522 RODENTIA 



parts and inner surface of le,£?s white, much suffused with 

 ochraceous-buff on front legs. Collar very wide, essentially like 

 sides of body, but without black and with a decided tinge of 

 wood-brown. 



Shill. — The skull differs from that of Lepus europseus in 

 smaller size and much less robust form. This is particularly 

 noticeable in the rostral region, which is relatively elongated and 

 narrowed, though not much reduced in depth. In the type the 

 distance from front of zygoma to gnathion is 41 "4 mm., while in 

 a Swiss skull of L. europseus with the same occipitonasal length 

 it is only 38 • 6 mm. The width and depth of rostrum at level of 

 point of junction between lower border of nasal and upper 

 border of premaxillary are respectively 16*0 mm. and 19*2 mm. 

 in the type and 18-2 mm. and 20 mm. in the Swiss specimen. 

 In other respects the skull shows no tangible characters to 

 distinguish it from that of L. europseus* 



Teeth. — The teeth differ from those of all other European 

 hares in the absence, in the type, and a very young specimen 

 (in L. europseus of same age it is plainly visible) of m^, and in the 

 broad communication of the two cylinders of m^ along their 

 region of contact, this peculiarity combined with a general 

 reduction in the relative size of the tooth. In other respects the 

 teeth show no tangible characters to distinguish them from 

 those of L. europseus, though the posterior wall of the re-entrant 

 angle in the second, third and fourth upper cheek-teeth is thrown 

 more conspicuously into minute folds, like those of anterior wall, 

 than is usual in European hares. 



Measurements. — Type (adult but not old male) : head and 

 body, 570± ; hind foot, 135 mm. ; ear from crown, 130 mm. 

 For cranial measurements see Table, p. 521. 



Specimens examined. — Two, the type and a very young individual with 

 crowns of cheek-teeth not worn away, both from Agoriani (U.S.N.M.). 



LEPUS TIMIDUS Linnteus. 



(Synonymy under subspecies.) 



Geographical distribution. — Northern portion of Europe and 

 Asia ; exact limits of range unknown. In Europe throughout 

 Norway, Sweden and northern Russia, also in Scotland and the 

 Alps.f Represented in Ireland by a distinct though nearly 

 related species. 



Diagnosis. — Tail short, its length including terminal hairs 

 much less than that of hind foot, its upper surface white or 

 grizzled, never with black median area ; ear only moderately 

 long, extending when laid forward about to nostril or slightly 



* In the type the basicranial region and auditory buUee are missing. 

 t Often referred to as occurring in the Pyrenees, but this undoubtedly 

 erroneous (see Trutat, Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Toulouse, xii, p. 110, 1878). 



