Hares and jackrabbits are
mammals
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
belonging to the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
''Lepus''. They are
herbivore
A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...
s, and live
solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are
able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genus includes the largest
lagomorphs
The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae ( hares and rabbits) and the Ochotonidae (pikas). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek ''lagos'' (λα ...
. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears to dissipate body heat.
Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a "leveret". A group of hares is called a "husk", a "down" or a "drove".
Members of the ''Lepus'' genus are considered true hares, distinguishing them from
rabbits
Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit specie ...
which make up the rest of the
Leporidae
Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 60 species of extant mammals in all. The Latin word ''Leporidae'' means "those that resemble ''lepus''" (hare). Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the mammalian order ...
family. However, there are five leporid species with "hare" in their common names which are not considered true hares: the
hispid hare
The hispid hare (''Caprolagus hispidus''), also called Assam rabbit and bristly rabbit, is a leporid native to South Asia, whose historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today, its habitat is highly fragmented with an ...
(''Caprolagus hispidus''), and four species known as
red rock hare
The red rock hares are the four species in the genus ''Pronolagus''. They are African lagomorphs of the family Leporidae.
Taxonomic history
Species in this genus had previously been classified in the genus ''Lepus'', as done by J. E. Gray, or in ...
s (comprising ''Pronolagus''). Conversely, several ''Lepus'' species are called "jackrabbits", but classed as hares rather than rabbits. The pet known as the
Belgian hare
The Belgian Hare is a "fancy" (i.e., non-utilitarian) breed of domestic rabbit that has been selectively bred to resemble the wild European hare. It is a rabbit rather than a true hare. Averaging , the Belgian Hare is known for its slender and w ...
is a
domesticated European rabbit which has been selectively bred to resemble a hare.
Biology
Hares are swift animals and can run up to over short distances. Over longer distances, the
European hare
The European hare (''Lepus europaeus''), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is among the largest hare species and is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares are herbivorous and feed mainly ...
(''Lepus europaeus'') can run up to . The five species of jackrabbits found in central and western North America are able to run at over longer distances, and can leap up to at a time.
Normally a shy animal, the European brown hare changes its behavior in spring, when it can be seen in daytime chasing other hares. This appears to be competition between males to attain
dominance for breeding. During this spring frenzy, animals of both sexes can be seen "boxing", one hare striking another with its paws. This behavior gives rise to the idiom "
mad as a March hare
To be as "mad as a March hare" is an English idiomatic phrase derived from the observed antics, said to occur only in the March breeding season of the European hare (''Lepus europaeus''). The phrase is an allusion that can be used to refer to any ...
". This is present not only in intermale competition, but also among females toward males to prevent copulation.
Differences from rabbits
Hares are generally larger than rabbits, with longer ears, and have black markings on their fur. Hares, like all
leporid
Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares, containing over 60 species of extant mammals in all. The Latin word ''Leporidae'' means "those that resemble ''lepus''" (hare). Together with the pikas, the Leporidae constitute the mammalian order ...
s, have jointed, or
kinetic
Kinetic (Ancient Greek: κίνησις “kinesis”, movement or to move) may refer to:
* Kinetic theory of gases, Kinetic theory, describing a gas as particles in random motion
* Kinetic energy, the energy of an object that it possesses due to i ...
, skulls, unique among mammals. They have 48 chromosomes, while rabbits have 44. Hares have not been domesticated, while some rabbits are raised for food and kept as
pet
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence, ...
s.
Most rabbits live underground in burrows or warrens, while hares live in simple nests above the ground, and usually do not live in groups. Hares do not bear their young below ground in a
burrow
An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of sh ...
as do other leporids, but rather in a shallow depression or flattened nest of grass called a form. Young hares are adapted to the lack of physical protection, relative to that afforded by a burrow, by being born fully furred and with eyes open. They are hence
precocial
In biology, altricial species are those in which the young are underdeveloped at the time of birth, but with the aid of their parents mature after birth. Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the mome ...
