WHITE-TAILED JACK RABBIT 



western United States, extending into Canadian on the 

 mountains and in the northern part of its range. " (Nelson) 

 Sierra White-tailed Jack Rabbit. — Lepus townsendii sierrcs 

 (Alerriam.) 

 Large, with larger hind feet and longer ears than either of 

 the other two forms. Summer pelage much like that of 

 typical townsendii. Winter pelage white with yellowish 

 about top of head and on forefeet ; ears broadly tipped with 

 black. Total length, 25.5 inches; tail vertebrae, 4.5 inches; 

 hind foot, 6.5 inches; ear from notch, 4.5 inches. "In 

 summer, high slopes of Sierra Nevada of California, 

 probably from Mount Shasta south to Mount Whitney; in 

 winter, ranging down the east slope to Mono Lake region 

 on the sagebrush plains of eastern California. Vertical 

 range in summer from about 9,000 to over 12,000 feet; 

 zonal range, Boreal." (Nelson) 



******* 

 The White-tailed Jack Rabbits are easily distinguished from 

 the other Jack Ra obits (subgenus Macrotolagus) by the very 

 apparent difference in the tails. The conspicuously white 

 tail of this group marks these forms as well as the white 

 underside of the tail advertises the Cottontail Rabbit. 



White-tailed Jacks are denizens of the prairies and open 

 plains, but range up on mountain slopes to high elevations. 

 On the plains they may be found together with the Black-tailed 

 Jack Rabbits, but they are larger than the Black-tails and, I 

 believe, are faster runners. The powerful hind limbs propel 

 the White-tail in tremendous leaps, — from twelve to twenty 

 feet in length. I have never found the White-tails to be as 

 abundant as the Black-tails. The average number of young 

 in a litter is four. 



Lepus arcticus Group.' — Arctic Hares 

 This section includes the large, heavy Hares of the Arctic 

 regions, living, for the most part, north of the tree limit. 

 These species have two annual pelages, the winter one always 

 white; pelage quite long and thick. Plate XXXVI. 



American Arctic Hare. — Lepus arcticus arcticus Ross. 



Size large. Color in summer, above, grizzled silvery gray, 

 paler on top of head, which is faintly washed with buffy; 

 sides and rump darker; underfur dull brownish buffy; tail 

 white above and below ; ears blackish on anterior outer half, 

 whitish on posterior half, a small black tip; underparts 

 white, throat smoky gray. Winter pelage white except for 

 small black tip on ears. Total length, 26-27 inches; tail 



485 



