586 U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



entirely black. The sides are of a more unmixed ashy gray. The upper part of the chest and 

 the throat are gray, with a slight tinge of rusty. The anterior surface of the fore legs, with 

 the exterior faces of the hind legs, similar. The under surface of head, the eyelids, the abdo 

 men, limbs, with the exceptions as stated, with the tail are smoky white ; the latter ash colored 

 along the median line above. The sides and ends of the snout are tinged with rusty. The 

 under surfaces of the feet are grayish brown. The nape and back of the neck are smoky white, 

 (grayish on the median line,) this color running up and occupying the entire inner surface of 

 the ear and its posterior margin, except for three quarters of an inch at the tip, where they are 

 sooty brown, the margin at the same time becoming creamy in color. The external and 

 internal bands are like the back The anterior fringe is composed of very long hairs of a red 

 dish white color. 



The specimen thus described, No. 85, was collected by Mr. Townsend on the banks of the 

 Columbia river, and corresponds to the Lepus townsendii of Dr. Bachman. 



Another specimen, No. 223, collected at Fort Union, in 1853, by Dr. Suckley, agrees in all 

 respects except that the sides of the head are tinged with pale rusty. There is more white on 

 the legs, and the tail is pure white. The ears are rather shorter, although the specimen is 

 smaller. 



A specimen, No. 69, collected in winter, at Fort Union, by Mr. Alexander Culbertson, is 

 pure white all over, with a yellowish tinge. The hairs on the back are snow white for half 

 their length from the base, then shading into very pale reddish brown, and finally tipped 

 largely with yellowish white. The central darker color, however, does not show except when 

 the fur is parted. On the sides of the neck and shoulders these hairs are slightly plumbeous at the 

 base ; along the flanks and beneath, as well as on the entire tail, they are pure white throughout. 

 The internal and external fringes are reddish white, the hairs brown at their bases ; the tip of 

 the ear, for an inch, (except on the outer band,) is brown. The soles of the feet are yellowish. 



The fur is very soft and full, more or less crimped and curled at the basal half. The long 

 scattered hairs on the back are two inches long ; the average of the fur about one and a half inch. 



The skull (972) of the winter specimen, No. 67, compared with that of L. callotis, (1191,) 

 of the same size, shows the molars further removed from the front of the canines ; the anterior 

 upper molar considerably smaller ; the zygomatic arch much lower anteriorly, and the sepa 

 ration of the zygomata and the temples greater ; the lower molars narrower ; the lower jaw 

 narrower and shorter. 



This species inhabits the northern part of the United States from the Missouri river to 

 the Columbia. It is quite abundant on the Missouri, and extends as far south as the Platte at 

 Fort Kearney. Dr. Suckiey collected one specimen near Fort Boise". 



This species was firsf described by Dr. Kichardson as the Lepus virginianus, supposing it to 

 be what is now known as L. amcricanus. Dr. Bachman gave to it the name of L. campestris, 

 and subsequently receiving a specimen from Mr. Townsend, and assured by him that it did not 

 turn white in winter, he named it L. townsendii. He has, however, since then suspected that 

 the L. townsendii did become white in winter, and was identically the same with L. campestris. 

 This supposition has been verified by the reception of specimens from Fort Union, both in 

 summer and winter dress ; the former agreeing precisely with a summer specimen collected by 

 JUr. Townsend oa the banks of the Columbia river. 



