PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES 

 OF THE GENUS LEPUS FROM MEXICO. 



BY WALTER E. BRYANT. 



Lepus insularis, sp. nov. Black Hare. 



Sp. char. — About the size of Lepiis californicus. Gen- 

 eral color of upper surfaces of body, head and tail, black ; 

 under surface of body pale vinaceous-cinnamon, becom- 

 ing decidedly darker towards the sides where it blends 

 with black from dorsal surface. Ears gray, tipped 

 with black ; a narrow, well-defined line of white along 

 the inferior margin of ear. Chin and orbital region, 

 grayish white. Cheeks gray. Throat cinnamon-rufous. 

 Under surface of tail nearly the same color as throat. 

 Upper surface of fore feet and legs cinnamon-rufous, 

 nearl}' obscured by black-tipped hairs. Upper surface 

 of hind feet grayish white; toes brownish; black be- 

 tween digits. A black line extending along inner sides 

 of hind feet from toes to and a little above the heel. 

 Soles of feet heavily padded. 



Type, No. \%\, 5 ad. California Academy of Sciences. 

 From Espiritu Santo Island, Gulf of California, Mexico, 

 November 2, 1890. Collected by Walter E. Bryant. 

 (Original number, 508.) 



Type, No. \\%^ ? ad. California Academy of Sciences. 

 From Espiritu Santo Island, Gulf of California, Mexico, 

 November 2, 1890. Collected by Walter E. Bryant. 

 (Original number, 509.) 



Two other specimens collected at the same place and 

 time and two from the U. S. National Museum, collected 

 by Mr. L. Belding in 1882 have been examined. Cranial 

 characters and measurements are unavoidably deferred 

 to a later paper. 



2d Ser. Vol. III. April '23, 1891. 



