504 THE RABBIT OF POPOCATEPETL CHAP. 



pointed out by Professor W. N. Parker. 1 These differences have 

 led some to approve of its separation from the Hares into a genus 

 Oryctolagus. This animal is believed to be an introduced species, 

 and to have been brought by man into these islands. Its original 

 home is the Spanish Peninsula, the south of France, Algiers > and 

 some of the Mediterranean islands. Mr. Lydekker thinks that 

 the only other species of Lepus which can be considered to be a 

 " Rabbit " is the Asiatic L. hispidus. 



Of Hares there are two species in this country. The Common 

 Hare, L. europaeus (the name L. timidus seems to be really 

 applicable to another species to be referred to presently), extends 

 all over Europe excepting the extreme north of Eussia and 

 Scandinavia. It is not known in Ireland, and, curiously enough, 

 attempts to acclimatise this animal in that island have failed a 

 state of affairs which contrasts with the fatal ease with which 

 the Rabbit has been introduced into Australia. Ireland has, 

 however, the Variable Hare, L. timidus (also called L. varidbilis), 

 a species which is common in other parts of Europe, and which 

 extends as far east as Japan. This species differs from its ally 

 by the fact that it often turns white in winter with the ex- 

 ception of the black tips to the ears. In Ireland this change 

 does not always occur ; but Mr. Barrett-Hamilton has commented 

 upon the fact that Hares of this species do change on Irish 

 mountains. It appears that in this animal the change from the 

 winter to the summer dress is accomplished by the actual casting 

 off of the white hairs and their replacement by a fresh growth 

 of " blue " hairs. A similar change occurs in the American 

 L. americanus. 



Dr. Forsyth Major has noted the fact that the various species 

 of Hares can be distinguished by the condition of the furrows 

 upon the upper incisors. Thus two African species, L. crawshayi 

 and L. whytei, are to be separated by the fact that in the former 

 the incisors are quite flat, whereas in L. whytei the groove is 

 more prominent and there is a second shallow furrow. 



The genus Romerolayus 2 is quite a recent discovery.- It 

 occurs on the slopes of Popocatepetl in Mexico; it has the 

 general aspect of the last genus, and is spoken of as a " Rabbit." 

 It inhabits runs in the long grass which clothes the sides of the 



1 Proc. Zool. Soc. 1881, p. 624. 

 2 Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, x. 1896, p. 169. 



