Hares

Both the age and freshness of a hare are to be considered in the choice of it. When old, the claws are blunt and rugged, the ears dry and tough, and the cleft wide and large; but on the contrary, if the claws are smooth and sharp, the ears tear easily, and the cleft in the lip is not much spread, it is young. The body will be stiff, and the flesh pale, if newly killed ; but if the flesh is turning black, and the body limber, it is stale; though hares are not always considered as the worse for being kept till they smell a little. The principal distinction between a hare and a leveret, is, that the leveret should have a knob, or small bone, near the foot, on its foreleg, which a hare has not.

Rabbits

The claws of an old rabbit are very rough and long, and grey hairs are intermixed with the wool; but the wool and claws are smooth, when young. If stale, it will be limber, and the flesh will look bluish, with a kind of slime upon it; but it will be stiff, and the flesh white and dry, if fresh.