286 DR. EINAR LONNBERG ON HYBRID [-^V^'' 1^, 



As the two specimens last described show mixed characters, 

 derived from Z. etirojiceMS as well as from L. timidus, their hybrid 

 nature appears to be proved. But, on the other hand, as the 

 characters derived from the Variable Hare are more dominating, 

 thei'e is a probability that they are products of a secondary crossing 

 as alluded to above. If such a supposition be correct, the hybrids 

 between the two sjDecies of Hare now living in Scania must 

 be fertile with the parental stock. The genital organs of such 

 specimens as I have had the opportunity of examining appeared 

 to be quite noi-mally developed and not at all smaller than in other 

 Hares, when killed in the winter. As the two species are closely 

 related, the interbreeding and the fertility of the hybrids do not 

 appear to be unnatural or unexpected. It is nevertheless inter- 

 esting to verify this. 



Count Tage Thott informs me that it is a rather common 

 occurrence, which he himself and his gamekeepers have observed 

 many times, that Hares belonging to the two different species 

 copulate with each other. It is evident from this that the two 

 species have no antipathy, as sometimes is the case even between 

 related sj^ecies. The result of this must therefore be that hybrids 

 are produced in such localities where representatives of both 

 species meet. It is especially likely that a crossing may take place 

 when either species has been introduced into a country formeily 

 inhabited only by the other, as is the case in Southern Sweden. 

 It also appears as if the opinion of the sportsmen there was correct, 

 and that there is an actual occurrence of hybrid Hai-es in all 

 degrees of mixing of both species. If then, as is supposed and 

 also seems probable, the hybrids are fertile, the final result may be, 

 either a new race w^hich, so to say, swallows the two original species 

 through unlimited intercrossing, or, may be, one of the races gains 

 supei'iority over the other, the latter in course of time being 

 eliminated and disappearing, while the former breeds true and 

 becomes more and more pure again. At least in some pla,ces in 

 Scania, as for instance at Skabersjo, the latter seems to be the 

 case with Lej^us europcuus, or the " German Hare," as we call it 

 in this country. Count Thott has told me that when this species 

 had been recently introduced, such specimens as he regarded 

 as hybrids were rather numerous, but later they have become 

 more and more scarce, so that among the first two hundred 

 Hares shot this last season only one (viz., the one first de- 

 sci*ibed in this paper) seemed doubtful ; the others were considered 



colour of the under-fur of the chest, the broad Ijlack stripe on the comparative^ vei"y 

 long tail, prove a certain amount of inheritance from JL. eu7'op(sus. The measure- 

 ments and the characteristics of the skull indicate the hj'brid nature of the specimen 

 as well. 



The differences between the specimens of L. eu7'op<sus from Eastern Germanj'- 

 and those from Denmark alluded to above are rather striking, at least when both are 

 in winter garb, the latter being much darker above and having the chest coloured 

 with a deep rustj' red. It appears, therefore, that the Danish Hares form a separate 

 geographical race.] 



