254 MAMMALS. 



More thau one species has been described as inhabiting the south of Europe, but their dis- 

 tinctness has been questioned. One species (L. Mediterraxeus) is admitted to be good. It extends 

 into Africa, and is found all through the Sahara to the sea-coast, but becomes of a paler and 

 more tawny hue when found inland ; that is, a colour more nearly corresponding to that of the desert. 

 Two or three are found in Siberia and Central Asia. Several have been described as inhabiting 

 different parts of the Himalayahs, but probably they are all referable to four species — one with a 

 coarse fur which extends into China, and another reaching into Affghanistan and Cashmere, and 

 two which inhabit the plains of India. In the same way, it is probable that half-a-dozen sjaecies 

 have been made of one which inhabits Syria, Ai-abia, Egypt, Nubia, and Abyssinia. 



Three well-marked species, not unlike our common Hare, exist in South Africa ; but a great 

 blank lies between them and the nearest species in Abyssinia. It is a point of interest to ascertain 

 whether any occur iia the interval. As a rule Hares are inhabitants of cold and temperate climes 

 and are absent from the tropics ; the two species which occur in the plains of India are the only 

 Old-world tropical species with which we are acquainted. One of these (L. nigricollis) occurs 

 in Java and the Mauritius, but Mr. Blyth says that they were introduced into both,* which is 

 very probable, but he does not mention the groimds on which he makes the statement. 



The range of the common Rabbit is very much the same as that of the common Hare (L. 

 TiMiDus), but extends beyond it into North Africa. 



Fossil remains of various species of Hare have been found in different parts of the Continent ; in 

 post-glacial deposits, and in bone-caves or bone breccia at Auvergne, Gibraltar, Cette, Parma, Kent's 

 Hole (in England), Liege, Montpelier, Lunel-Viel, and in Aude. In Brazil remains have been met 

 with which cannot well be separated from the only species which now lives in that country, L. Bra- 



SILIENSIS. 



* Bltth's "Catalogue," p. 132. 



