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May 28, 1838. 
SIR Wm. R. HAMILTON, A.M., President, in the Chair. 
Mr. Ball read a paper, by Wm. Thompson, V, P. Nat. 
Hist. Society of Belfast, “on the Irish Hare.” (Lepus Hi- 
bernicus.) 
This paper commenced with a review of what has been 
written on the subject of the Irish hare, from the time it was 
brought under the notice of English zoologists in 1833, until 
the present period. Mr. Thompson stated, contrary to 
what has been advanced, that the hare of England and 
Scotland, and that of Ireland, have long been known to 
differ ; and that in 1807 the difference in the fur of the two 
species was alluded to asa matter of common notoriety, in 
the MS. of the late John Templeton, Esq. He further 
stated, that on account of their differing from the Irish 
species, a number of hares were, upwards of thirty years 
ago, brought from England, and turned out on the largest 
of the Copeland Islands, off the county of Down, and that 
many years since, the Irish hare was, for a similar reason, 
introduced to the island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland. 
The Lepus Hibernicus is considered distinct from all 
described species. It exhibits, in several respects, characters 
intermediate between the British hares, Z. timidus and L. varia- 
bilis, but considered generally, more nearly approximates to 
the former animal. 
The chief result of detailed measurements is shewn in the 
superior length of the ears and tail of Z. timidus, compared 
with those of L. Hibernicus. The former, or common hare, 
displays greater diversity of colour on the head, ears, and 
body, than the Irish species, which again exhibits greater 
variety in that of the legs. The most obvious difference in 
colour (and which has been unnoticed by authors,)is in the tail, 
