192 CALIFORNIA MAMMALS. 



flesh, which they will avoid for weeks unless a heavy rain washes 

 t]ie trees. 



The i^ait is a series of hops when moving ahont leisurely. 

 and long- rapid leaps when moving at full speed. Ordinarily they 

 utter no sound, but when caught they make a harsh plaintive crw 

 The number of young in a litter is usually three to five; there are 

 probably two or three litters annually, in spring and summer. 



All our western Wood Hares take refuge more or less in 

 crevices among rocks, but t.hey do not often burrow in the ground. 

 They rarely sit erect. They are timid creatures and depend on 

 their excellent eyesight and hearing for warning and their speed 

 or hiding in the brush for safety from pursuit. The Wood Hares 

 are commonly known in the west as "Rabbits" and also as "Cot- 

 tontails," which is a good general name for the group. 



Lepus auduboni arizcnae. Allex. (Of Arizona.) 



ARIZONA WOOD-HARE. 



Paler tJian auduboni, the general effect gray rather than 

 brown ; ears longer and with but littl'e black at tips. 



Length about 355 mm. (14 inches) ; tail vertebrae 50 (2); 

 hind foot 83 (3.25) ; ear from crown 92 (3.60). 



Type locality, Beale Spring-, in northwestern Arizona. 



Western and southern Arizona, southern Nevada, California 

 east of the Sierra Nevada and San Bernardino ■Mountains and 

 northwestern Lower California. Frequents the thickets of the 

 valleys and less arid parts of this region. Seldom common. 



Lepus nuttalli Bach man. 



NUTTALL WOOD-HARE. 



Smaller than auduboni; ears shorter ; color intermediate be- 

 tween auduboni and ai'i:;oux: skull smaller; rostrum wider in pro- 

 portion and much shorter. 



Length about 335 mm. (13.2O' inches); tail yertebrre 47 

 (1.85) ; hind foot 85 (3.35) ; ear from crown 80 (3.15}. 