, so are able to fend for themselves soon after birth. By contrast, rabbits are
altricial
In biology, altricial species are those in which the young are underdeveloped at the time of birth, but with the aid of their parents mature after birth. Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the mome ...
, having young that are born blind and hairless.
Classification
The 33 species listed are:
![Common and irish hare](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Common_and_irish_hare.jpg)
* Genus ''Lepus''
** Subgenus ''Macrotolagus''
***
Antelope jackrabbit
The antelope jackrabbit (''Lepus alleni'') is a species of North American hare found in southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico that occupies dry desert areas.
Behaviour
It is most active during twilight ( crepuscular) and during the night ( no ...
, ''Lepus alleni''
** Subgenus ''Poecilolagus''
***
Snowshoe hare
The snowshoe hare (''Lepus americanus''), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sink ...
, ''Lepus americanus''
** Subgenus ''Lepus''
***
Arctic hare
The Arctic hare (''Lepus arcticus'') is a species of hare highly adapted to living in the Arctic tundra and other icy biomes. The Arctic hare survives with shortened ears and limbs, a small nose, fat that makes up close to 20% of its body, and ...
, ''Lepus arcticus''
***
Alaskan hare
The Alaskan hare (''Lepus othus''), also known as the tundra hare, is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. They do not dig burrows and are found in the open tundra of western Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula in the United States. They are ...
, ''Lepus othus''
***
Mountain hare
The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
Evolution
The mountai ...
, ''Lepus timidus''
** Subgenus ''Proeulagus''
***
Black jackrabbit
The black jackrabbit (''Lepus insularis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. Endemic to Mexico, its only known location is Isla Espíritu Santo, Espiritu Santo Island in the Gulf of California. The IUCN has listed this species as a ...
, ''Lepus insularis''
***
Desert hare
The desert hare (''Lepus tibetanus'') is a species of hare found in Central Asia, Northwest China, and the western Indian subcontinent. Little is known about this species except that it inhabits grassland and scrub areas of desert and semi-des ...
, ''Lepus tibetanus''
***
Tolai hare
The tolai hare (''Lepus tolai'') is a species of hare native to Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northern and Central China. It inhabits semi-desert, steppes, rocky habitats, and forest meadows. It is relatively common, even in areas with heavy hu ...
, ''Lepus tolai''
** Subgenus ''Eulagos''
***
Broom hare
The broom hare (''Lepus castroviejoi'') is a species of hare endemic (ecology), endemic to northern Spain. Distribution and habitat
It is restricted to the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain between the Serra dos Ancares and the Sierra de P ...
, ''Lepus castroviejoi''
***
Yunnan hare
The Yunnan hare (''Lepus comus'') is a medium-sized species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, flat, and long dorsal Fur, pelage which is grayish brown or dark gray in color, and whitish ventral pelage. It was considered endemic to ...
, ''Lepus comus''
***
Korean hare
The Korean hare (''Lepus coreanus'') is a species of hare native to the Korean Peninsula and adjoining parts of northeastern China. The Korean hare inhabits diverse habitats within its range, from remote mountain forests to cultivated land. Fur ...
, ''Lepus coreanus''
***
European hare
The European hare (''Lepus europaeus''), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is among the largest hare species and is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares are herbivorous and feed mainly ...
, ''Lepus europaeus''
***
Manchurian hare, ''Lepus mandshuricus''
***
Ethiopian highland hare
The Ethiopian highland hare (''Lepus starcki'') or Starck's hare is a medium-sized species of mammal in the rabbit and hare family, Leporidae. Its dorsal pelage is grizzled, buff white and spotted and streaked with black, while its belly fur is ...
, ''Lepus starcki''
** Subgenus ''Sabanalagus''
***
Ethiopian hare
The Ethiopian hare (''Lepus fagani'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It was first described in 1903, by the British mammalogist Oldfield Thomas. The dorsal pelage is brownish buff, and is finely grizzled with black. The ventral ...
, ''Lepus fagani''
***
African savanna hare, ''Lepus victoriae''
** Subgenus ''Indolagus''
***
Hainan hare
The Hainan hare (''Lepus hainanus'') is a hare endemic to Hainan Island, China. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1870.
