194 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



breast, white under the belly, a whitish spot before 

 the eyes, and another behind the cheeks; ears of a 

 uniform grayish-brown ; feet reddish before, with 

 the point of the foot fawn colour; upper surface 

 of the tail of a similar colour with the back, be- 

 neath white ; fur becoming whiter during the win- 

 ter, but the ears and tail remaining always of the 

 same gray. 



Habit. Burrowing in the earth, preferring dry 

 places ; female bringing forth three or four times 

 annually, from five to ten at a time; period of ges- 

 tation endures about six weeks ; the female will 

 receive the embraces of the male immediately 

 after delivery. In the domestic state the latter is 

 apt to destroy the young. 



Inhabit the whole extent of the United States. 



Species. 

 % Lepus glacialis, Sabine, Suppl. to captain 

 Parry's voyage, 1819 — 20. 



Char. Essent. Colour white ; ears black at the 

 tips, longer than the head ; nails robust, broad and 

 depressed. 



Dimensions. Larger than the L. variabilis, 

 (which is two feet four inches two lines from the 

 end of the snout to the anus,) the average weight 

 being about eight pounds. 



Description. The ears are longer in proportion 

 to the head than those of the common hare, {L. 

 timidusy) and much longer than those of the L, 



