394 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [vOL. 45 



• ters is found in any of the other genera. To these might also be 

 added the obHteration of the sntures of the interparietal in the adult, 

 which is nearly as characteristic. 



Thus there is considerable foundation for Major's view that the 

 existing hares and rabbits fall into two supergeneric groups, one con- 

 taining Lcpiis, and one containing the other genera, which he desig- 

 nates as Caprolagits. It is the writer's opinion, however, that 

 Major's group, Caprolagus, contains many genera as well defined 

 as Lepits. 



The genus Lcpns has the most extensive geographic distribution 

 and the greatest number of species of any of the Leporidas. As 

 would be expected, there are several groups of these species, consti- 

 tuting at least three well-marked subgenera for forms from North 

 America and northern Eurasia described below. There are a num- 

 ber of skulls at hand, however, from central and eastern Asia and 

 from Africa, which it is impossible to classify satisfactorily, owing 

 to lack of material, and no provision is made for these in the present 

 discussion. For a list of these specimens see page 335. 



Subgenus LEPUS Linnaeus 



1758. Lcpns LiNN.EUs. Syst. Nat., loth ed., i, p. 57. 



1900. Lcpus Major, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 2d sen, vni, Zool., p. 514, 

 November, 1899. 



Type. — Lcpus fiiiiidiis Linn.eus. 



Geographical Distribution. — Mainly the northern portions of the 

 New and Old Worlds. 



Diagnosis. — Size large, ears moderate, greatest length of skull 

 nearly 100 mm. ; skull broad, postorbital broader than notch it sub- 

 tends, its posterior limb not touching side of cranium. 



The skull is broad and strongly arched. The rostrum is shorter 

 and broader and the brain case is broader and the nasals shorter and 

 broader than they are in the other members of the genus Lcpus. The 

 postorbital processes are broad and triangular, neither the anterior 

 nor the posterior limbs touch the sides of the cranium, but help to 

 bound well-marked anterior and posterior notches. 



Teeth (figure 44, 19-21). — The groove on the front of the incisors 

 is fairly deep, is simple and usually filled with cement. 



This subgenus apparently possesses no other skeletal character. 



Species included in this subgenus, see p. 334. 