Description
The Hainan hare is small; its body length is less than and weighs only . Its head is small ...
, ''Lepus hainanus''
***
Indian hare
The Indian hare (''Lepus nigricollis''), also known as the black-naped hare, is a common species of hare native to the Indian subcontinent, and Java.
Introductions
It has been introduced to Madagascar, Comoro Islands, Andaman Islands, Irian Jay ...
, ''Lepus nigricollis''
***
Burmese hare
The Burmese hare (''Lepus peguensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognised; ''L. p. peguensis'', ''L. p. siamensis'' and ''L. p ...
, ''Lepus peguensis''
** Subgenus ''Sinolagus''
***
![Alaskan Hare Skeleton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Alaskan_Hare_Skeleton.jpg)
Chinese hare
The Chinese hare (''Lepus sinensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Taxonomy
The Chinese hare was first described by John Edward Gray in 1832. The Korean hare (''Lepus coreanus'') was ...
, ''Lepus sinensis''
** Subgenus ''Tarimolagus''
***
Yarkand hare
The Yarkand hare (''Lepus yarkandensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It has soft, straight, sandy brown dorsal Fur, pelage which has grayish-black stripes, and completely white ventral pelage. Endemic to China, the Yarkand h ...
, ''Lepus yarkandensis''
** ''
Incertae sedis
' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...
''
***
Tamaulipas jackrabbit, ''Lepus altamirae''
***
Japanese hare
The Japanese hare (''Lepus brachyurus'') is a species of hare endemic to Japan. In Japanese, it is called the ''Nousagi'' (Japanese: 野兎), meaning "field rabbit".
Taxonomy
Coenraad Jacob Temminck described the Japanese hare in 1845. The speci ...
, ''Lepus brachyurus''
***
Black-tailed jackrabbit
The black-tailed jackrabbit (''Lepus californicus''), also known as the American desert hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to . Reaching a length around , and a ...
, ''Lepus californicus''
***
White-sided jackrabbit, ''Lepus callotis''
***
Cape hare
The Cape hare (''Lepus capensis''), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India.
Taxonomy
The Cape hare was one of the many mammal species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in ...
, ''Lepus capensis''
***
Corsican hare
The Corsican hare (''Lepus corsicanus''), also known as the Apennine hare or Italian hare, is a species of hare found in southern and central Italy and Corsica.
Taxonomy
It was first described as a species in 1898 by the British zoologist William ...
, ''Lepus corsicanus''
***
Tehuantepec jackrabbit, ''Lepus flavigularis''
***
Granada hare
The Granada hare (''Lepus granatensis''), also known as the Iberian hare, is a hare species that can be found on the Iberian Peninsula and on the island of Majorca.
Subspecies
Three subspecies of the Granada hare are known, which vary in colour ...
, ''Lepus granatensis''
***
Abyssinian hare
The Abyssinian hare (''Lepus habessinicus'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is almost entirely restricted to the nations of the Horn of Africa, though it extends marginally into eastern Sudan and may also occur in far northern ...
, ''Lepus habessinicus''
***
Woolly hare
The woolly hare (''Lepus oiostolus'') is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It is found in western and central China, northern India, and Nepal, where its typical habitat is montane grassland. It has a wide range and is present in some ...
, ''Lepus oiostolus''
***
Scrub hare, ''Lepus saxatilis''
***
White-tailed jackrabbit
The white-tailed jackrabbit (''Lepus townsendii''), also known as the prairie hare and the white jack, is a species of hare found in western North America. Like all hares and rabbits, it is a member of the family Leporidae of order Lagomorpha ...
, ''Lepus townsendii''
Food
Meat
![Albrecht Dürer - Hare, 1502 - Google Art Project](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_Hare%2C_1502_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg)
Hares and rabbits are plentiful in many areas, adapt to a wide variety of conditions, and reproduce quickly, so hunting is often less regulated than for other varieties of game. In rural areas of North America and particularly in pioneer times, they were a common source of meat. Because of their extremely low fat content, they are
a poor choice as a survival food.
