450 LEPOEID^E. 



in the plains the weight is less, Col. Hamilton (Hawkeye) says 5 

 to 7. 



Distribution. The Indian Peninsula, south of the Godavari, and 

 Ceylon. This hare ascends hills and is found commonly on the 

 Nilgiris and at Newera Ellia. 



Habits. Nothing particular appears to have been recorded. Like 

 L. ruficaudatus, this hare takes refuge in holes (on the Nilgiris, in 

 hollow trees) when pursued, and like that species appears to have 

 fewer young at a birth than the European hare. Mr. Davison 

 tells me he has generally found one but not unfrequently two. On 

 the Nilgiris this hare breeds chiefly from October to February. 



320. Lepus ruficaudatus. The common Indian Hare. 



Lepus ruficaudatus, Geoff. Did. class, tfhist. not. ix, p. 381 (1826) ; 



Slyth, J. A. S. B. xi, p. 100 ; Cat. p. 131 ; Jerdon, Mam. p. 224. 

 Lepus timidus, McClelland, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 152, nee Linn. 

 Lepus macrotus, Hod/son, J. A. S. B. ix, p. 1183 (1840) ; Adams, 



P. Z. S. 1858, p. 520 ; Wagner, Huge!* Kaschmir, iv, p. 574, pi. 

 Lepus aryabertensis, Hodgson, Calc. Jour. N. H. iv, p. 293. 

 Lepus tytleri, Tytler, A. M. N. H. (2) xiv. p. 176 (1854) ; Blyth, 



J. A. "S. B. xxii, p. 415, xxiv, p. 471. 



Khar gosh, P. & Hindustani ; Khar a, Susra or Sassa, H. & B. ; Lam- 

 bha or Lambhdna, H. ; Malol, Gond. ; Kulhai, Kol, Santal; Koarli, 

 Korku; Manye, Paharia of Kajmehal. 



Ears very thinly clad. Fur somewhat harsh and coarse ; three 

 pairs of mammae, 1 pectoral, 2 inguinal. 



Colour above light rufous-brown mixed with black on the back 

 and face ; breast and limbs rufous ; chin, upper throat, and lower 

 parts from between the fore legs white. Fur of back creamy white 

 (sometimes very pale ashy grey) at the base, then for a short dis- 

 tance dark brown to ashy brown, then pale rufous, and the extreme 

 tips black. Tail above rufous-brown. Anterior outer and posterior 

 inner surface of ears more thickly clad than the remainder of the 

 ear-conch, dark brown mixed with rufescent. Near their tips the 

 ears are narrowly bordered with black outside and with rufous 

 inside. 



Dimensions. Head and body 18 to 20 inches, tail with hair 4, ear 

 from crown 5, breadth laid flat 2-75, hind foot and tarsus from heel 

 to end of claws 4 basal length of skull 2-9, zygomatic breadth 1-55 ; 

 weight 4 to 5 Ibs. Males are smaller than females. 



Distribution. Northern India generally, except in Western 

 Eajputana, Sind, and the South-west Punjab. This species ranges 

 from the foot of the Himalayas to the Godavari or somewhat fur- 

 ther south, being found, I believe, around Poona in the Deccan. To 

 the eastward L. ruficaudatus occurs in Assam, to the north-west 

 I have a specimen from Hazara. 



Habits. This hare is chiefly found in waste ground or dry culti- 



