Dancing Hare

Paul Christiano as Strephon in the first of the Ritual Dances
in Michael Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage.

Morning Light XXXV

Images: Subject and photographer unknown.

Hare Care

Like all wild creatures, it is important for a hare to keep itself clean and they are always grooming. This puts them at risk of ingesting chemicals sprayed on the land, especially because they like to keep their feet clean after being balled up with mud. The risk of chemical poisoning to hares has decreased, as pesticides are used more sparingly and are a lot safer, but paraquat is still often sprayed on stubble after the harvest to kill off any growth, and this can be harmful to hares.

- Jill Mason
The Hare
p. 53

Morning Light XXXIV

Image: Subject and photographer unknown.

Eyes of the Hare

Brown hares have large golden-coloured eyes set on the side of their heads, providing them with almost 360 degree vision. Directly ahead of them is where they can see least. They have been known to kill themselves by running into an object or even each other because they have obviously been looking backwards at whatever was behind them rather than forward. This all-round vision means that from their hiding place they can view everything about them. It is a fallacy that hares never close their eyes. They shut them when they are fighting to avoid injury and also when they are dozing. In common with many other animals that are the prey rather than the hunter, they do not go into a deep sleep. They probably merely relax and nap.

- Jill Mason
The Hare
pp. 49-50