The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is one of the largest hare species. Native to Europe and parts of Asia, it is adapted to temperate, open country. Hares feed mainly on grasses and herbs, supplementing these with twigs, buds, bark and field crops, particularly in winter. They rely on high-speed endurance running to escape predators, including large birds of prey, canids and felids. Generally nocturnal and shy, hares can be seen in the spring in broad daylight chasing one another around in fields, and sometimes striking each other with their paws ("boxing"). The female nests in a depression on the surface of the ground, giving birth to three or four kits that are active as soon as they are born. The European hare has a wide range and is moderately abundant, but populations have been declining in mainland Europe since the 1960s. The hare has been a traditional symbol of fertility and reproduction in some cultures.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hare

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1786:

Francis Light founded George Town, the first British settlement in Southeast Asia and the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Town,_Penang

1929:

The first Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic, the oldest and largest African-American parade in the United States, was held in Chicago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Billiken_Parade_and_Picnic

1979:

Two Aeroflot passenger jets (similar aircraft pictured) collided in mid-air near Dniprodzerzhynsk in the Ukrainian SSR, killing all 178 people on both aircraft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Dniprodzerzhynsk_mid-air_collision

1999:

Ken Levine's System Shock 2 was released to mediocre sales, but was critically acclaimed and highly influenced subsequent first-person shooter game design. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Shock_2

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Weimarization: (politics, American spelling, Oxford British English) A state of economic crisis leading to political upheaval and extremism. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Weimarization

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Great is the rose That challenges the crypt, And quotes milleniums Against the grave.   --Nathalia Crane https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nathalia_Crane