Hares can be prepared in the same manner as rabbits—commonly roasted or parted for breading and frying.
(also spelled ) is a traditional
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and ...
made from marinated rabbit or hare. here means not only the obvious spicing with pepper and other spices, but also means a dish in which the animal's blood is used as a
thickening agent
A thickening agent or thickener is a substance which can increase the viscosity of a liquid without substantially changing its other properties. Edible thickeners are commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings without altering their t ...
for the sauce. Wine or vinegar is also a prominent ingredient, to lend a sourness to the recipe.
()—hare stew with pearl onions, vinegar, red wine, and cinnamon—is a much-prized dish enjoyed in Greece and Cyprus and communities in the diaspora, particularly in Australia, where the hare is hunted as a feral pest.
The hare (and in recent times, the rabbit) is a staple of
Maltese cuisine
Maltese cuisine reflects Maltese history; it shows strong Italian influences as well as influences from Spanish, French, Provençal, and other Mediterranean cuisines, with some later British culinary influence. Having to import most of its foo ...
. The dish was presented to the island's Grandmasters of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
, as well as Renaissance
Inquisitors resident on the island, several of whom went on to become
pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
.
According to
Jewish tradition
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
, the hare is among mammals deemed not
kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
, and therefore not eaten by observant Jews. Muslims deem coney meat (rabbit,
pika
A pika ( or ; archaically spelled pica) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal found in Asia and North America. With short limbs, very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative, the rabbit, but wi ...
,
hyrax
Hyraxes (), also called dassies, are small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. Hyraxes are well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. Typically, they measure between long and weigh between . They are superficially simil ...
) to be
halal
''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...
, and in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, hare and rabbit are popular meats for ''
mulukhiyah
Mulukhiyah, also known as molokhia, molohiya, or ewedu, ( ar, ملوخية, mulūkhiyyah) is a dish made from the leaves of ''Corchorus olitorius'', commonly known in English as denje'c'jute, nalta jute, tossa jute, jute mallow or Jew's Mall ...
'' (
jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', which is in the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ''Corchorus olit ...
leaf soup), especially in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
.
Blood
The blood of a freshly killed hare can be collected for consumption in a stew or casserole in a cooking process known as
jugging
Jugging is the process of stewing whole animals, mainly game or fish, for an extended period in a tightly covered container such as a casserole or an earthenware jug.
In France a similar stew of a game animal (historically thickened with the anim ...
. First the
entrails
The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans a ...
are removed from the hare carcass before it is hung in a
larder
A larder is a cool area for storing food prior to use. Originally, it was where raw meat was larded—covered in fat—to be preserved. By the 18th century, the term had expanded. Now a dry larder was where bread, pastry, milk, butter, or cooked m ...
by its hind legs, which causes blood to accumulate in the chest cavity. One method of preserving the blood after draining it from the hare (since the hare is usually hung for a week or more) is to mix it with red wine vinegar to prevent
coagulation
Coagulation, also known as clotting, is the process by which blood changes from a liquid to a gel, forming a blood clot. It potentially results in hemostasis, the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel, followed by repair. The mechanism o ...
, and then to store it in a freezer.
Jugged hare, known as in France, is a whole hare, cut into pieces, marinated, and cooked with red wine and juniper berries in a tall jug that stands in a pan of water. It traditionally is served with the hare's blood (or the blood is added right at the end of the cooking process) and
port wine
Port wine (also known as vinho do Porto, , or simply port) is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. It is typically a sweet red wine, often served with dessert, although it also comes in dry, semi- ...
.
Jugged hare is described in an influential 18th-century English cookbook, ''The Art of Cookery'' by
Hannah Glasse
Hannah Glasse (; March 1708 – 1 September 1770) was an English cookery writer of the 18th century. Her first cookery book, ''The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy'', published in 1747, became the best-selling recipe book that century. It w ...
, with a recipe titled, "A Jugged Hare", that begins, "Cut it into little pieces, lard them here and there ..." The recipe goes on to describe cooking the pieces of hare in water in a jug set within a bath of boiling water to cook for three hours. In the 19th century, a myth arose that Glasse's recipe began with the words "First, catch your hare."
