Hairbrained or harebrained?

SEELEY LAKE – The word "hairbrained" conjures images of Lucy from the "I Love Lucy" show engaging in hilarious and unsuccessful attempts to get into show business or to make money as in the famous chocolate factory episode. No doubt Lucy's mop of red hair helped to perpetuate the spelling of "hairbrained." Though both spellings are in common usage, the more correct spelling is "harebrained" because the original reference is not to hair but to the species of rabbit known as the European or brown hare.

The European hare is larger, has a longer body and longer ears and is more muscular than its c...