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



pale bar, as described, is a very peculiar one, only found in some small California species, (other 

 wise very different,) and in the L. aquaticus and palustris. The only important discrepancy is 

 in regard to the feet, which are said to be densely furred, while in the specimens before me they 

 are scantily furred, intermediate in this respect between L. palustris and sylvaticus. How constant 

 this character may be here, I do not know ; but if the species be not bachmani, I know not how 

 otherwise to identify it in the many hundreds of skins of hares before me from all parts of 

 North America. It cannot be either of the small California species, as I shall endeavor to show 

 hereafter, while its reference to the small hare of the high plains of Texas and New Mexico, as 

 made by Audubon and Bachman, is prevented by the peculiarity of color of the dorsal fur, which, 

 in these Texas animals just mentioned, has the fur plumbeous at base, then reddish, then dusky, 

 and then the subterminal yellowish brown bar, instead of a nearly black bar immediately suc 

 ceeding the plumbeous, to be followed by the yellowish brown annulus. 



At any rate, this species is very different from any other American hare except bachmani ; and 

 rather than run the risk of loading science with a new synonym, I place it, for the present at 

 least, under this species. Its scantily furred and short feet approximate it to L. palustris ; but 

 it is otherwise very different in texture of fur, color, skull, and all important characters. 



List of specimens. 



LEPUS AUDUBONII, Baird. 



Andubon's Hare. 



Sp. CH. Size a little less than that of L. sylvaticus ; ears longer than the head ; hind feet rather short, longer than the 

 ears ; fully furred beneath . Tail rather long. 



Above, mixed yellowish brown and black, paler on the sides and throat ; beneath, pure white. Thighs and rump grayish. 

 Back of neck rusty ; fore legs somewhat similar. Hairs lead color at the base, on the middle of the back (over the loins) passing 

 directly through dark brown to black, then yellowish brown ; on the sides, rump, and fore part of back, the passage into tin 

 first brown or black ring is through grayish, yellowish, or reddish brown. 



Size less than L. sylvaticus ; ears longer than the head, moderately coated with hair inside and 

 out. Fur rather harsh, but softer than in L. sylvaticus. Tho feet smaller in proportion ; well 

 furred beneath, about as in L. sylvaticus. Tail rather long. 



The general color of the fur above is a rich yellowish red brown, more yellowish on the sides. 

 On the back this color is mixed with black, on the sides with brown. The sides are without; 

 the gray tint of L. sylvaticus; this, however, occurs to a certain extent on the rump and outside 

 of the thighs. The color of the back runs down the sides along the anterior edge of the thigh, 



