! ) 8 • Miller — T/i< Aljnm \'<iri/ 1 /((J ILtre. 



Switzerland, December o, 1900, by p]rnst H. Zollikofer. Oriiiinal num- 

 ber, 1!)(J. 



(Jharactern. — In winter pela.iie (svimmer coat not seen) externally simi- 

 lar to Lepus timidus Linmeus. Skull and teeth smaller and much less, 

 robust than in the Swedish animal. 



Color. — The winter pelage is pure white Ihrouijhout, to base of hairs, 

 though visually with an inconspicuous si:)rinkling of black hairs on back 

 and tail. Ears faintly clouded with grayish brown along anterior mar- 

 gin, and conspicuously tipped with black. The black ai-ea is about 12 

 mm. in width, but its bovindaries are not clearly defined, and it is notice- 

 ably si^rinkled with white hairs. A very narrow line of short black 

 hairs borders the eyelids. "Whiskers mixed white and black. Soles of 

 feet yellowish brown. Claws rather dark horn-color. 



Skr/ll. — The skull of Lepun r.arronix is readily distinguishable from 

 that of L. tiinidnx by its much smaller size. In fully adult males of the 

 alpine hare the skull is barely larger than in females from the Helsing- 

 land, Sweden, while as compared with males from the same locality the 

 basal length is about 12 mm. less. Aside from its size the skull shows 

 numerous differences in form. It is in general less robust and more 

 slender, particularly in the rostral portion. The supraorbital processes 

 are smaller and narrower than in the Swedish animal, a difference 

 which is especially noticeable when skulls of males are compared, but 

 which is also evident in the females. The audital bullH' are relatively 

 a trifle smaller than in Lepus tiinulux and the cribriform portion of the 

 tloor of the braincase immediately in front of each is less liattened. 



Teeth. — The teeth are smaller than in Lepiix tiiiiidv!<, but I can detect 

 no tangible differences in form. 



MeanurementK. — p^xternal measurements of type: total length, 582; 

 tail v(M-tebra', .>H; hind foot, 1()4. 



Cranial measurements of type: greatest length. !)2 (lO)!)--: basal length, 

 77 (.S()): basilar length, 70(7i>): henselion to posterior edge of bony pelate, 

 ;>4 (40); least (lateral) length of bony palate, (>.() (7): posterior edge of 

 bony palate to hamular, 28 (2a): length of incisive foramen, 23 (27); 

 greatest breadth of incisive foramen, !) (10.4): diastema, 27 (lU); zygo- 

 matic breadth, 4() {■)',)); least intpr<M'liitai breadth, Ki (17): greatest 

 lireadth of braincase, 32 (34); greatest breadth of both nasals together, 

 19 (23): least breadth of both nasals together, 13 (1(3. 4h greatest (diago- 

 nal) length of nasals, 39 (4()): depth of braincase at anterior end of 

 basioccipital, 27 (3!);: maxillary molar series (ah'eoli), 17 (20): mandible. 

 ()7 (,78); diastema, 20 (2.3): mandibular molar series (alveoli), 18 (21). 



SpecimeiiK e.vdj/uned. — Five, all from the C-anton of tJraubiinden. 



Jiema7'k.>(. — The Alpine haro differs from the varying hares of northern 

 Europe in the characters that would be expected to result from its rela- 

 tively limited range and the less favorable conditions under which it 

 doubt less exists. 



■^Measurements in parenthesis are those of an adult male f.epus timi- 

 dus from Helsinghind. Sweden. 



