ZOOLOGY. 68 



The prairie or Townsend's hare is unknown in the valleys of California, though we found it a 

 short distance south of the parallel of 42°, so that it may he said to inhahit that State. In the 

 upper part of the Sacramento valley, and even in the hills northeast of Fort Reading, we found 

 the "jackass rahbit " (L. calif ornicus) everywhere abundant, the only hare, in the common 

 acceptation of the term, known to exist there — L. artemisiae, audubonii, and trowbridgii, being 

 all called rabbits. Crossing the "divide" near Lassen's butte, and coming down into the 

 interior or Klamath basin, on the upper branches of Pit river, we lost sight of the Californian 

 hare, to see no more of it till our return south, months afterwards. In its place, another species, 

 almost as large, and quite as handsome, but of a bluish grey, instead of a reddish brown, began 

 to be occasionally seen, at first very rarely, afterwards oftener, as we approached the Columbia, 

 but never anywhere in the region we visited becoming so abundant as the Californian hare in 

 some parts of its habitat. 



I saw the first individual of this species on the shores of Wright lake. As we descended from 

 a line of hills toward the water, a sort of stampede took place among the game of all kinds, 

 which had congregated from a vast region of now barren or burned prairie and mountain. The 

 air was filled with flocks of birds, ducks, waders, grouse and quails ; while the guns were 

 popping in all directions. Among the animals which fled, alarmed by those before me, I 

 noticed a large blue-grey hare, entirely unlike anything I had before seen, running up the hill 

 toward me. Forgetful of my horse, and of my own fatigue, and only anxious to secure the 

 prize, I galloped around a knoll on my right to intercept him. When I crossed his track, how- 

 ever, he was far away, and running at a speed which, familiar as I was with the Californian hare, 

 astonished me. This was Townsend's hare, further south than it had before been noticed, and 

 near the southern limit of its range. A few days afterward Mr. Anderson shot one on the 

 shores of Great Klamath lake, which I preserved. 



The flesh of Townsend's hare, when fat, is excellent ; and though living among the sage 

 bushes, I did not notice that it had contracted any bitterness, as does the large grouse (T. uropha- 

 sianus) which inhabits the same regions. And yet it is difficult to imagine what they can find 

 to eat, unless it is the artemisia, for that is almost the only green thing in some localities where 

 they are found. 



All the specimens I saw of this species had the colors I have assigned to it. This was, how- 

 ever, as I suppose, only the summer coat. In the winter it is said to become white ; in that 

 respect differing from the Californian hare. 



LEPUS CALIFOENICUS, Gray. 



California Hare. 



Lepus cali/ornicus, Gray, Charlesw. Mag. N. H. I, 1S37, 586, (named only in Pr. Zool. Soc. Lond. IV, 1836, 88. 

 Aud. & Bach. N. Am. Quad. Ill, 1853, 53 ; pi. cxii. 

 Baibd, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 594. 

 ?lepus richardsonii, Bach. J. A. N. Sc. VIII, I, 1839, 88. 



Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. IV, 1844, 111. 

 Lepus bennetlii, Gray, Zool Sulphur, Mamm. 1844, 35 ; pi. xiv. (In color rather nearer L. californicus ) 



Sp. Ch. — Size large. Ears and hind feet much longer than the head, (the ears longest.) Tail as long as the head. 

 Limbs elongated, not very densely furred. Fur rather soft. Upper parts light cinnamon and black. Sides of the body 

 anteriorly, chest, and outer surfaces of limbs cinnamon, with a slight mixture of black. Under parts whitish cinnamon on 

 the median line, darker externally and on the inner surfaces of the limbs. Tail dull cinnamon, the upper part and a line 

 running up a short distance on the rump, black. Extremity of the dorsal surface of the ear, with the adjacent edges, 

 black. Internal and external bauds dusky ; rest of the dorsal surface of the ear, with the posterior edge, fulvous white ; 

 rest of the external surface, with the anterior fringe, pale cinnamon. Under surface of the head lighter than the chest. 

 Bases of the hairs and fur above, greyish white ; below, white ; on the sides, light plumbeous. Nape, dusky greyish. 



