FAUNA AMERICANA. 197 



Dimensions. Total length from the tip of the 

 nose, along the back to the root of the tail, sixteen 

 inches ; length of the ears four inches. 



Warden states that the largest hares are 

 eighteen inches total length, and weigh from 

 seven to eight pounds. 



Description. (Winter dress, at the commence- 

 ment of spring.) General colour a snow-white, 

 at the end of the snout intermixed with fawn; 

 ears within naked, bordered with brown hairs in- 

 termixed with white; externally their anterior 

 surface is reddish-brown ; posterior surface white, 

 slightly marked with dark plumbeous at tip ; fur 

 fine, soft, and long, most abundant on the breast, 

 plumbeous at base, then reddish, then pure white; 

 tail very short; legs longer and more slender, 

 ears longer in proportion to those of the common 

 American rabbit, {L. americanus^) nails long, 

 slightly arched, subulate, and compressed at base, 

 entirely covered by the hair which projects from 

 the top of the foot; incisors above and below 

 of nearly equal length ; the inferior straight and 

 cuneiform ; the superior slightly arched, and 

 marked by a longitudinal groove near the inner 

 margin ; whiskers, some entirely white, some 

 black, others white with black at their base. 



Habit. These animals never burrow, but fre- 

 quent meadows, &c. near the base of mountains, 

 and when pursued retreat into hollow trees ; they 



