HARES AND RABBITS 



1363 



In Central Asia picas have many foes, among which the most prominent are 

 the manul cat, the wolf, the corsac fox, and many eagles and falcons; while in 

 winter they are harried by the great snowy owl. The fur hunters of Siberia, do 

 not, however, consider these creatures worth the trouble of killing. 



HARES AND RABBITS 

 Family LEPORIDsE 



The hares and rabbits, all of which are included in the single genus Lepus, 

 constitute a family distinguished from the picas by their elongated hind-limbs, short 

 recurved tail, long ears, and imperfect collar bones. The skull is distinguished by 



HARE IN ITS FORM. 



the extremely narrow frontal region, and the presence of large wing-like (postor- 

 bital) processes defining the hinder border of the eye sockets; while there are three 

 pairs of premolars in the upper, and two in the lower jaw, the total number of 

 cheek-teeth thus being f on each side of the jaws. The eyes are large and full, and 

 devoid of eyelids. 



In all the species the fore-limbs are furnished with five, and the hinder pair 

 with four toes each; the soles of the feet being as densely clothed with hair as are 

 the legs. The inner sides of the cheeks are also lined with hair. The females have 

 teats both on the breast and on the belly. 



With the exception of one remarkable Indian species, all the members of the 

 family are very much alike in appearance and coloration; the usual tint of the fur 

 on the upper parts being a mixture of gray and reddish brown, although in some 

 cases the red, and in others the gray tends to predominate. This coloration 



