274 



THE COMMON HARE. 



Lepus timidus. LINN. 

 PLATE XXX. 



Ears 09 long as the head, Hack at the tip ; upper part* 

 light yellowish-brown, mixed with black, and posteriorly 

 tinged with grey ; fore part of neck light yellowish-red ; 

 tail black above, white beneath. 



Lepus timidus. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 77 ; Desmar. Mammal. 347 ; 

 Jenyns, Brit. Vert. Anim. 34 ; Bell, Brit. Quadf . 333. 



THE genus Lepus, which includes the animals de- 

 signated in common language by the names of 

 Hares and Rabbits, is characterized by a peculiarity 

 in the incisors of the upper jaw, which have behind 

 them two smaller teeth nearly of the same form ; 

 by the flattened summits and transversely disposed 

 plates of enamel of the grinders, of which there are % 

 six above and five below on each side, by a tuft 

 of hairs on the inside of the cheeks ; by the elon- 

 gation of the ears, and the abbreviation and recur- 

 vature of the tail. Three species occur in Britain, 

 and another is peculiar to Ireland, 



