The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Lewis, September 14, 1804 (Entry 2)

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Lewis, September 14, 1804

Sept. 14th 1804. Shields killed a hare of the prarie, weight six pounds and 1/4

F. I. Length from point of hind to extremity fore feet 2 11 hight when standing erect 1 13/4 length from nose to tale 2 1 girth of body 1 23/4 length of tale - 61/2 length of the year - 51/2 width of do. do. - 3 1/8 from the extremity of the hip to the toe of the hind foot 1 31/2

the eye is large and prominent the sight is circular, deep sea green, and occupyes one third of the width of the eye the remaining two thirds is a ring of a bright yellowish silver colour. the years ar placed at the upper part of the head and very near to each other, the years are very flexable, the anamall moves them with great ease and quickness and can contrat and foald them on his back or delate them at pleasure- the front outer foald of the year is a redis brown, the inner foalds or those which ly together when the years are thrown back and wich occupy two thirds of the width of the year is of a clear white colour except one inch at the tip of the year which is black, the hinder foald is of a light grey- the head back sholders and outer part of the thighs are of a ledcoloured grey the sides as they approache the belly grow lighter becomeing gradually more white the belly and brest are white with a shad of lead colour- the furr is long and fine- the tale is white round and blounty pointed the furr on it is long and extreemly fine and soft when it runs it carry's it's tale strait behind the direction of the body- the body is much smaller and more length than the rabbit in proportion to it's height- the teeth are like those of the hair or rabbit as is it's upper lip split- it's food is grass or herbs- it resorts the open plains, is extreemly fleet and never burrows or takes shelter in the ground when pursued, I measured the leaps of one which I suprised in the plains on the 17th Inst. and found them 21 feet the ground was a little decending they apear to run with more ease and to bound with greater agility than any anamall I ever saw. this anamal is usually single seldom associating in any considerable numbers.