III.

Snowshoe

The varying hare, known popularly as the snowshoe rabbit, is distributed widely throughout North America. In winter it is pure white except for black ear tips, and in summer it is reddish-brown. The young snowshoe weighs 85 g (3 oz) at birth and develops so rapidly that it crawls on the second day after birth and hops on the third day. Adult males, called bucks, fight one another with their teeth when they court the same females, which are known as does. Although largely herbivorous, the adult snowshoe rabbit may eat mice and carrion.