HARES. 429 



bit is smaller than the European hare, especially in the 

 body. Its enormous ears, often six inches in length, which 

 have given it the name it bears, are long and broad, and 

 are nearly one-third longer than the head. It has a length 

 sometimes, when full grown, of thirty-three inches or more, 

 and its hind -legs are very long. Its general color above 

 is a yellowish -gray, blotched, and lined with black. The 

 upper surface of the tail is black, and, beneath, grayish- 

 white ; the legs are ashy, and the tip of the posterior sur- 

 face of the ear is black. There is much variation in hue, 

 according to age and season, yet no one who has ever seen 

 it would mistake it at any time for another species. While 

 this creature is seen in almost every character of land be- 

 tween the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade Range, yet 

 it seems to prefer a rolling country, where hill and vale 

 alternate. It is fair eating, and I have often found it a 

 most useful addition to a camp larder. 



The opposite to this in every way is the L. aquaticus, 

 called in some places the swamp and the water rabbit. 

 The latter is the more appropriate name, for it is almost 

 amphibious in its habits, and is remarkable for the size of 

 its head, compared to its body, and the shortness of its 

 ears. The head is very large; the ears are scarcely half 

 the length of the head; the hind -feet, which are shorter 

 than the head, are pointed, and the claws are uncovered. 

 The tail is about the same length as the ears ; the hind- feet 

 look slender, owing to the depth of the pads, and they are 

 pointed at the toes, instead of being blunt. The shortness 

 of the ears and the size of the head give it a peculiar ap- 

 pearance, especially as the former are broad and round at 

 the apex, and are heavily covered with long hairs. The 

 color above is a yellowish-brown, closely lined with black ; 

 the sides are grayer ; the tail and legs are a rusty brown ; 

 the tail beneath and the abdomen are very white; and a 

 black spot is found on the forehead. The fur is coarse, 

 bristly, and harsh, and is of little use in commerce. 



This creature is found principally in the South-western 

 States, and is one of their most peculiar fauna. It is rarely 