Many other British cookbooks from before the middle of the 20th century have recipes for jugged hare. Merle and Reitch have this to say about jugged hare, for example:
:The best part of the hare, when roasted, is the loin and the thick part of the hind leg; the other parts are only fit for stewing, hashing, or jugging. It is usual to roast a hare first, and to stew or jug the portion which is not eaten the first day. ...
:''To Jug A Hare.'' This mode of cooking a hare is very desirable when there is any doubt as to its age, as an old hare, which would be otherwise uneatable, may be made into an agreeable dish.
In 2006, a survey of 2021 people for the
UKTV Food
Good Food was a cookery channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, latterly as part of the Discovery, Inc. network of channels. The channel originally launched on 5 November 2001 and relaunched in its final format on 22 June 2009 ...
television channel found only 1.6% of the people under 25 recognized jugged hare by name. Seven of ten stated they would refuse to eat jugged hare if it were served at the house of a friend or a relative.
In England, a now rarely served dish is potted hare. The hare meat is cooked, then covered in at least one inch (preferably more) of butter. The butter is a preservative (excludes air); the dish can be stored for up to several months. It is served cold, often on bread or as an appetizer.
Taming
No extant domesticated hares exist. However, hare remains have been found in a wide range of human settlement sites, some showing signs of use beyond simple hunting and eating:
* A
European brown hare was buried alongside an older woman in Hungary mid fifth millennium BC.
* 12
Mountain hare
The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
Evolution
The mountai ...
metapodials were found in a Swedish grave from third millennium BC.
* The
Tolai hare
The tolai hare (''Lepus tolai'') is a species of hare native to Central Asia, Mongolia, and Northern and Central China. It inhabits semi-desert, steppes, rocky habitats, and forest meadows. It is relatively common, even in areas with heavy hu ...
(originally described as a
Cape hare
The Cape hare (''Lepus capensis''), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India.
Taxonomy
The Cape hare was one of the many mammal species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in ...
, amended according to range) was tamed by northern Chinese people in the neolithic period (~third millennium BC) and fed millets.
Folklore and mythology
The hare in African folk tales is a
trickster
In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...
; some of the stories about the hare were retold among enslaved Africans in America, and are the basis of the
Br'er Rabbit
Br'er Rabbit (an abbreviation of ''Brother Rabbit'', also spelled Brer Rabbit) is a central figure in an oral tradition passed down by African-Americans of the Southern United States and African descendants in the Caribbean, notably Afro-Bahami ...
stories. The hare appears in
English folklore
English folklore consists of the myths and legends of England, including the English region's mythical creatures, traditional recipes, urban legends, proverbs, superstitions, and folktales. Its cultural history is rooted in Celtic, Christian, ...
in the saying "
as mad as a March hare" and in the legend of the White Hare that alternatively tells of a witch who takes the form of a white hare and goes out looking for prey at night or of the spirit of a broken-hearted maiden who cannot rest and who haunts her unfaithful lover.
Many cultures, including the Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican, see a hare in the pattern of
dark patches in the
moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
(see
Moon rabbit
The Moon rabbit or Moon hare is a mythical figure in East Asian and indigenous American folklore, based on pareidolia interpretations that identify the dark markings on the near side of the Moon as a rabbit or hare. In East Asia, the rabbit is ...
). The constellation
Lepus
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The gen ...
is also taken to represent a hare.
The hare was once regarded as an animal sacred to Aphrodite and Eros because of its high libido. Live hares were often presented as a gift of love. Now, the hare is commonly associated with the
Anglo-Saxon goddess Ēostre
() is a West Germanic spring goddess. The name is reflected in ang, *Ēastre (; Northumbrian dialect: ', Mercian and West Saxon dialects: ' ),Sievers 1901 p. 98 Barnhart, Robert K. ''The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology'' (1995) ...
