508 EODENTIA 



BemarJcs. — The conspicuously yellowish underfur of this hare 

 is perhajw its most striking characteristic. With the material 

 at hand I am unable to distinguish between the Corsican form 

 and that of Sicily and Rome. 



1. Bastia, Corsica. Lord Lilford (p). 78. 7. 3. 4. 



{Type of subspecies.) 

 2 6. Marsala, Sicily. J. I. S. Whitaker (p). 98. 2. 9. 1-2. 



i. Rome, Italy. (C. Coli.) G. Barrett-Hamilton (p). 8. 9. 30. 1. 



Lepus europ.eus hybridus Desmarest. 



1822. Lcpus hybridus Desmarest, .Mammalogie, p. 349 (Central Russia). 

 1842. Lcpus aquilonius Blasius, Amtl. Bericht xix Vers. Naturf. u. Aerzte, 



Braunschweig, p. 89 (Central Russia). 

 18.50. Lepus nicdius Middendorff, Bull, de la Classe Phys.-Math. de I'Acad. 



Imp. des Sci. Nat. de Saint-Petersbourg, i.x, p. 218 (part). 

 1857. [Lepus timidus] c. Nordostliche Form, Blasius, Siiugethiere Deutsch- 



lands, p. 417 (part). 

 1898. Lcpus europneus (typical) de Winton, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 



7th ser., i, p. 150, February, 1898. 

 1906. L[epius] ni[edii(s] aquilonius Hilzheimer, Zool. Anzeiger, xxx, p. 511, 



August 14, 1906. 

 1910. Lcpus mcdius aquilo7iius Trouessart, Fauna Mamm. d'Europe, p. 217. 



l^i/pe JdCiditij. — Central Ru.ssia. Based on the Russak of 

 Pallas (Nov. Sp. Quadr. Glir. Ord., p. 5). 



Geographical distribution. — Central Russia, westward into 

 eastern Germany.* 



Diagnosis.- — Size greater than in Lcpus cnropsens europseus 

 (hind foot about 15 mm.) ; colour in summer pelage essentially 

 as in the typical form but lighter, the cheeks strongly suffused 

 with dull white, the rump buffy grey with slightly darker 

 median area ; grey winter pelage habitually assumed. 



Colour. — Though the actual elements of the colour of the body 

 are essentially as in Lcpus europseus europseus, the general effect 

 is noticeably lighter, owing to the greater length of the sub- 

 terminal cream-butf annulations. The rump is also more 

 evidently grey in contrast with the back. White of interramial 

 region spreading conspicuously so that cheeks are practically 

 whitish throughout (excejjt for a dull ochraceous-buft" area under 

 and behind eye and another at base of whiskers), in strong 

 contrast with the grizzled bufl'y of crown, face and muzzle. 

 Grey area on back of ear nearly white and forming a very 

 conspicuous whitish rim to outer border. Inguinal patches 

 clear, light ochraceous-buff. Collar somewhat duller and paler. 

 Otherwise as in L. curopetus europseus. 



* While I have seen no German specimens of this hare there can be 

 little doubt that it is the East Prussian animal referred to by Altum 

 (Forstzoologie, 2nd ed., i, p. 181) as being not infrequently greyish white 

 in winter. The same author gives rather extended observations on the 

 occurrence of the grey winter coat in the hares of other parts of Germany. 



