526 



RODENTIA 



lie on inner border of crown rather than on inner side of 

 anterior border. Anterior section of first lower premolar longer 

 and narrower than in the related species. Other teeth not 

 certainly distinguishable from those of L. eiiropseus except that 



the roots of the upper cheek-teeth 

 extend further into the orbital cavity ; 

 distance from crown of third pre- 

 molar to upper surface of root capsule 

 usually greater than alv^eolar length 

 of tooth-row. 



Bemarks. — As a group the vary- 

 ing hares are readily distinguishable 

 from the other Eviropean members 

 of the genus by their shorter ears and 

 tail, on both of which the dark mark- 

 ings are reduced in extent, and by 

 their slight but evident cranial and 

 dental peculiarities. That these more 

 fundamental characters indicate a 

 higher degree of specialization than 

 that attained by Lepus europseus has been shown by Winge 

 (Danmarks Fauna, Pattedyr, p. 58, 1908). Lepus timidus is 

 represented in Europe by three local forms, which, though 

 isolated geographically, seem most conveniently treated as sub- 

 species. The Irish hare is completely diflferentiated from the 

 continental and British forms. 



Fig. 104. 

 Lepus timidus. Teeth. X 2. 



Lepus timidus timidus Linnseus. 



1758. [Lep2is] timidus Linnseus, Syst. Nat., i, 10th ed., p. 57. 



1777. [Leims timidus] alpinns Erxleben, Syst. Eegiii Anim., i, p. 328 (the 



varying hares in general, from Switzerland to Greenland). Not 

 of Pallas, 1773, or of Erxleben, p. 337. 



1778. Lepus variabilis Pallas, Nov. Sp. Quadr. Glir. Ord., p. 2 (Renaming 



of timidus). 

 1778. [Lepus] algidus Pallas, Nov. Sp. Quadr. Glir. Ord., p. 2 (Alternative 



for alpinus Pennant). 

 1778. [Lepus] borealis Pallas, Nov. Sp. Quadr. Glir. Ord., p. 2 (Alternative 



for alpinus Pennant). 

 1795. L[eptis] septentrionalis Link, Beytrage zur Naturgesch., Bd. i, 



Stiick 2, p. 73 (Substitute for variabilis). 

 182C. Leptis borealis Nilssou, Skand. Fauna, i, p. 211 (Substitute for 



variabilis). 

 1827. [Lepus timidus] j8 alba Billberg, Synopsis Faunae Scandinavise, p. 7 



(Northern Scandinavia). Not L. timidus albtis Bechstein, 1801. 

 1829-32. Lepus borealis collinus Nilsson, Ilium. Fig. Skand. Fauna, i, 



pi. 19 (Sodermanland, Sweden). 

 1829-32. Lepus borealis sylvaticus Nilsson, Ilium. Fig. Skand. Fauna, i, 



pi. 22 (Heavily wooded portions of Sweden). 

 1844. Lepus cancscens Nilsson, Ofversigt af Kongl. Vetensk.-Akad. For- 



handl., Stockholm, i, p. 133 (Renaming of sylvaticus). 



