286 Field Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. i. 



occiput. Nasals verj- broad. Occipito-nasal length, 94 mm.; 

 length of Hensel, 71; greatest zygomatic breadth, 41; greatest 

 mastoid breadth, 33; nasals, 36.5; least interorbital breadth, 21; 

 palatal length, 10; hamular process of pterygoid to palate, 19.5; 

 basioccipital, 12; mandible from angle to alveolus of incisors, 

 inside, 65; greatest depth from coronoid process to lower border 

 of mandible, 35 ; length of upper tooth row, 17; lower tooth 

 row, 18. 



Adult Female. Upper parts and flanks yellowish buff, the 

 hairs tipped with amber brown, much darker on the dorsal area 

 and almost blackish brown on the rump. No black lines or 

 markings visible as in the male. Head and back of neck as in 

 the male. Ears like the back outside, inside buff along the 

 margin, center bare. Pectoral band and under parts, feet and 

 tail like the male, the feet slightly darker in hue. The general 

 appearance of the female is that of a pale yellowish animal suf- 

 fused with a reddish brown, darkest on dorsal tract, very differ- 

 ent from the silver gray and black of the male. 



Measurements. (Taken by the Collector in the flesh). Total 

 length, 560; tail, 86; hind foot, no. 



This fine Hare, as represented by the male, is very different 

 ill appearance from any other species known to me. If there is 

 a distinctly colored pelage for each sex, this fact would cause its 

 separation from all its congeners. This, however, can only be 

 determined by the acquisition of additional specimens. It may 

 be, ds imagined by the settlers, as mentioned by Mr. Surber in 

 his notes given below, that the two styles represent summer and 

 winter: but even this would be unusual among the members of the 

 genus Lepus, for even if the pelage did vary in color among 

 them at different seasons, the present species (excepting those 

 that turn white in winter), would be unique in having such abso- 

 lutely opposing coats. Mr. Surber's notes regarding this Hare 

 are as follows : 



"This large and interesting hare was found exclusively in the 

 dense thickets along the Washita River bottoms, where the 

 grape vines and briars, mixed with the thick undergrowth, make 

 almost impenetrable thickets. They appeared to be common, 

 but it was almost impossible to get a shot at them, as" they were 

 up and away almost at a flash, and ran long distances before 

 stopping. The first specimen — the $ — was shot while bounding 

 away, and I was forcibly reminded of the deer in all its move- 

 ments. While these hares keep their tails stretched straight out 



