30 



Generally distributed in the Lowlands, local in the Highlands; 

 in west Sutherlandshire rare, and confined to the limestone district 

 of Assynt [Alston and Ilarvie- Brown, P. N. II. S. Glasg., n., 

 p. 146). The species does not appear to be indigenous in any of 

 the Islands, but has been very generally introduced. It was first 

 brought to the Lew T s by Seaforth, shortly before 1797 (Old Stat. 

 Ace, xix., p. 272), and became numerous, but is said now to 

 be decreasing; was introduced into Coll about 1787 (op. cit., x., 

 p. 401), into Mull in 1814 or 1815, and into Orkney in 1832, 

 where, in 1848, Hares were abundant in the Mainland and in Hoy 

 (Hist, Nat. Ore, p. 16). 



50. Lepus variabilis, Pallas. 



Mountain Hare. 



Scot, Blue Hare, White Hare. 



Gael., Maidheach-geal (lit., white hare). 



Very numerous throughout the Highlands, but does not appear 

 to be indigenous in the Outer Hebrides, where Mr. Harvie-Brown 

 was informed that it was first turned out about 1850; it is also 

 stated to have been only recently introduced into Mull. In 

 Orkney they are said to have been formerly found, as is shown 

 by a passage in Sibbald's " Scotia Illustrata," and by a 17th century 

 manuscript, quoted by Baikie and Heddle (Hist. Nat. Ore, p. 17), 

 but they have long been extinct. About twenty years ago the 

 Mountain Hare was introduced into the south-western hill-country, 

 and it is now not rare in many of the upland districts of Peebles- 

 shire, Ayrshire, and Lanarkshire (Alston, Fauna W. Scotl,, p. viii). 



51. Lepus cuniculus, Linnaeus. 



Babbit. 



Gael. Coinein, Coineanach (from old English coney?). 



Old Scot, and Ore, Cuning. 



A rapidly-spreading species in Scotland, and may now be said 

 to be universally distributed, although local in the Highlands 

 owing to the character of the country ; but forty or fifty years ago 

 Babbits were unknown in many parts even of the Lowlands where 

 they now abound. They appear to have been introduced into the 

 Islands, and must have been long established in Orkney, for 

 Martin states that their skins were an article of export in 1715 

 West. Isles, p. 357), and in 1795 no fewer than 36,000 skins were 



