PICAS AND HARES. 197 



species ; and when pursued generally take refuge in holes. Of the Tibetan species, 

 the Afghan hare (L. tibetanus), which is found as low as five hundred feet above 

 the sea, is distinguished by the black upper surface of the tail ; while in the woolly 

 hare (L. oiostolus) and upland hare (L. hypsibius) both surfaces of the tail are 

 nearly or quite white. The latter species does not occur below fourteen thousand 

 or fifteen thousand feet ; and I have found it in swarms among eleagnus bush in 

 the higher valleys of the Ladak. 



The most remarkable of the Indian species is, however, the hispid hare (L. 

 hispidus), inhabiting the foot of the Eastern Himalaya. In this hare the ears are 

 shorter than the skull, the eyes small, the ears coarse and bristly, the tail dark both 

 above and below, and the hind-legs scarcely longer than the front pair. Although 

 not gregarious, this species is said to burrow like a rabbit ; and probably, therefore, 

 produces blind and naked young. Its flesh is reported to be white. An allied 

 species (L. nitscheri) inhabits Sumatra. 



In Africa hares are found from E^ypt to the Cape ; those from 

 African Species 



' South Africa afford but poor sport, as their speed is not great, and 



when pursued they almost invariably run to ground. Moreover, some of them at 

 least, are very foul feeders. The Egyptian hare (L. cegyptius) is considerably 

 smaller than the common species, but with relatively longer ears, and paler fur. 

 Of the Cape species, the rock -hare (L. saxatilis) is nearly equal in size to the 

 common European hare, and has relatively long limbs and ears, with the fur rufous 

 above and dirty white below. The Cape hare (L. capensis) differs by its shorter 

 legs, and the absence of a rufous tinge on the back of the neck, and the yellowish 

 colour of the throat ; when hunted, it always carries the ears erect. Lastly, we 

 have the small thick-tailed hare (L. crassicaudatus), which is not larger than a 

 rabbit, and is of a foxy-red colour above, paler beneath, with the large and thick 

 tail of the same rufous tint as the body. This species, which has very short legs, 

 is confined to the highlands, ranging from the Cape Colony to the Transvaal. 



THE RABBIT (Lepus cuniculus). 



From the foregoing account of the non-European species of hares it will be 

 gathered that some of them show a transition, both as regards form and habits 

 from the European hare in the direction of the rabbit, although none of them are 

 as gregarious as the latter, and, with one probable exception, none produce blind 

 offspring. On these grounds the rabbit cannot be separated generically from the 

 hare. The rabbit is characterised by its small size, relatively short ears, which about 

 equal the length of the head, its small head, and the comparatively slight elongation 

 of the hind-legs. The general colour is greyish brown, with the neck reddish fawn, 

 the under-parts and lower surface of the tail white, and, at most, only the margins 

 of the tips of the ears white. Black, fawn, or parti-coloured individuals are, how- 

 ever, at times met with even in the wild state. The length of the rabbit is usually 

 about 16J inches; and its weight from 2J to 3 Ibs., although it may occasionally 

 reach as much as 5 Ibs. 



These rodents which, as compared with the hare, are deficient in speed, are 

 eminently gregarious, forming in suitable soils numerous burrows, collectively 

 termed " warrens." Sandy soils, especially those clothed with heath or gorse, are 



