Xclsoii — Scr<'ii Xciv Rabbits. . 105 



grizzled by overlying blac'k on tips of long hairs, the black wash heaviest 

 on middle of back and [lalest on sides of body ; top of tail dull rnsty clay 

 color; nape rusty rn Tons ; front of forelegs and feet dingy butl'y sliading 

 l)ack into dull rusty liully on sidesof legs ; hind legs like flanks on outside 

 of thighs, l>ut shading back into dingy rusty buffy; line along front of 

 innd leg and top of foot white ; neck on sides and below deep butfy ; rest of 

 under ])arts white except for a dingy buify line on inguinal region ; ears 

 grizzled grayish l)rown on l)ase, gradually darkening to narrow black tips 

 on inner or convex surface. 



Skull chiiractcrx. — Skull similar in general character to that of typical 

 rt'rivcruch but larger and more massive ; rostrum much deeper and heavier 

 in proportion; braincase narrower, more depressed and less abruptly de- 

 scending on jiosterior outline ; nasals nearly as broad anteriorly as at base ; 

 depth of rostrum from anterior base of molars nearly equals width above same 

 l)oint; jugals very heavy, with a deep groove ending anteriorly in a deep 

 pit ; bullai about same size as in true vcrxrrnch but proportionately smaller. 



Mfasurcmenh. — External measurements of type (taken in flesh) : Total 

 length, 505 ; tail vertebne, 58; hind foot, 113 ; ear from notch (from dried 

 skin), 78. 



Cranial measurements of type : Occipi to-nasal length, 86 ; basal length of 

 Hensel.Bo; interorbital width, 19.5; parietal width, 2(5.5; length of nasals, 

 ;i9 ; width of nasals at base, Ifi.S; width of nasals near tip, 13; depth of 

 rostrum at anterior base of molars, 20 ; width of rostrum above same point, 

 19.5; greatest diameter of bullae, 11. 



Generid notes. — This is slightly larger than true Lepus verxcrucis, which 

 ranges across all the intervening country between the eastern border of the 

 tableland and the range of the present form. Specimens from interior 

 Guerrero are referable to the typical form, with its smaller, lighter skull. 

 Considering the climatic and other physiographic differences between the 

 home of typical versecruds a,i\dL the present form, there is surprisingly little 

 difference in color. 



Lepus floridanus connectens subsp. nov. 



ALTA MIRA COTTONTAII,. 



Tjipp. — Adult male, No. 63,6(>0, U. S. National Museum, Biological Sur- 

 vey Collection, from Chichicaxtle, Vera Cruz. Collected February 15, 1894, 

 by E. \V. Nelson and E. A. Goltlman. Original number 5849. 



Distribution. —Tropical parts of eastern Mexico from southern Tamaulipas 

 throughout the coast lowlands to the Papaloapam River in central Vera 

 Cruz and along the east slope of the Cordillera of eastern San Luis Potosi, 

 eastern Puebla, and eastern Oaxaca south to Mt. Zempoaltepec. 



General clairacters. — Externally much like typical L. floridanus, but larger 

 and pelage averaging a little paler. Skull longer, proportionately narrower; 

 bulUe smaller ; nasals longer and slenderer. Ears large. 



Description nf ti/pe in faded winter pelage. — Top of head and back grizzled 

 creamy ochraceous bufFy, thinly washed with blackish by black tips to 

 longer hairs; sides of head, body, and rump distinctly grayer and less 



