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862 



MOKOOUAPnS OF NOUTO AMERICAN KODENTIA. 



The specimens being cliiefly from Georgia, they give but little information 

 in respect to geographical variation in size or color. 



The species was first described by Bachman in 1837, and its only 

 synonym is Lepus clouglassi var. 2 of Gray, of nearly the same date. In 

 addition to the subsequent accounts of tiiis species by Waterhouse, Audu- 

 bon and Bacimian, and Baird, Dr. Coues has given a very full biograi)hical 

 account of it in the article above cited. 



Geographical distribution. — The present species is well known as an 

 inhabitant of the marshy lowlands of the South Atlantic States. The most 

 northern locality from which I have seen specimens is Fort Macon, North 

 Carolina, but it in all probability will be found to range nortliward to the 

 lowlands of Southeastern Virginia. Audubon and Bachman speak of it as 

 abundant in the swamps of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, but 

 Professor Baird has questioned the authenticity of some of these localities, 

 and states that he had never "seen a specimen from the region west of 

 Georgia." Professor Baird's specimens were all from South Carolina and 

 Georgia ; there are now in the collection additional specimens from Florida, 

 and one from near Vera Cruz, Mexico. It hence seems probable that it may 

 exist along the Mexican coast from Texas to Yucatan. Audubon and Bach- 

 man believed it would eventually be found in Mexico, as has proved to be 

 the case. In the lowlands of the Lower Mississippi, it extends as far north 

 as Southern Illinois, both Mr. Robert Ridgway and Mr. E. W. Nelson in- 

 forming me that a Marsb Hare occurs along the Wabash River as far up as 

 Mt. Carmel, Illinois.* 



*Hr. Ridgwny, nodor dato of April 17, 1S76, kindly wrote me on thin point as follows: "A'Swamp 

 Rabbit' or ■ Water Rabbit' is common in Sontbem Illinois as far north as Mount Cannel, but whether it 

 iapaliutria or aquaticiu I do not know. It is of very common occnrrence in the bottom lands, where it 

 frequents bnshy swamps and the borders of creeks." Mr. Nelson, nnder date of April 30, 1876, wrote 

 me that, when visiting the same locality in the snmmer of 1H75, he " was led to suspect its oocnrrenoo in 

 abundance along the Wabash River as far up as Mount Carmel." He adds : " My informants told me 

 that tbey found this animal only in damp sitnations, along the river or about the bayous, in places grown 

 up with rushcH or willows, and from the nature of their haunts were very difficult to procure. I after- 

 ward found that this species was common in the canebrakes near Cairo, although less abundant than 

 L. aquaticiu." 



