are and retained a piece of her skin in
his mouth, but he could not follow the hare into the cottage, as the
aperture was too small. The sportsmen lost no time in getting into the
cottage, but, after much searching, they failed to discover puss. They,
however, saw the old woman seated by the fire spinning. They also
noticed that there was blood trickling from underneath her seat, and this
they considered sufficient proof that it was the witch in the form of a
hare that had been coursed and had been bitten by the dog just as she
bounded into the cottage.

It was believed in England, as well as in Wales, that witches were often
hunted in the shape of hares. Thus in the _Spectator_, No. 117, these
words occur:--

"If a hare makes an unexpected escape from the hounds the huntsman curses
_Moll White_ (the witch)!" "Nay," (says Sir Roger,) "I have known the
master of the pack, upon such an occasion, send one of his servants to
see if _Moll White_ had been out that morning."

In _Yorkshire Legends and Traditions_, p. 160, is a tale very much like
the one which is given above. It is as follows:--

"There was a hare which baffled all the greyhounds that were slipped at
her. They seemed to have no more chance with her than if they coursed
the wind. There was, at the time, a noted witch residing near, and her
advice was asked about this wonderful hare. She seemed to have little to
say about it, however, only she thought they had better let it be, but,
above all, they must take care how they slipped a _black_ dog at it.
Nevertheless, either from recklessness or from defiance, the party did go
out coursing, soon after, with a black dog. The dog was slipped, and
they perceived at once that puss was at a disadvantage. She made as soon
as possible for a stone wall, and endeavoured to escape through a
sheep-hole at the bottom. Just as she reached this hole the dog threw
himself upon her and caught her in the haunch, but was unable to hold
her. She got through and was seen no more. The sportsmen, either in
bravado or from terror of the consequences, went straight to the house of
the witch to inform her of what had happened. They found her in bed,
hurt, she said, by a fall; but the wound looked very much as if it had
been produced by the teeth of a dog, and it was on a part of the woman
corresponding to that by which the hare had been seized by the black
hound before their eyes."

_Early reference to Witches turnin