530 RODENTIA 



foot, 133 ; ear from crown, 77. For cranial measurements see 

 Table, p. 533. 



Specimens examined. —Forty, from the following localities in Scotland 

 Borgie, Sutherland, 1 ; Nairn, 5 ; Forres, Elgin, 1 ; Altyre, ^Morayshire, 5 

 Dallas, Morayshire, 2; Morayshire, 3 ; GlengrouUie, 3; C'romlix, Dunblane 

 Perthshire, 8; Caparoch, Selkirkshire, 1; Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, 2 

 New Gallowav, Kirkcudbright, 2 ; Clonas, 4 ; no exact locality, 3 (B.M. 

 and U.S.N.M."). 



Bemarhs.— While readily distinguishable from true Lepus 

 ihnidus by its smaller skull, the Scotch hare rather closely 

 resembles the Alpine race. Its ears are, however, noticeably 

 shorter, and the winter pelage rarely if ever becomes so nearly- 

 pure white. As in L. timiihis rarronis no sjjecial grey winter coat 

 is known. 



Individuals supposed to be hybrids between this animal and 

 Lepus curopcBUS occidentalis are sometimes unusually heavy 

 examples of scoticiis, and in other instances occidentalis in grey 

 winter pelage. After eliminating these, however, a few specimens 

 remain in which the characters of the two animals appear 

 to be blended. The British Museum contains three such 

 skins.* In each of these the ear is longer than in scoticm, aud 

 its colour pattern nearly as in occidentnlis, though less distinct ; 

 the tail is short as in scoticm, but its dorsal surface has a nearly 

 black median area ; in two the body colour is intermediate 

 between that of the supposed parent species in summer coat, 

 while in the other (No. 63. 8. 23. 1) it more nearly approaches 

 that of the common hare.| 



* No. 63. 8. 23. 1. No history. 



No. 2. 11. 28. 1. Male, Craigmyle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 

 No. G. 12. 20. 1. IMale, Capenooh, Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, H. S. 

 Gladstone. 



t Swedish specimens combining the characters of timidus and euro- 

 p/eus have been described and figured by Lonnberg, Proc. Zool. Soc, 

 London, 1905, ii., pp. 278-287. 



