Melvin Winn, age 10, of Walnut Creek, Calif. for his question:
IS THE SNOWSHOE THE BIGGEST RABBIT?
The fluffy white snowshoe is bigger than any of the wild rabbits but smaller than some of our tame rabbits. Actually, it is hardly fair to compare them because the so called snowshoe rabbit is really a hare. And hares tend to be bigger, heavier and a lot speedier than rabbits. The snowshoe looks a lot bigger than he really is, but at least one of our wild hares is quite a bit bigger. When winter comes to the far north, the snowshoe rabbit races and chases like a snow white cloud in a snow white world. Now and then he pauses to nibble a twig or munch a bit of bark. When weary, he hunches to rest under a low bough. His extra thick fluffy coat keeps out the cold and the long tufts of fur between his toes protect his feet from the icy snow.
Because of his huge furry booties, we ordinary folk call him the snowshoe rabbit. People who know more about the animal world refer to him as the varying hare. This name is less poetic but more accurate. For this beauteous bunny is a hare that varies, or changes, his coat to match the seasonal scenery.
His average length is about 16 inches, and his weight is somewhat less than 5 pounds. His fluffy coat makes him seem a lot bigger. But he is not nearly as big as our Western jack rabbit—that also happens to be a hare. This bouncing bunny may be 2 feet long and weigh 7 pounds.
The numerous wild rabbits are from 8 to 14 inches long and weigh from 2 to 5 pounds. So the snowshoe rabbit, alias the varying hare, is a little longer but not quite as heavy as the biggest wild rabbit. And some of our pampered tame rabbits are 20 inches long and weigh in at around 10 pounds.
The rabbits of this world are timid stay at homes. They shelter in underground burrows, where there are cozy rooms to bring up the helpless babes. The strong, long legged hares are bold, outdoor creatures. They have no burrows, and their frisky babes are born in shallow nests on the ground.
The jack rabbit, the brown hare of Europe and several hares of other lands are bigger than the snowshoe. Even some of the tame rabbits are bigger than he is. But up there in the wintry northland, surely he is the bravest and the most beautiful of all the bunnies.