Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933)
"White-tailed Jack Rabbit"
Signed lower left. Original Watercolor on Illustration Board.
Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood commemorative cover for Balke's Baby Wildlife of the 50 States, postmarked November 2, 1984. Born in the open -- concealed only by the North Dakota bush -- the baby White-tailed Jack Rabbit weighs a mere two to six ounces. Fantastic as it may seem, this tiny rabbit can stand and even walk a few steps as soon as it is born. But, perhaps prudently, considering the open country in which it lives, this baby stays warm and cozy in its rabbit furlined nest for about four weeks. Often the nest is shared by two or three siblings. After the first month of life, the little Jack Rabbits venture forth to explore their homeland. Chances are they will spend the greater part of their lives within a few acres of here. They can be seen in their brownish coat which protects these babies throughout the summer months. Blending with the surroundings, only the black tipped ears -- which will eventually rise six inches -- and the fluffy four-inch white tail, give this brown-eyed ball of fur away. In winter, the coat will turn to grayish-white as the growing hare scampers quickly through the snow. For warmth, it may burrow unseen into a drift, or lie in a scooped-out snowy hollow. Full-grown, the White-tailed Jack Rabbit may weigh up to ten pounds. If flushed and frightened, he will run extremely fast, sometimes reaching forty-five miles an hour in a series of twenty-foot springing bounds. Even the water is not a deterrent to the get-away. For, unlike its relative the blacktail, the White-tailed Jack Rabbit will take to the water if cornered, kicking and paddling its way to safety.
Image Size: 11.25 x 12.5 in.
Overall Size: 18.25 x 20 in.
Unframed. (B08944)
Condition
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