(WHITE-TAILED JACK RABBIT 131 



and collectors should be on the lookout for this species in order 

 to definitely affirm the above data, so that specimens and exact 

 localities may be available for reference. 



WHITE-TAILED JACK RABBIT. JACK RABBIT. 



Lepus tcnvnsendi campanius Hollister. 



Lepus campestris Bachman (nomen praeocc.) Journ. Acad. Nat. 

 Sci. Philadelphia, VII, part 2, 349-353, 1837. 



Lepus townscndi campanius Hollister, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 

 XXVIII, 70, March 12, 1915. 



Description. Summer: Color above, nearly uniform, varying 

 from pale yellowish gray to brownish gray, the brownish color of 

 under-fur showing through; rump similar to rest of back, but a 

 little paler at sides; entire tail usually white; front and outside 

 of fore legs and feet dull buff ; anterior border of ears with brown- 

 ish buff; posterior half of outside of ear white with a broad ter- 

 minal black patch which includes border of ear at tip ; inside of ear 

 with a long dusky patch near posterior side; posterior border 

 whitish or buffy; color below white except under side of neck 

 which is dull yellowish or grayish buff. Winter: Usually pure 

 white except irregular areas of reddish buff on tops of fore feet, 

 nose, and about eyes; front and inside of ears reddish brown; the 

 underfur reddish brown which shows through when the overlying 

 white coat is disturbed. 



Measurements. Total length, 24.00 inches; tail vertebrae, 3.50 

 inches; hind foot, 5.80 inches. 



This form resembles somewhat the varying hare, but may be 

 recognized by its larger size, its long ears tipped with black, and 

 the much longer tail which is entirely white. 



The jack rabbit is our largest representative among the rabbits. 

 It has two annual molts, but is subject to considerable color varia- 

 tion, particularly in summer. This is more pronounced on the head 

 and bcdy, which may vary from dark yellowish buffy with the 

 underfur of a dusky brown color to paler and brighter buff vary- 

 ing to grayish buff. 



Habits, Distribution, Etc. This animal has been included in all 

 the published lists of rodents of the state and has been indicated 

 as becoming more common and as increasing its distribution to 

 the east and south, In the Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of 



