358 MR. W. T. BLAXFORD OX MAMMALS [May 3, 



myself from the collections made by the members of the 2nd 

 Yarkaud Mission are i-eferred to forms previously named by 

 Kussian writers. In most cases there can be no hesitation in 

 accepting coiiclusiojis formed from a far larger series of specimens 

 and with the advantage of access to types ; and even in some 

 instances, in which I feel doubt as to whether Biichner's views are 

 right, I have not now the specimens of the Stoliczka Collection 

 nor any other Central Asiatic skins a\ailable for reference. 



There is, however, one case in which I can, I think, give reasons 

 for not agreeing with Biichner, and it is important that this par- 

 ticular point should be cleared up, both because the species 

 concerned are found within British Indian limits, and were 

 described by a British author, and because the identitication 

 depends on specimens and drawings in London collections. 

 Moreover, I feel bound to deal with the matter because I have, as 

 Biichner very justly remarks, omitted to publish the evidence on 

 which my own final conclusions w^ere formed — the volume on 

 Mammalia of the 'Fauna of British India,' in which they appeared, 

 being unsuited for the discussion of details. 



This case relates to the Hares named Lqnts oiostolus and 

 L. pallipes by Hodgson. The first was described in 1840", the 

 second in 1842 -. It is unnecessary to enter at any length into 

 the history of these forms except to say that in 1879 ' I pointed 

 out that the type of L. oiostolus was a very young animal, and in 

 1891 ■* I united the two supposed species after examining thoroughly 

 the evidence existing. Biichner, in 1894, after showing that in 

 Hodgson's original description of L. oiostolus nothing was said of the 

 species being founded on young animals, and that, on the contrary, 

 all the details appeared to have been taken from adults ^, proceeded 

 to identify with L. oiostolus a rather large Hare from high eleva- 

 tions in Northern Tibet and in Kansu (Ganssu), a smaller species 

 from the same region being regarded by him as L. 'pallipes. 



I am quite aware that nothing has been published by Hodgson 

 to show that the name of L. oiostolus was given to young speci- 

 mens ; indeed it is far from certain that Hodgson w as aware at the 

 time that the skins originally described by him came from immature 

 animals ^, though, as I shall presently show, he appears to have 

 ascertained subsequently that this was the case. 



1 J. A. S. B. ix, p. 1186. - J. A. S. B. xi, p. 288, pi. 



^ Scientific Results 2nd Yarkand Miss., Mam. p. 63. 



'' Fauua Bi'it. Ind., Mam. p. 4.52. 



' " Ich moehte aber nocb die Bemerkung voraussehieken, dass das Material, 

 welches Hodgson bei Aufstellung seiner Art vorgelegen hat, ein, wie er selbst 

 angiebt, nur defektes war; dass aber dieses Material jungen Thierea angehorte 

 (wie dieses Blanford annimiut) wird von ihm nicht erwiihnt und ist auch von der 

 Beschreibung nicht zii ersehen ; es spreohen im Gegentbeile alle Angaben dieser 

 Besebreibung dafiir, dass die Originale erwachsene Thiere waren." — Biichner, 

 /. c. p. 205. 



" The following was Hodgson's original description, /. c. pp. 1185, 1186 : — 



" Of the Tibetan species I possess onlj some wretched remains which enable 

 me to indicate the species thus: 



" Lejjus oioxto/iis, with fur consisting almost wholly of wool, considerably 



