354 



VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



nected with the stream by a tunnel whose entrance is under the water. 

 From 2 to 5 young are raised annually. 



Subspecies of C. canadensis 



C. c. canadensis Kuhl. Northeastern and central America; Hudson- 

 ian, Canadian and Transition zones. 



C. c. carolinensis Rhoads. Size larger; color lighter; tail broader: 



North Carolina to Louisiana. 



C. c. frondator Mearns. Color 

 lighter; russet brown above: Mon- 

 tana to Mexico. 



C. c. pacificus Rhoads. Size 

 large; length 1143 mm.; color reddish 

 chestnut: Pacific slope from Cal- 

 ifornia to Alaska. 



C. c. suhauratus Taylor. Size 

 very large; length 11 71 mm.; color 

 hazel and gray with a golden sheen : 

 San Joaquin County, California. 



Family 9. LeporidaB. — Rabbits 

 and hares. Large rodents with 4 

 upper incisors (Fig. 183), a large 

 pair in front and a small pair imme- 

 diately behind them; upper lip 

 divided; front legs short, with 5 

 toes; hind legs very long and with 



4 toes; tail rudimentary; ears very 

 long; dentition 2/1, 0/0, 3/2,3/3: 



5 genera and about 70 species, found 

 throughout the world ; 3 genera and 

 16 species in the United States. 

 The American rabbits and hares 

 (with the exception of Brachylagus 



idahoensis) do not burrow as do their European relatives, but frequently 

 make their nests in holes in the ground. 



Fig. 183. — Skull of I.e pus {from Elliot) 



Key to the Genera of Leporidae 



ai Size large; hind foot over 125 mm. long i. Lcpus. 



3,2 Size small; hind foot about 90 mm. long 2. Sylvilagus. 



as Size very small; hind foot about 70 mm. long 3. Brachylagus. 



