LEPUS 523 



beyond ; general colour of upper parts a finely grizzled greyish 

 brown (approaching the broccoli-brown and hair-brown of 

 Ridgvvay) in summer, white or pale grey in winter, the extreme 

 tip of ear always black ; root of upper incisor long, extending to 

 suture between premaxillary and maxillary ; height of posterior 

 upper premolar measured from crown to upper surface of root 

 capsule greater than alveolar length of tooth-row. 



External characters. — Externally nuich as in Lcpus europseiis 

 except for the shorter tail and ear, and more woolly fur. 

 Mammre : jj 1-1, a 3-3 = 8. 



Colour. — Summer j^elage : general colour of upper parts 

 between hair-brown and sepia, inconspicuously grizzled with 

 cream-bufF, the sides not so dark as back, the rumj) sooty blackish ; 

 cheeks, muzzle and outer surface of legs tinged with buflf'y ; nape 

 and back of neck to shoulders not grizzled, the general colour of 

 this area between wood-brown and broccoli-brown. The colours 

 on back are arranged as follows : underfur (10 mm.) light pearl- 

 grey at base changing to light wood-brown at middle ; longer 

 hairs (25 to 30 mm.) greyish at base, then dark sepia, each with 

 a cream-buff sub-terminal annulation about 2 mm. long and a 

 blackish slightly longer tip ; a few still longer hairs (35 mm.) 

 entirely blackish except the grey base ; still others in some 

 specimens pure white. On sides and rump the grey portion of 

 underfur extends nearly or quite to tips of hairs. Tail bluish 

 white, the median region of upper surface an indefinite grizzled 

 brown. Ear blackish or brownish, the inner surface sprinkled 

 to a varying extent with whitish or buffy hairs, the outer margin 

 always bufFy whitish, the tip always clear black, this area either 

 confined to rim or extending down outer surface for a distance 

 of from 5 to 20 mm. Inner surface of legs and entire underparts 

 (except collar) white or whitish usually with a slight buffy tinge 

 and frequently darkened by a sprinkling of blackish hairs. Chin 

 and interramia white or greyish, always contrasted with the 

 grizzled brownish collar, the latter essentially like back or some- 

 what paler. Feet dull buffy brown varied with white or cream- 

 buff. General hue of ujjper parts sometimes more yellowish, 

 owing chiefly to the wood-brov/n of underfur brightening toward 

 ochraceous-buft". Winter pelage white or grey. In the former, 

 more usual phase the animal is white throughout, except the 

 palms and soles, which are wood-brown, and the tip of ear, which 

 retains the narrow black area as in summer. Underfur every- 

 where white, occasionally with a faint greyish tinge at base, or 

 a slight bufl'y cast at tips of hairs. Rarely there is a slight 

 greyish wash along anterior border of outer surface of ear. Grey 

 phase : upper parts and sides light grey, clear and somewhat 

 drabby on sides of body, neck and cheeks, noticeably tinged with 

 wood-brown on face, crown, ears and back, the latter region 

 further darkened by a faint clouding of black ; region imme- 

 diately surrounding eye nearly white, this area forming a well 



