NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 105 



of Hares from all the Long Island in 1782-1790,* and Pennant 

 likewise, in 1777.f 



Mr. H. Greenwood includes both Brown and White Hares in a 

 list of Mammals of the Lews sent to me, and adds — " White Hares 

 are most plentiful towards the west coast of Lewis and Harris, 

 where the ground is more mountainous." 



14. WHITE HARE. 



Lepus variabilis (Pall.) 



This species (as well as the last) was introduced, I was assured, 

 to the Island of Harris, at Rodil, about twenty years ago, and 

 has since then spread rapidly all over Harris and Lewis. In the 

 Forest in North Harris they are killed down at all seasons by the 

 foresters as vermin. They come down from the hills to the hollows 

 and mosses, even close to the shore, where I often saw them, and 

 are generally distributed at all altitudes. They become white in 

 winter, like those on the mainland, and retain the white coat a long 

 time. I saw some as pure white as they could well be, at the end 

 of April, whilst others were bluer. In all of them, however, I 

 believe bluish patches appear at that season, if the wind raises the 

 fur, as I often had opportunity of observing. When in Harris in 

 1870, I cannot say that I observed any marked difference in the 

 size of the White Hares from those of the same species on the 

 mainland. Mr. A. Williamson, however, who has had nine years 

 experience of Lewis, " noticed in the Lews all animals and birds, 

 — even the Snipe — were smaller than on the mainland. The 

 Grouse were smaller, . . . and Hares little bigger than 

 rabbits." The Salmon, of which he " in one season killed 90, 

 getting with the fly in one day 19, averaged only 6f lbs." 



This deterioration in size, usually accompanied with darker 

 plumage or fur, is incidental to insular positions, and is what may 

 be expected. Deterioration from an introduced stock may take 

 some time to become very apparent, but a succession of extremely 

 wet seasons, and late springs, may, very probably, hasten the 



* Travels, p. 22. 



t Lightfoot's "Flora Scotica." Pennant mentions a small sort of Hare— 

 "a bad runner" — as occurring in Islay. In Mull the Irish Hare occurs, 

 and I have shot them at Loch Bhuie, where, however, I understand they 

 were introduced. In Lewis, on the Aline and Soval ground, Brown Hares 

 are unknown. Mr. Williamson only met with the next species. 



