200 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



the Cottontails is restricting the area occupied 

 by \'arying Hares ; the latter have almost dis- 

 appeared from the State of New Jersey. 



Baird's Hare is interesting as being one of the 

 largest of the species, and also the most southern 

 in its range. It lives in the higher parts of the 

 Rockv Mountains from Great Slave Lake south 

 to central New Alexico. In northern New 

 Mexico and Colorado it has been seen at an alti- 



tude of 1 1. GOO feet. It is of nearly the same size 

 as the Northern Varying Hare, but its ears and 

 hind feet are longer. Also it is more dusky in 

 summer, the feet are usually pure white, and the 

 deep reddish cinnamon of the head contrasts 

 strongly with the dusky color of the body. In 

 winter the coat is entirely white, except for a 

 narrow dusky border to the ear tips, which is 

 noted in other species. 



WHITE=TAILED JACK "RABBIT" 

 Lepus campestris BacJiman 



Other Names. — Prairie Hare, Plains Ka:e. 



General Description. — A very large Kare with long 

 robust liind leL;s. and a conspicuous white tail. Head 

 fairly large and broad ; eyes large ; ears very large and 

 shaped somewhat like those of a mule ; body robust ; tail 

 fairly long for a Hare, broad and bushy : hind legs 

 decidedly longer than fore legs : general color gray to 

 grayish-brown above, pure white below : pelage quite 

 long and soft. An animal of the open fields or prairies. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, ; Canines. -^^ ; Pre- 



I — I o — o 



molars, --^ : Molars, ^^=28 



Pelage. — Adults: Se.xes identical. Summer. Entire 

 upper parts, sides of legs, throat and band across chest 

 yellowish-gray nii.xed with dark-brown : sides clearer 

 gray; nape smoky white; undersurface of head and 

 belly white ; legs gray, tinged with rusty ; below clear 

 white; fringe and border of ears white; tip of ear jet- 

 black inside and out. Winter. Pure white except for 

 black marks on tips of cars. YouxG : Similar to adults 

 but more unit'orni slaty-gray. 



Measurements. — Total length, 24 inches ; tail verte- 

 brae. 4 inches ; hind feet, 6 inches. Weight 7 pounds. 



Range. — Great Plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan and 

 Manitoba south to Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, 

 Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, northern half of Kansas, 

 Colorado east of Rockies, and northern New Me.xico. 



Food. — .K variety of green vegetation, bark and 

 twigs. 



Remarks. — There are only three subspecies of the 

 one species in this group, known as the White-tailed 

 Jack " Rabbit " group. Although frequently found in 

 regions with other Jack " Rabbits " belonging to the 

 Black-tailed Group, these animals may be distinguished 

 at a glance not only by their larger size and conspicuous 

 white tail, hut also by certain peculiarities of habit. 



Rklated Subspecies 



White-tailed Jack "Rabbit." — Lef'iis eamfeslris 

 cainlycstris Bachman. Typical animal as described 

 above. Great Plains region from Saskatchewan and 

 Manitoba south, east of the Rocky Mountains, to 

 northern New Mexico, and east to Minnesota and Iowa. 



Townsend White-tailed Jack " Rabbit." — Lepus 

 eainpesiris toiensendii (Bachman). Smaller, paler, and 

 with less black on the ears. Great Basin region from 

 east slopes of Cascade range to Rocky Mountains in 

 eastern Washington. Oregon and California; north to 

 British Columbia and east to Idaho, southwestern 

 Wyoming. Utah and Colorado. 



Sierra White-tailed Jack "Rabbit." — Lepus cam- 

 pestris sierrae Merriam. Largest of the three sub- 

 species, pale and with much black on ears. High slopes 

 of Sierra Nevada of California. 



Although called the Prairie Hare, this species 

 is found also on mountain slopes at altitudes of 

 10,000 to 12,000 feet on both the Sierra Nevada 

 and the Rocky Mountains. Its range extends 

 from middle Kansas northward to the plains of 

 the Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a large Hare, 

 its total length being about two feet. It has a 

 long and silky fur, exactly the color of the sand 

 and the dead leaves under the bushes where it 



makes its forms. In these forms the Prairie 

 Hare rests for hours at a stretch apparently in- 

 diflferent to danger, but really always on the alert. 

 Dr. Coues doubts whether it ever stands erect 

 with its forepaws off the ground, ^\"hen .squat- 

 ting on its haunches, in a listening attitude, one 

 fore foot is advanced a little before the other, 

 and the ears point in opposite directions. It is 

 an exceedingly agile animal, and its mode of 