, and therefore pagan symbols like the
Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny (also called the Easter Rabbit or Easter Hare) is a folkloric figure and symbol of Easter, depicted as a rabbit—sometimes dressed with clothes—bringing Easter eggs. Originating among German Lutherans, the "Easter Hare" orig ...
have been appropriated into the
Christian tradition
Christian tradition is a collection of traditions consisting of practices or beliefs associated with Christianity. These ecclesiastical traditions have more or less authority based on the nature of the practices or beliefs and on the group in que ...
. However, no primary sources support this belief, which seems to be a modern invention.
In European tradition, the hare symbolises the two qualities of swiftness and timidity. The latter once gave the
European hare
The European hare (''Lepus europaeus''), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is among the largest hare species and is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares are herbivorous and feed mainly ...
the
Linnaean name
Linnaean taxonomy can mean either of two related concepts:
# The particular form of biological classification (taxonomy) set up by Carl Linnaeus, as set forth in his '' Systema Naturae'' (1735) and subsequent works. In the taxonomy of Linnaeus ...
''Lepus timidus'' that is now limited to the
mountain hare
The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats.
Evolution
The mountai ...
. Several ancient fables depict
the Hare in flight
The reason for the hare to be in flight is that it is an item of prey for many animals and also subject to hunting by humans. There are three fables of ancient Greek origin that refer to hare chasing, each of which also exemplifies a popular idiom ...
; in one concerning
The Hares and the Frogs they even decide to commit mass suicide until they come across a creature so timid that it is even frightened of them. Conversely, in
The Tortoise and the Hare
"The Tortoise and the Hare" is one of Aesop's Fables and is numbered 226 in the Perry Index. The account of a race between unequal partners has attracted conflicting interpretations. The fable itself is a variant of a common folktale theme in wh ...
, perhaps the best-known among
Aesop's Fables
Aesop's Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with his name have descended to ...
, the hare loses a race through being too confident in its swiftness. In
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
folklore, the hare is often associated with Sidh (Fairy) or other pagan elements. In these stories, characters who harm hares often suffer dreadful consequences.
In fiction
In art
Three hares
![Paderborner Dom Dreihasenfenster](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Paderborner_Dom_Dreihasenfenster.jpg)
A study in 2004 followed the history and migration of a symbolic image of three hares with conjoined ears. In this image, three hares are seen chasing each other in a circle with their heads near its centre. While each of the animals appears to have two ears, only three ears are depicted. The ears form a triangle at the centre of the circle and each is shared by two of the hares. The image has been traced from
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
churches in the English county of
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
right back along the
Silk Road
The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
to China, via western and eastern Europe and the Middle East. Before its appearance in China, it was possibly first depicted in the Middle East before being reimported centuries later. Its use is associated with Christian,
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
,
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
ic and
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
sites stretching back to about 600 CE.
Place names
The hare has given rise to local place names, as they can often be observed in favoured localities. An example in Scotland is 'Murchland', 'murchen' being a
Scots word for a hare.
See also
*
Lagomorpha
The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families: the Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and the Ochotonidae (pikas). The name of the order is derived from the Ancient Greek ''lagos'' (λαγ ...
References
Further reading
Windling, Terri. ''The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares''.*
William George Black
William George Black (23 December 1857 – 21 December 1932) was a Scottish antiquary, lawyer and politician from Glasgow.
The son of a Glasgow solicitor, he was educated at Glasgow University, of which he was honorary LL.D. He contested Sout ...
, F.S.A.Scot. "
The Hare in Folk-lore" ''The Folk-Lore Journal''. Volume 1, 1883
* Gibbons, J. S., Herbert, K., Lascelles, G., Longman, J. H., Macpherson, H. A., & Richardson, C. 1896. ''The Hare: Natural history''.
* Palmer, TS. ''Jack Rabbits of the United States'' 1896. Washington,: Govt. Print. Of
* Kane, Eloise C. ''Beyond the Pale: the historical archaeology of hare hunting, 1603-1831''. Diss. University of Bristol, 202
External links
BBC Nature section about hares
{{Authority control
Lepus,
Meat by animal
Mythological rabbits and hares
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
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