ADDENDA. 311 



Varying hare, Lewis and Clark's Expedition up 

 the Missouri, vol. ii. p. 179. 



Char. Essent. Colour, plumbeous above, white 

 beneath, during the summer ; of a pure white in 

 winter ; tips of the ears, black or reddish-brown 

 at all seasons ; body covered with fine, close fur ; 

 tail round, bluntly pointed. 



Dimensions. Body smaller and longer in pro- 

 portion than that of the common rabbit, (^L. ame- 

 7icanus,) weighing from seven to eleven pounds. 



Description. The eye is large and prominent, 

 the pupil of a deep sea-green, occupying one 

 third of the diameter of the eye ; the iris is of a 

 bright yellowish and silver colour; the ears are 

 placed far back, and very near each other, which 

 the animal can, with surprising ease and quick- 

 ness, dilate and throw forwards, or contract and 

 hold upon his back at pleasure ; the head, neck, 

 back, shoulders, thighs and outer part of the legs 

 are of a lead colour; the sides as they approach 

 the belly, become gradually more white ; the 

 belly, breast, and inner part of the legs and thighs 

 are white, with a light shade of lead colour ; the 

 tail is round and bluntly pointed, covered with 

 white, soft, fine fur, not quite so long as on the 

 other parts of the body ; the body is covered with 

 deep, fine, soft, close fur. 



The colours here described, are those which 

 the animal assumes from the middle of April to 



