APPENDIX. 497 



winter food, it resides mostly at that season on the bor- 

 ders of lakes and in swamps, where that shrub and the 

 dwarf birch grow. Being particularly abundant on the 

 alluvial banks of the Mackenzie up to the 68th parallel, 

 this hare furnishes the chief winter support of the Hare 

 Indians, whose country does not nourish many of the 

 larger quadrupeds. It is taken generally by snares set 

 in the paths it makes through the snow. Its habits are 

 more like those of the rabbit than like the hare of 

 Europe, but it does not burrow, though it occasionally 

 seeks for shelter in a hollow tree. The fur, which is 

 brownish above in summer, changes to snow-white in 

 winter. 



The Polar hare. [Lepus glacialis Leach.) F. B. A. 1. 



p. 221. 



This hare may be considered as the American repre- 

 sentative of the Lepus variabilis of the Alpine and 

 northern districts of Europe, but being on the whole a 

 stouter animal, and exhibiting some peculiar characters, 

 Dr. Leach was induced to describe it as a distinct 

 species. It inhabits the barren grounds and the islands 

 of the Arctic sea up to the 75th parallel ; feeding on 

 the small shrubs which grow in the higher latitudes, 

 such as the arctic willow, alpine arbutus, whortle- 

 berry, and Labrador tea plant; delighting in stony 

 places where it can find shelter ; and in winter burrow- 

 ing in the snow. In summer the upper fur is hoary, 

 and in winter pure white, except the tips of the ears, 

 which are black at all seasons. 



Another varying hare frequents the prairies up to the 

 55th parallel ; and is said to be common in the moun- 

 tainous districts of the United States. This has been 

 named Lepus Virginianus by Dr. Haslan. 



K K 



