492 DE. C. I. FOESTTH MAJOR ON 



the Wood-Rabbit, though it certainly appears to get over the ground quite cleverly, 

 particularly to one who has just missed, by under-shooting, a running shot" *. 



The most remarkable member of the family, as to its habits, is the " Romerolagus 

 Nelsoni, Merr.," from Mount Popocatepetl, Mexico, of which it is stated: — "This 

 singular animal has exceedingly short hind legs, and instead of moving by a series of 

 leaps, like ordinary rabbits, runs along on all fours, and lives in ruuAvays in the grass 

 like the meadow-mice " f. Mr. E. W. Nelson, the discoverer of tiiis creature, has 

 furnished the following further particulars : — " A search under the overhanging masses 

 of long grass-blades show^ed a perfect network of large arvicola-like runways tunneling 

 through the bases of the tussocks, and passing from one to another under the shelter of 

 the outcurving naasses of leaves. It was evident that the rabbits ^vere very numerous 

 here ... So far as observed, these animals are strictly limited to the heavy growth of 

 saccatan grass, between about 3050 and 3G50 meters . . . They make their forms within the 

 matted bases of the huge grass tussocks, by tunneling passage-ways along the surface of 

 the ground through the mass of old grass leaves and stems, and then hollowing out snug 

 retreats within the weather-proof shelter thus obtained " %. 



■ I am unfortunately unacquainted with the limb-skeleton of this interesting animal. 

 Although from the foregoing description it results that it cannot be considered a 

 burrowing animal, I venture to anticipate that its ulna will be found at least as little 

 reduced as in the common Eabbit, and not placed behind the i^adius. 



Hodgson \ gives the following information on the habits of Caprolagus hispidttn 

 (Pears.) : — " The Hispid Hare is a habitual burrower, like the llabbit; but, unlike that 

 species, it is not gregarious, and affects deep cover, the pair dwelling together, but apart 

 from their fellows, in subterranean abodes of their own excavation . . . Less liighly 

 endowed with the senses of seeing and hearing than the Common Hare or P^abbit, and 

 gifted with speed far inferior to that of the former or even of the latter species, the 

 Hispid Hare is dependent for safety upon the double concealment afforded by the heavy 

 undergrowth of the forest || and by its ow^i burrow, and accordingly it never quits the 

 former shelter, and seldom wanders far from the latter, whilst the harsh hair of its coat 

 affords it an appropriate and unique protection against continual necessary contact with 

 the huge and serrated grasses, reeds, and slirubs in the midst of which it dwells, and 



* Elliott Coues, " Observations ou the Marsh-Hare,'" Proc. Boston Sot-, of Natural History, xiii. pp. 87, 88, 80 

 (18G9). 



t C. Hart Merriam, "■ Eouerolafjus Nelsoni, anew Genus and Species of llabbit from Mount Popoeatejietl, Mexico,'' 

 Proc. Biol. Soo. 'V\"ushington, x. p. Kj!) (1896). 



X Op. cit. pp. 109, 170. 



§ B. H. Hodgson, ■• On the Hispid Hare of the Saul Forest," J. A. S. Bengal, xvi. 1, pp. 573, 574 (1547). 



II By later writers it is denied that C. hispidu^ is an inhabitant of the forest. Blanford (' Fauna of British India,' 

 Mammalia, ii. p. 454, 1891) says : — " According to Hodgson the Hispid Hare inhabits the Sal forest, whilst Jerdon 

 states with more probability that it is found in the Terai (that is, of course, the marshy tract usually thus called), 

 frequenting long grass and bamboos &c." Jerdon's words are : — " It frequents jungly places, long grass, and bamboos, 

 and, from its retiied habits, is very difficult to observe and obtain "' (T. C. Jerdon, 'Mammals of India,' p. 220, 

 1867). 



