Abstract
The parturition of Lepus brachyurus brachyurus in captivity took place in a shallow den (-5 cm in depth and - 20 cm in diameter) dug by the mother, and its duration was very short (-2 min) . Newborn young quickly acquired locomotive ability and could run about ca. 1 hr after delivery. They began to feed on some plants at day 8, but were nursed until 1 month after birth. They usually suckled at midnight only once a day for ca. 2 min, and the mother and her infant (s) separated except at the nursing time. The parturition and nursing behaviours in this hare showed a similarity to those of rabbit-type species. However, a distinct difference between Lepus and rabbit-type species is that Lepus is reproductively independent of the burrow (nest) by virtue of its ability to bear precocious young. This uniqueness seems to give Lepus advantages over rabbit-type species, by minimizing the energy investment of the mother for parturition and nursing, reducing the risk from predators, and increasing the infant's locomotive ability.
