512 



RODENTIA 



LEPUS CRETICUS Barrett-Hauiiltoii. 



1903. Lcpiia crdlctis Barrett-Hamilton, Aun. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 7th ser., 

 XI, p. 126, January, 1903. Type in British Museum. 



1905. Lcpus curopn'us crcHcus Bate, Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1905, ii, 

 p. 322, April 5, 1906. 



1910. Lepus creticus Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Europe, p. 222. 



Type localiti/. — Crete and Cephalonia. 



Geographical, distribution. — Crete. 



Diagnosis. — General colouration light brownish essentially as 

 in Lepus curopseus transsylvanicus and L. p>arnassiiis, but paler, 

 the rump conspicuously grey ; size rather small, about equal to 

 that of L. europseus corsicanus (hind foot, 117-127 mm.; occipito- 

 nasal length of largest skulls about 95 mm.) ; cheeks grey, 

 noticeably grizzled ; ear scantily haired, very slightly buff-tinged. 



Colour. — Upper parts a mixture of blackish and a very pale, 

 dull cream-buff, the general effect a coarsely grizzled brown, 

 becoming conspicuously grey on rump, but scarcely paler on 

 sides of body than on back. Underfur silvery grey at base. 

 Rump crossed by evident dark median area continuous with 

 black of tail. Nape patch wood-brown tinged with russet in 

 rather noticeable contrast with surrounding parts. Collar 

 varying from wood-brown to dull ochraceous-buff, usually grizzled 

 with buffy white, the former predominating. Head a fine grizzle 

 of same elements as body colour, the pale markings before and 

 behind eye silvery whitish though not very extensive. Cheeks 

 essentially like crown, distinctly grizzled and Avith an evident 

 greyish cast, the rusty markings obsolete. Muzzle and lips dull 

 cream-buff. Anterior outer surface of ear sepia finely and 

 inconspicuously grizzled with cream-buff and fringed along 

 border with bluish or buffy white ; posterior outer surface a 

 light bluish grey (about grey No. 10 of Ridgway) throughout, 

 except for the usual blackish (seal-brown) terminal area ; inner 

 surface sparsely sprinkled with fine bluish grey hairs except on 

 the brownish area along posterior margin ; a faintly indicated 

 buffy sub-terminal area ; posterior margin whitish except near 

 tip. Feet a dull buffy brown. Underparts (except collar) and 

 * inner surface of legs white, slightly tinged with pale buff 

 Inguinal patches dull ochraceous-buff. 



ShuU and teeth. — The skull is of medium size, the occipito- 

 nasal length in old individuals about 96 mm. In foi'm it is 

 scarcely distinguishable from that of L. europjseus. Anterior 

 portion of zygoma essentially as in L. europseus, but showing 

 a decided tendency to become deeper. The teeth show no 

 peculiarities. 



Measurements. — Average and extremes of three specimens 

 from Crete : hind foot, 124*3 (123-126); ear from crown, 116 

 (115-117). Average and extremes of six adults from Cephalonia : 



