529 



Lepus timidus scoticus Hilzheimer. 



1816. ■? Lepus albus Leach, Syst. Catal. Spec. Indig. Mamm. and Birds, 

 Brit. Mus., p. 7 (nonien nudum: "White Hare"). Not Lepus 

 timidus albus Beclistein, 1801. 



1833. Lepus albus Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. Anim., p. 35. Not L(pus 

 timidus albus Bechstein, 1801. 



1857. [Lepus variabilis] h. Form der Mittelregion und der Alpen, Blasius, 

 Siiugethiere Deutschlands, p. 424 (part). 



1900. Lepus timidus typicus Barrett-Hamilton, Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 

 p. 88 (part). 



1906. L\_cpus'] m[edius'] scoticus Hilzheimer, Zool. Anzeiger, xxx, p. 511, 

 August 14, 1906. 



1910. Lepus ti7nidus scoticus Trouessart, Faune IMamm, d'Europe, p. 218. 



Type locality. — Northern Scotland. 



Geographical (listrihution. — Highlands of Scotland ; range now 

 extended by artificial introduction irregularly into Wales and 

 northern England, also in Ireland. 



Diagnosis. — Size even less than in Lepus timidus varronis, the 

 occipitonasal length of fully adult skulls ranging from 83 to 

 89 mm. ; ear shorter than in varronis, its length from crown 

 80 t(t 90 mm., instead of 90 to 100 mm. ; winter pelage white, 

 but apparently never without some trace of grey. 



Colour. — ^Summer pelage essentially indistinguishable from 

 that of Lepus timidus timidus, though perhaps not attaining 

 the same degree of sepia brown as in extreme specimens of the 

 Scandinavian race, and underparts usually more bufFy. the 

 interramia less contrasted Avith collar. Winter pelage apparently 

 never clear white, the middle of back in all the specimens 

 examined showing at least a faint grey tinge as compared with 

 the snowy white of thighs and tail, this grey usually suft'using 

 the entire dorsal surface. It is produced by the presence among 

 the white hairs of a few that are entirely black, and others that 

 are black with a light cream-buft" sub-terminal annulation as in 

 summer pelage. Underfur very pale buft", this colour appearing 

 at surface when hairs are disarranged. Ear with anterior outer 

 surface conspicuously grizzled (much more than in varronis), 

 though usually j^aler than in summer, the basal half often mostly 

 white. Sides of muzzle usually tinged with buffy. 



Skull and teeth. — The skull is immediately distinguishable 

 from those of the other European forms of Lepus timidus by its 

 small size. The teeth show no tangible peculiarities. 



Measurements. — Adult male and female from Cromlix, Dun- 

 blane, Perthshire : head and body, 482 and 480 ; tail, 63 

 and 57; hind foot, 130 and 132; ear from crown, 85 and 83. 

 Adult male from Altyre, Morayshire : head and body, 501 ; 

 tail, 57 ; hind foot, 131 ; ear fi-om crown, 90. Adult from New 

 Galloway, Kirkcudbright : head and body, 535 ; tail, 58 ; hind 



2 M 



