three were occasionally seen, during the summer, near the same spot;
but the leverets were, I have reason to believe, killed at the latter
end of September of the same year. The old doe hare was also coursed,
and, making directly for my cottage, entered the garden, and there
blinked the dogs. I repeatedly afterwards saw her sitting, sometimes in
the garden, which is one hundred and ten yards by forty-three, but more
frequently in the garden-hedge. She was repeatedly seen by greyhounds
when she sat at some distance, but uniformly made for the garden, and
never failed to find security. About the end of the following January,
puss was no longer to be seen around the garden, as she had probably
retired to some distance with a male companion. One day, in February, I
heard the hounds, and shortly afterwards observed a hare making towards
the garden, which it entered at a place well known, and left not the
least doubt on my mind, that it was my old acquaintance, which, in my
family, was distinguished by the name of Kitty. The harriers shortly
afterwards came in sight, followed Kitty, and drove her from the
garden.

"I became alarmed for the safety of my poor hare, and heartily wished
the dogs might come to an irrecoverable fault. The hare burst away with
the fleetness of the wind, and was followed, breast high, by her fierce
and eager pursuers. In about twenty minutes I observed Kitty return
towards the garden, apparently much exhausted, and very dirty. She took
shelter beneath a small heap of sticks, which lay at no great distance
from the kitchen door. No time was to be lost, as, by the cry of the
hounds, I was persuaded they were nearly in sight. I took a
fishing-net, and, with the assistance of the servant, covered poor
Kitty, caught her, and conveyed the little, panting, trembling creature
into the house. The harriers were soon at the spot, but no hare was to
be found. I am not aware that I ever felt greater pleasure than in thus
saving poor Kitty from her merciless pursuers. Towards evening I gave
her her liberty; I turned her out in the garden, and saw her not again
for some time.

"In the course of the following summer, however, I saw a hare several
times which I took to be my old friend; and, in the latter end of
October, Kitty was again observed in the garden. Henceforward, she was
occasionally seen as on the preceding winter. One morning, in January,
when I was absent, a gun was fired near my cottage. Kitty was h