286 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



They are very shrewd in throwing a dog 

 of{ the trail ; it is no unusual sight to see 

 one make a run and outdistance the dog, 

 then turn and retrace its steps on a back 

 track for some distance, then give a tremendous 

 leap to one side and squat in the grass until the 

 dogs run by and lose its trail. When in flight 

 they stretch out to their full length and their 

 immense ears extend back perfectly straight. 



The Texas Jack " Rabbit " when grown 

 weighs from six to ten pounds, and meas- 

 ures from twenty-eight to thirty-six inches from 

 the points of his long black-tipped ears to the 

 hind toes when stretched out in a " sure enough" 

 run when really frightened. They do not live 

 in groups or communities, but they go upon the 

 principle of every fellow for himself ; it is rarely 

 the case that two or more are seen together. 



The Great Plains Jack " Rabbit " is another 

 variety of the California Jack " Rabbit," ranging 

 from northern Texas to southeastern Wyoming, 

 and even Colorado east of the Rocky Mountains. 

 It has shorter ears and a richer coloring than 

 the California Jack " Rabbit." It is the species 

 most common in the markets of Eastern .States. 

 It is speedy, deep-lunged, and obstinate, and is 

 considered one of the best for coursing. 



The Jack " Rabbit " has never been much in 

 demand as an article of food until in recent 

 years ; it is now served by all of the leading 

 hotels of the South, and many are shipped to 

 northern hostelries, where they are looked upon 

 as an attractive addition to the menu. If taken 

 when half grown the hams and loins are most 

 excellent and are preferred by many to even 

 chicken or venison. 



PYGMY HARE 



Brachylagus idahoensis (Mcrriain ) 



Other Name. — Idaho Hare. 



General Description. — Smallest of the North .A.mer- 

 ican Hares. Head of normal proportions: ears short; 

 body not especially robust ; legs, while long, not as long 

 as in other Hares ; tail very short ; pelage quite long 

 and soft ; general color, drab gray mixed with black. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, - 



Canines, — ; Pre- 



O — 



molars. |£-| ; Molars, |irf=28. 



Pelage. — Adults: Sexes identical, a noticeable 

 seasonal variation occurring. Winter. Above, clear 

 drab-gray, slightly mi.xed with black hairs; ears pale 

 bufT inside, dull buiTy-ochraceous mixed with gray and 

 black-tipped hairs outside, bordered anteriorly with 

 black: nape of neck and feet dull ochraceous buff; 

 breast grayish buff ; belly whitish along the middle line 

 only ; rudimentary tail, above like back in color. 

 Summer. Darker than winter ; above, gray suffused 



with buff and intimately mixed with black. Young: 

 Like adults in tlie summer pelage. 



Measurements. — Total length, 11.5 inches; tail verte- 

 brae, .6 inch : hind foot, 2.8 inches ; ear. 2.;^ inches. 



Range. — Sage brush plains of southern Idaho, south- 

 eastern Oregon, northeastern California and northern 

 Nevada. 



Food. — Plains vegetation. 



Remarks. — This animal is unique, there being only 

 the one species in the genus. Compared with its 

 closest relatives in the United States, the Cottontail 

 Rabbits, sufficient differences to justify the separation 

 of the Idaho Hare are seen in the small size, shorter 

 legs and rudimentary tail, as well as cranial characters 

 not so obvious to the layman. For a long time this 

 animal was known merely from a very few museum 

 specimens, and it is only in recent years that anything 

 has been learned of its habits. 



This diminutive animal, which might with pro- 

 priety be termed the Tom Thumb among Hares, 

 being little inore than ten inches in length, is an 

 inhabitant of southern Idaho, southeastern 

 Oregon, northeast California, and north and 

 central Nevada. It has short, broad, and woolly 

 ears, and a very short tail. Its legs are very 

 short, and in running it keeps close to the ground 

 and does not leap as do most of the other Hares, 



This is a comparatively rare animal, and the 

 scarcity of the specimens collected is explained 

 by Dr. C. H. Merriam in " Results of a Biologi- 

 cal Reconnoissance of South-Central Idaho" thus : 

 " That but half a dozen specimens of this little 

 rabbit were secured during more than two 

 months spent in the very center of its abundance 

 seemed very strange to us until we learned, near 

 the close of the trip, two important facts con- 



