FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Lepus 



Subgenus Lepus. Varying Hares; Arctic Hares; White- tailed 

 Jack Rabbits 



This group is distinguished, among other characters, by two 

 distinct pelages, summer and winter, one or both of which is 

 white. The Varying Hares are all brownish in summer and 

 white in winter (except washingtoni). 



Varying Hare or "White Rabbit.^ — Lepus americanus anieri- 

 cawM5_Erxleben. Plate XXXVI. 

 The animal described above. Found in "Region about 

 southern end of Hudson Bay, including southern Keewatin; 

 southeastern Mackenzie; most of Saskatchewan; Manitoba; 

 east through northern Ontario (including Isle Roy ale and 

 Michipicoten Island, Lake Superior); northern Quebec; all 

 of Ungava except extreme northern part; Labrador; south 

 in the United States in all of Michigan north of Saginaw 

 (except western half of northern peninsula) , and west in an 

 isolated colony on the Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming. 

 Vertical range, from sea level at Hudson Bay to about 

 2,000 feet near Lake Superior and 10,000 feet in the Big- 

 horn Mountains of Wyoming; zonal range, mainly Cana- 

 dian." (Nelson) 



Nova Scotia Varying Hare. — Lepus a7nencanus struthopus 

 Bangs. 

 About same body size as typical americanus, but ears 

 longer; color may be almost indistinguishable from that of 

 typical americanus, but generally with more cinnamon in 

 upperparts. Found in "Maine, east of Penobscot River, 

 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, eastern Quebec (south of 

 lower St. Lawrence and including Magdalen Islands), and 

 Newfoundland. Vertical range, from sea level up to over 

 2,500 feet altitude in New Brunswick; zonal range, Cana- 

 dian." (Nelson) 



Virginia Varying Hare. — Lepus americamis virginianus 

 (Harlan). 

 The largest of the Varying Hares as well as the brightest 

 and richest in coloration (summer). Upperparts generally 

 with rusty ochraceous brown. Total length, 20-21 inches; 

 tail vertebrcB, 2 inches; hind foot, 5.5 inches. Found in 

 "Mountains of West Virginia and Virginia north through 

 Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, 

 Connecticut, Rhode Island. Massachusetts, Vermont, New 

 Hampshire, most of Maine east to Penobscot River and 

 Mount Katahdin, and extreme southern Ontario. Vertical 

 range from near sea level in Rhode Island up to over 4,000 

 feet in the Adirondacks of New York; zonal range, Can- 

 adian." (Nelson) 



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