1896.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 367 



length 600 millimeters, hind foot 164; ear, from crown, 84 ; tail 

 vertebrre 60. Skull: total length 97 ; greatest breadth 49 ; great- 

 est diagonal length of nasal 41 ; greatest length of mandible 76 ; 

 greatest breadth of mandible 47 ; alveolar length of upper molar 

 series 17.8. 



General remarks. — This form has the most southern distribution 

 of the Arctic Hares of America. It is found about eight degrees 

 farther south than the most southerly locality inhabited by the 

 Lepns timidus group of the Old World, and twelve degrees south of 

 the southernmost habitat of our Alaskan representative. As al- 

 ready stated, it is quickly distinguishable from timidus by its clear, 

 blackish-gray summer coat and black ears. It owes its separation 

 from arcticus to the greater average temperature and humidity of 

 its environment, intergrading with the parent stock across the bar- 

 ren grounds of Baffin Land. From L. tschaktschonim it is easily 

 separable on account of smaller size, and its black ears and bluish, 

 grizzled cast contrast decidedly with the sooty-brown shades of the 

 Pacific coast animal. From the form inhabiting central British 

 America the exact amount of difference is not determinable, owing 

 to lack of specimens. 



Specimens examined. — Newfoundland, 5 skins, 6 skulls ; Labra- 

 dor, 5 skins, 10 skulls. 



Lepus groenlandicus Rhoads. Greenland Polar Hare. Pis. VI, VII &, VIII, figs. 

 1. Pi. X. figs, a, 6 &7- 



LepHs ^lacialis Peters, Die Zweite Deutsch Nordpolarf., II, 1874, pp. 164- 

 167, pi. 2. 



Lepus grmilandiais Rhoads, Amer. Nat., 1896, p. 254. Type from Robert- 

 son's Bay,* lat. 78°, Greenland. No. 1,486, ad. ^ (?), Col. of Acad. Nat. Sci., 

 Phila. Collected by C. E. Hite for the Peary Relief Exp., Aug. 2, 1892. 



Geografhic distribution. — Greenland and Grinncll Land. Ice- 

 land ? 



Habitat. — Everywhere quite numerous in southern Greenland, 

 but preferring secluded places and the snowy mountains. — Fabri- 

 cius. Rocky hillsides, keeping closely to snow patches in summer. 

 — Heilprin. On the plains and mountains at all seasons, though 

 never numerous. — Dr. Pansch (fide Peters 1. c). 



Color. — Adult summer pelage (of type) white, suffused anteriorly 

 with light tawny and sparingly sprinkled with gray over upper 

 head and ears ; back with scattering black, gray and tawny-tipped 

 hairs. Tip of ears black. Tail, sides and lower surfiices, pure 

 white. Whiskers black and white. Half-grown young in July 



*Misspelled ' Robinson's Bay ' in the original description. 



