79 



Columbia, but never anywhere, in the region we visited, 

 becoming so abundant as the Californian hare in some 

 parts of its habitat. I saw the first individual of this 

 species on the shores of Wright Lake." From this the 

 limit of southward extension in California would seem to 

 be more restricted than it is in the regions ftirther east. 

 We have nothing to show that it occurs on the immediate 

 Pacific slopes, and it probalily does not. Nor did I ever 

 ascertain its presence in New ^Mexico or Arizona, where 

 L. callotis is found. 



This, then, is the characteristic hare of the great plains 

 — towards its southern limit associated with L. callotis 

 and L. ccdifornicus, and on its mountainous confines 

 meetinof with the hare of the timber of those re2:ions — 

 but throughout vastly tlie greater portion of its range 

 occupying the territory as the only representative of the 

 several great hares of the west, all of w^hich are known, 

 wherever found, as "jackass rabbits," to distinguish them 

 from the small species of the L. sylvaticus type. It is 

 further notable as the only one of the very large long- 

 limbed and great-eared group which, like L. americanus, 

 regularly turns white in winter. The change probably 

 occurs, in most cases, throughout the range of the species ; 

 in northern parts it appears to be universal ; and, in fact, 

 the only advices we have that it does not change are from 

 Kansas, where, Mr. Allen states, that about half the spec- 

 imens he secured in December and January retained their 

 summer colors. There may, however, be some localities 

 where the change is the exception rather than the rule. 

 But even in the most northerly portions of its range, the 

 change does not appear to be complete. There remains 

 much bluish-gray about the roots of the hairs, and brown, 

 rusty or yellowish tinges in places. The pale brown or 

 fawn colored borders of the ears, and the similar colors 



