HARES AND RABBITS. 229 



III. THE RABBIT. LEPUS CUNICULUS. 



Lepus cuniculus^ Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 77 (1766); 

 Bell, British Quadrupeds, 2nd ed. p. 343 (1874). 



Characters. — Size small ; ears and hind-limbs relatively shorter 

 than in the two preceding species, and the former with a very 

 small or no black terminal patch. General colour brownish-grey 

 mingled with tawny, the under-parts white, and the tail blackish 

 above and white beneath. Length of head and body about 

 16^ inches; of tail, 3/S inches; of ear, 3^ inches. 



In form of body, the Rabbit is rounder and plumper than 

 the Hare, and the flanks are less contracted, vvhile the pro- 

 portionately shorter ears and limbs give it a much more ordinary 

 appearance. Li this country pied, black, and fawn-coloured 

 pure-bred wild Rabbits are not uncommon; and a wild albino 

 specimen has been recently recorded from France. In weight, 

 a wild Rabbit usually varies from between two-and-a-half and 

 three pounds, but specimens which have turned the scale at 

 five pounds are on record. 



Distribution. — Originally, so far as can be determined, a 

 native of the countries around the western portion of the 

 Mediterranean, the Rabbit appears to have gradually spread 

 thence, partly by human agency, and partly by migration, 

 to the more northern countries of Europe ; while the dis- 

 astrous results of its introduction into Australia and New Zea- 

 land are only too well known. The date of its introduction 

 into Britain does not appear to be ascertained, even approxi- 

 mately ; but it was probably first imported into England^ 

 w^hence it was carried to Ireland, while its extension into 

 Scotland was a gradual process, which is even now going 

 on, this Rodent being now abundant in many districts where 

 it was formerly unknown. As in the case of the northern 

 isles, this widening of its distributional area in Scotland is 



