LEPORID^— LEPUS CALLOTIS ET VAR. 351 



Var. texianus. 

 Northern Jackass Hare. 



Above pale ashy-gray, sometimes tinged with brownish and mixed with 

 black. Below white, or nearly white on the middle of the belly, passing 

 into grayish-white or very pale brownish-white on the sides, the inside of 

 the limbs, and on the breast, where it is more strongly brownish. Throat 

 lighter, nearly white. Orbital ring white, varying to yellowish-white. Ears 

 more or less broadly tipped with black, yellowish-brown (externally), 

 mixed with black on the anterior half, whitish on the posterior half, passing 

 into white at the base ; fringe of the borders yellowish-white. Tail black 

 above, the black extending forward upon the rump, very much as in L. cali- 

 fornicus ; sides and below gray. 



This species presents considerable variations in color, and in the fullness 

 and softness of the fur, with the season. The above description applies more 

 especially to fall and winter specimens, in which the pelage is very full, long, 

 and soft, and in which the feet are well clothed. In summer specimens, the 

 fur of the body is shorter, and the feet and legs are more sparsely clothed. 

 The brownish tint of the back is perhaps rather stronger, and the limbs are 

 of a more decided gray ; the lower surface, except the breast, is generally 

 pure white. One of the most marked seasonal differences in color, however, 

 consists in the color of the nape-patch, which in winter specimens differs but 

 little in tint from the general color of the upper surface, and over which the 

 fur is long and soft, gray externally, and black at the base. In summer 

 specimens, the fur of the nape-patch is short and generally intense black, 

 owing, in part at least, to the shedding or wearing-off of the longer gray 

 outer covering of winter. 



Specimens collected at the same season vary in respect to the amount of 

 black in the dorsal surface and in the strength of the pale fulvous shade. 



Var. callotis. 

 Mexican Hare ; Southern Jackass Hare. 



Slightly smaller than var. texianus, with the black on the tips of the ears 

 nearly or quite obsolete, being replaced with pale yellowish or pure ichite. 

 Above more or less strongly yellowish-brown, mixed with black; lower 

 surface, including the limbs and sides of the rump, white, usually finely 



