432 LEPUS. 



Geogr. Distr. Through Mexico to Tehuantepec. 



Genl. Char. Size large; similar to L. texensis Waterh., but the 

 black on tips of ears almost obsolete, quite so in some specimens, 

 the tips being pale yellowish or white. 



Color. Above yellowish brown, mixed with black; sides paler; 

 rump and thighs whitish ash, lined with black, and a black line in 

 center of rump; nape black in summer; pectoral collar and throat 

 pale brownish yellow; rest of under parts and hind feet white; outer 

 surface of fore legs ashy gray, lined faintly with black; whitish spot 

 on head; ears brownish yellow with yellowish white edging, usually 

 white at tips ; tail above black, beneath brownish gray. 



Measurements. Total length, 560; tail vertebrae, 57; hind foot, 

 142; ear, height posteriorly, 137. Skull: total length, 47.5; greatest 

 width, 44.5; interorbital constriction, 23; length of nasals, 45; pos- 

 terior width of nasals, 46; length of upper molar series, 14; length of 

 lower jaw, 67; height of lower jaw, 33. 



448. merriami (Lepus), Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1896, 



p. 444. Elliot Syn. N. Am. Mamm., 1901, p. 289. 

 texensis, Aud. & Bachm., N. Am. Quad., in, 1853, p. 156, pi. 



CXXXIII. 



MERRIAM'S JACK RABBIT. 



Type locality. Fort Clark, Kinney County, Texas. 



Geogr. Distr. Northern Mexico near boundary line and "Lower 

 Gulf Coast to mouth of the Rio Grande, and up that stream to mouth 

 of the Devil's River." 



Genl. Char. Similar to L. callotis ; ears shorter and tipped with black. 



Color. Above grayish fawn mixed with black; nape black; sides 

 of rump, thighs, and legs grayish white, lined with black; a black 

 line on middle of rump; gular area clay color; rest of under parts 

 white except a cream buff patch on sides of abdomen, such as are 

 usually seen before the thighs; tail above black, beneath white; ears 

 on anterior surface yellowish brown, mixed with black, the border 

 buff, succeeded by a narrow black line; inner surface with base and 

 tip black, intermediate space grayish white; inside ears buff with an 

 elongated black patch near outer edge; the border is white at base, 

 then buff, and black at tip. 



Measurements. Total length, 570; tail vertebrae, 75; hind foot, 

 123; ear from crown, 142. Skull: occipito-nasal length, 90; Hensel, 

 72; zygomatic width, 41; interorbital constriction, 26; median length 

 of nasals, 31; posterior width of nasals, 20.5; length of frontals, 37; 

 of parietals, 18; palatal length, 9.5; length of lower jaw from tips of 

 incisors, 71 ; height at condyle, 37. 



