THE LITTLE CHEIF HAEE. 325 



intense cold of these northern latitudes, thus 

 more effectually preventing radiation and waste 

 of animal heat. Their food consists entirely of 

 grass, which they nibble much after the fashion 

 of our common rabbit. They never burrow or 

 dig holes in the ground, but pass their lives 

 among the loose stones. Who can fail to trace 

 the evidence of Divine care in colouring the fur 

 of this defenceless creature in a garb exactly 

 resembling the grey lichen -covered fragments 

 amongst which he is destined to pass his life ? 

 So closely does the animal approximate in ap- 

 pearance to an angular piece of rock when sitting 

 up, that unless he moves it takes sharp eyes to 

 see him; and the cry or whistle is so deceptive 

 that I imagined it far distant, when the animal 

 was close to me. 



The species described and figured by Sir John 

 Richardson F.B.A., plate 19, Lepus (Lagomys) 

 princeps, the little Cheif Hare I first saw at 

 Chilukweyuk lake, and next on the trail leading 

 from Fort Hope, on the Fraser river, to Fort Col- 

 ville. The little fellows were in a narrow gorge, 

 as well as among loose stones. It was about the 

 same date as in the preceding year that I had 

 seenLagomys minimus making its nest; but here 



