IN PRAISE OF OLDER WABBITS

Lagomorpha, from the Greek for rabbit, denoting all rabbits, hares and pikas; Leporidae, from the Latin for hare, denoting all rabbits and hares--these are Order and Family of our Coney friends (might not coney derive from the Latin, cuniculus, a rabbit?).

Oryctolagus cuniculus, the genus and species of the common European rabbit, a long-known and often well liked friend in our culture, especially in youth . . .

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There is, of course, a variety to this timid survivor, such as our imaginations perhaps do not suggest to us . . .



Although the Sumatran rabbit has only been sighted once since 1916, this cousin from Annam (not surprisingly, the Annamite rabbit, named for the mountain range which separates Laos and Vietnam) is thought to have diverged from its Sumatran cousin about 8 million years ago.

Lepus Americanus, the Snowshoe Hare, leaves a big footprint in the animal world . . .



The cottontail is probably most familiar to Americans . . .



Some, indeed, will be a Wee, sleekit, cowrin', tim'rous beastie, such as Brachylagus idahoensis, the pygmy rabbit . . .



Some, such as the Japanese Amami Ryukyu, will seem less than familiar to us . . .



And some are lean and athletic, such as the jackrabbit familiar to so many Americans, Lepus callotis . . .




Of whatever variety, to all our dear Wabbit friends here at AckAck, this humble paean is devoted.