46 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HARE 



Blyth long ago suggested that leucotisin was the best 

 term that could be employed to designate a phase of 

 abnormal whiteness unassociated with red irides, and 

 it may well be doubted if his term can be improved. 



Some fifty years ago a beautiful white hare fre- 

 quented Lowther Park in Westmoreland. It was, 

 rationally enough, preserved for a time, but came to 

 an untimely end nevertheless, being accidentally killed 

 by a scythe. Three years afterwards a pure white 

 leveret appeared in the same locality. Similar animals 

 have been killed at one time or another in most parts 

 of England. A pure white hare was killed in Lincoln- 

 shire in September 1894. No fewer than three white 

 hares were killed in Nottinghamshire in 1888. 'In 

 October last,' says Mr. J. Whitaker, ' the Earl of 

 Burford shot at Best wood Park, near here, a full- 

 grown white hare with eyes of a pale blue, so often 

 seen in white varieties. A white leveret also was 

 caught, soon after it had left the nest, in the previous 

 April. Possibly they were both of the same litter. 

 In December last a white hare was shot at Rufford, 

 and it is very curious that these should have occurred 

 in one year, especially as there are now so few hares 

 left — not one to twenty of former days. No white 

 hare has occurred about here for forty years to my 

 knowledge, though hares used to swarm all over these 



