14 JACK RABBITS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



scope of this bulletin, however desirable it might be to consider these 

 questions. For the present it will be sufficient merely to give the 

 species now generally recognized, with the full knowledge that their 

 status and nomenclature are likely to undergo considerable modifica- 

 tion in the near future. Such a course is unsatisfactory, but unavoid- 

 able under the circumstances. 



For convenience, the jack rabbits which occur in the United States 

 may be divided into two groups, according to the color of the upper 

 surface of the tail.' In the first group, represented by the Prairie Hare 

 {Lepus campestri.s) — the only jaclv rabbit which ever turns white in 

 winter — the tail is entirely white. In the second groui) the upper sur- 

 face of the tail is marked by a more or less distinct strijie of black. 

 Four or more black-tailed rabbits have been described from the West: 

 (1) A butt-bellied species found in California and southwestern Oregon 

 {Lepvs calif ornicus)', (2) a large, long-limbed species inhabiting south-' 

 ern Arizona and Sonora, known as Allen's Hare {Lepus allc7ii); (3) a 

 widely distributed white bellied animal with long ears, occurring in the 

 Great Basin and commonly known as the Texan Jack Eabbit {Lepus 

 texianus), and (4) the Black-eared Jack, or Eastern Jackass Hare of the 

 Great Plains ( Lepus melanotis ), very closely related to the Texan Hare, 

 but differing from it in possessing shorter ears and richer coloring. 



One or more Mexican species cross the southern border of the United 

 States and are found in the extreme southern part of Texas, but their 

 range within our limits is so restricted that they will not be considered 

 further. 



Prairie Hare or White-tailed Jack Rabbit. 

 {Lepus campestris Bachman.) 



The Prairie Hare was first discovered by Lewis and Clark on their 

 memorable trip across the continent in 1804-1806, although not actually 

 named until 1837.- They described it as follows: 



The hare [Lepua camjyestris] on this side of the Rocky Mountains inhabits the great 

 plains of the Columbia. Eastward of those mountains they inhabit the plains of the 

 Missouri. They weigh from 7 to 11 pounds. * * * The head, neck, back, shoul- 

 ders, thighs, and outer part of the legs are of a lead color; the sides, as they 

 approach the belly become gradually more white; the belly, breast, and inner part 

 of the logs and thighs are white, with a light shade of lead color; the tail is round 

 and bluntly pointed, covered with wbite, soft, iiue fur, not <iuite so long as on the 

 other parts of the body; the body is covered with a deep, fine, soft, close fur. The 

 colors here described are those which the animal assumes from the middle of April 

 to the middle of November; the rest of the year he is pure white, except the black 

 and reddish-brown of the ears, which never change. A few reddish-brown spots 

 are sometimes intermixed with the white at this season [February 26, 1806J on the 

 head and the upper part of the neck and shoulders. * * * His food is grass and 

 herbs ; in winter he feeds much on the bark of several aromatic herbs growing on 



•Jack rabbits never turn the tail up like cotton-tails, and hence it is easy to tell 

 at a distance whether the, color of the upper surface is bliick or wliite. 

 -Bachman, Joutn. Acad. Nat. feci., Philadelphia, Vol. \U, 1837, p. lUO, 



