Hare

The animal featured on the cover of !%@:: A Directory of Electronic Mail Addressing & Networks is the hare. A small grazing mammal, hares are generally larger than rabbits, have longer ears, softer fur, and longer, more powerful hindlegs. When chased, they rely on speed and sudden changes in direction (called "jinking") to elude pursuers. Wide-set eyes give them a wide angle of vision. Primarily nocturnal, they can scent enemies, thump the ground with a hindleg when alarmed, and, in turn, sense the nearby thumping of other startled hares.

Hares occupy open country, and are mainly solitary except during breeding season. The pre-mating antics of the males include bucking, bounding, kicking, and standing on hindlegs to box with one another; thus the saying, "Mad as a March hare." These boisterous exercises can sometimes include a dozen or more participants. The hare's acknowledged reproductive prowess helps compensate for its high rate of predation.

researched and written by Michael Kalantarian