43 UNITED STATES AND MEXICAN BOUNDARY. 



color extending on the posterior edge of the latter, or for nearly two inches. Of the remaining 

 portion, the inferior half is pale fulvous, shading superiorly into ashy. 



On the hack the fur is light ash gray at the hase, then hlack, then hrownish yellow, and 

 finally tipped with hlack. On the lower part of the sides the hlack changes into a light hrown. 

 On the posterior portion of the dorsal surface the hases of the hairs on the median region are 

 lead color ; more laterally this hecomes lighter, and the dorsal portion nearly white. The grey 

 hairs on the huttocks are much shorter and more compressed than the adjacent region of 



the hack. 



A specimen, No. 135, collected at Eagle Pass, Texas, hy Mr. Hchott, in the summer of 1852, 



agrees in every respect, except in having the hack of the neck entirely destitute of the dusky 



hrowii of the one first described. This is of a hrownish yellow, the color showing on the hase 



of the ear. The hlack annulation of the fur ahove is less extended and less intense. The ears 



are more cinnamon in tint, and the hlack at tip is a little greater in extent. The legs appear 



a little thicker and the pads fuller, the claws not quite so long and sharp ; the ears are no longer 



in proportion. 



Ko. 134, likewise collected by Mr. Schott, at Eagle Pass, agrees with No. 252 in the dusky 



nape and the hlack hase of the ears. The hlack on the hack is, however, more like No. 135, or 



less distinct than in 252, and the fur on the anterior portion of the hack is more dusky at the 



hase. The claws are shorter, the pads rather fuller, and their color much darker, or a dirty 



reddish hrown. 



A specimen from Northern Mexico, Charco Escondido, collected in the spring of 1853 hy Lt. 



resemblance to No 



from 



the table of measurements. The colors above are clearer, the brownish 

 yellow lighter, the under surfaces of the feet darker ; the tail, too, is rather longer ; no other 

 difierences discernible. The nape and base of ears are dusky black. 



A single pair of ears from Mr. Jennings, Austin, Texas, are larger than those of any speci- 

 men examined. I can detect no special dificrence from the others, except that the colors are 

 purer, the black at the end of the ear covering an inch and a half from the tip, the inner surface, 

 except the external band, pure white to the base. 



Thus far, no specimens received in Washington seem to correspond to the Lepus texanus of 

 And. and Bacli. The characteristics of the specimens above described cover those of L. texanus 

 to some extent. It will be seen that specimens with black napes have the ears varying by an 

 inch, the largest nearly six inches. All have black tips to the ears, of greater or less extent, 

 although authors give the black ends as peculiar to L. californicus and texanus. Specimens with 

 the ears of the same proportional size have black napes or gray. The nearest approach to L. 

 texanus is seen in a scalp with ears, brought from Eed river by Capt. Marcy. Here the colors 

 are more rufous than in any of the others ; the nape is pale rusty ; the base of the ear white ; 

 the tip brownish black, except on the external band. The ears measure 5 inches 2 lines poste- 

 riorly, and 4 inches 3 lines from the notch. 



A young specimen, collected at Charco Escondido by Lt. Couch, has much the same distribu- 

 tion of color above as the adult. The fur, however, is fuller and brownish lead color at the 

 roots, then brownish rusty, then black, then reddish yellow ; some of the hairs, in addition, 

 have black tips ; towards the sides the base of the hairs becomes ligliter. Upper part of tail 



