IDAHO PIGMY RABBIT 



Geographical Distribution. — "Sagebrush plains of southern 

 Idaho, southeastern Oregon, extreme northeastern California, 

 and northern and central Nevada. Vertical range from about 

 4.500 to over 7,000 feet altitude in Nevada; zonal range, 

 mainly Upper Sonoran, but extending into the lower border 

 of Transition Zone." (Nelson) 



Food. — Foliage of shrubs, grass, and plants. 



Enemies. — Presumably the same as those of Cottontail 

 Rabbits, — Hawks, Owls, Weasels, Coyotes, et cetera. 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Brachylagus 



Only the one species of this genus is known. 



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The Pigmy Rabbit looks very much like a small Cottontail 

 Rabbit, and since this animal lives in thick brush where it is 

 difficult to get more than a glimpse of the creature, one is very 

 likely to confuse the two genera. The best field character for 

 distinguishing Brachylagus from Sylvilagus is the difference in 

 tails, the Pigmy Rabbit showing no conspicuous white under- 

 side to the tail as it scampers away. Young Cottontail 

 Rabbits will often pass for Pigmy Rabbits until they flash the 

 white tail. The gait of Brachylagus differs from that of 

 Sylvilagus in that the former runs closer to the ground with 

 less bounding. 



For a long time this species was very rare in collections and 

 but little was known of its habits and distribution. Now we 

 have learned that it is not especially rare when one knows 

 where to look for it. The Pigmy Rabbit lives in thick clumps 

 of Sagebrush {Artemisia) and Rabbit-brush (Chrysothamnus) 

 where it has no trouble in escaping notice. Its coloration is 

 protective and it generally lies close until almost stepped upon, 

 when it scurries noiselessly away and is lost to sight in a 

 twinkling. 



Because the first specimens of Pigmy Rabbit were trapped 

 in old Badger holes, it has been supposed that this species is 

 a dweller in burrows which might, in a measure, account for it 

 being so seldom seen. In eastern Oregon, I found it behaving 

 exactly as the Cottontail Rabbits, and, while I saw many, I 

 rarely saw one run down a hole, although they do enter old 

 burrows on occasion, just as the Cottontails do. 



The Pigmy Rabbit is peculiar among the small American 



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