons,