Vol. XVII, pp. 135-138 July 14, 1904 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THK 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



UNRECOGNIZED JACK RABBITS OF THE LEPUS 

 TEXIANUS GROUP. 



BY C. HART MERRIAM. 



Till' UjianK^! gruup of jack I'aMdts comprises a iiunihrr of 

 species and subspecies inhabiting the western part of North 

 Aiiiri'ica from the State of Durango in Mexico north to South 

 Dakota and the Coknnbia River, and from middle Texas west 

 to tlic coast rt'gion of California. One of these, Lcpus tcrianus 

 (h'sciiiciilii ^learns, occupies the Colorado and INIohave deserts 

 and the desert region generally east of the High Sierra. 



Another suV)species inhaljits the Plains of the Cohnnbia in 

 Oregon ami A\'ashington. It resembU'S (Jrserticola, but is nnich 

 darker, and may be distinguished l)y otlu'r characters pointed 

 out in the accompanying description. It is here named Lepus 

 te.ri(iiiii>i inilldiraUa. 



In the intt'rior of California, west of the Sierra, three forms 

 occur: 



(]) L("})iix ndifornicus Gray, ISoT. A large, highly-colored, 

 reddish In-own or fulvous species, inhalnting the coast region 

 fi-om San Diego northward, sjireading over the Sacramento 

 \'alley and foothills of i\w northern Sierra, and continuing over 

 Shasta Valley to the Rogue River and Willamette Valley in 

 Oregon. Type locality, San Antonio, Calif., doubtless the old 

 Mission of tliat name a few miles north of Jolon, Monterey 

 County. 



24— Pkoc. Biol. Soc. Wash. Vol. XVII, l'J04. (135) ' 



