Marsh Hare 



Varieties of the Polar Hare 



1. American Polar Hare. Lepus arcticus Ross. Range and 



description as above. 



2. Bangs' Polar Hare. Lepus arcticus bangsi Rhoads. Upper 



parts gray in summer, ears black. 

 Range. Takes the place of the American polar hare in New 



foundland. 

 5. Miller's Polar Hare. Lepus arcticus lahradorius Miller. Pelage 



hair brown in summer. 

 Range. Replaces the American polar hare in Labrador. 

 4. Greenland Hare. Lepus grcenlandicits Rhoads. Differs from 



the American polar hare in the more protruding incisor 



teeth and other skull peculiarities. 

 Range. Replaces the above in Greenland. 



Marsh Hare 



Lepus palusttis Bachman 



Length. 18 inches. 



Description. Above yellowish-brown, with many black hairs scat- 

 tered through the pelage. Underparts grayish, underside of 

 tail grayish, never white as in the cottontail. Ears much 

 shorter than in that species, and feet but scantily covered 

 with hair. 



Range. Coast of North Carolina to eastern Georgia and northern 

 Florida. 



The marsh hare is an inhabitant of the low seaboard of 

 our Southern States. It is slightly larger than the cottontail with 

 which it is often associated, and differs in its nearly bare feet 

 and more scanty pelage. It is distinctly an animal of the wet 

 swamps, not hesitating to take to the water and plunge through 

 the deepest bogs when disturbed. Bachman says that it runs 

 low on the ground and cannot leap with the same ease, strength 

 and agility as the cottontail. From the shortness of its legs and 

 ears and its general clumsy appearance, as we see it splashing 

 through the mud and mire, it somewhat reminds one of an over- 

 grown rat. 



Varieties of the Marsh Hare 



I. Marsh Hare. Lepus palustris Bachman. Range and descrip- 

 tion as above. 



88 



