RODENTIA LEPORIDAE LEPUS CALLOTIS, 591 



In the other specimen (455) the fur is very long and full. The prevailing color ahove is 

 nearly a pure gray, blotched with black, the hairs being of this latter color subterminally for a 

 quarter of an inch. The fur in its length and fulness is much like that described from the 

 Llano Estacado ; the subterminal annulus, however, is much blacker. 



It is barely possible that an additional species may exist in the central highlands of North 

 America ; but for the present I prefer to consider the peculiarities described as rather the 

 result of a more elevated and boreal climate. 



I have never met with any specimens having the peculiar characters of L. texianus of Aud. 

 & Bach. The nearest approach is in a pair of ears from Red River, Arkansas, in which the 

 prevailing color is more of a faded cinnamon. 1 



This species is similar in general form to L. calif ornicus ; the latter is, however, much more 

 cinnamon colored ; the under parts of the body, legs, and tail being of this color instead of 

 whitish. The legs appear to be rather longer and more densely padded. 



An article on L. callotis, based on other specimens, will be found in the report of the United 

 States Mexican Boundary Survey, and in this is a notice of a specimen collected west of San 

 Antonio by Mr. Clark, in many respects quite different from the typical L. callotis, and ap 

 proaching somewhat to L. flavigularis. In this specimen (301) the fur is much longer and 

 softer beneath ; the tail is very long, with the hairs, measuring 4.08 inches. The prevailing 

 tint beneath is light gamboge yellow instead of white. The nape is grayish, and the ears 

 tipped with dark brown. The feet are very densely furred beneath. There are also some 

 differences noted in the skull. These will be appreciated, in part, by the accompanying table 

 of measurements and proportions of the skull of this variety (1215) compared with two others of 

 the more typical L. callotis. 



The Lepus callotis will be found, from the list of localities given below, to have quite an ex 

 tensive range, especially if the Fort Boise specimens should really be the same. It has not yet 

 been found in California, and the locality given by Bennet for his nigricaudaius may be sup 

 posed, from this evidence, to be much further south and east of that generally understood. 

 Thus far, if I recollect aright, not a single one of the species assigned by him to " California, 

 adjoining Mexico," has been found in that State. The probabilities are, that they came from 

 the southern part of Sonora, west of the Sierra Madre, perhaps not far to the northeast of 

 Mazatlan, and from six to ten degrees south of California. 



1 The L. texianus of Waterhouse agrees very closely with the pale naped variety of L. callotis here described, and if distinct 

 will be entitled to the name. The L. texianus of Audubon and Bachman appears sufficiently distinct from either. 



