30 TOWNSENO'S ROCKY MOUNTAIN HARE. 



shores of the lower Missouri, and has a range of fifteen hundred miles 

 east of the great Rocky Mountain Chain. 



According to Mr. Townsend, it is common on the Rocky Mountains, 

 and exists in considerable numbers on the western side of that great 

 chain ; and if travellers have not confounded it with other species, it ex- 

 tends southwardly as far as Upper California. 



The period may arrive when civilization shall have drawn wealth, and 

 a large population, into these regions. Then will in all probability this 

 poor hare be hunted by greyhounds, followed by gentlemen on horseback ; 

 and whilst the level plains of our vast prairies will afford both dogs and 

 horsemen every opportunity of rapid pursuit, the great swiftness of this 

 species will try their powers and test their speed to the utmost. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



We have, since this species was first described, had some misgivings 

 in regard to its being entitled to the name by which we have designated it. 



We had previously (Jour. Acad. Nat. Scien., vol. vii., part 2, p. 349, and 

 vol. viii., part 1, p. 80,) described a species from the West, in its white win- 

 ter colour, under the name of L. campestris. We had no other knowledge of 

 its summer dress, than that given us by Lewis and Clarke. Being however 

 informed by Mr. Townsend, who possessed opportunities of seeing it in w^in- 

 ter, that the present species never becomes white, ^ve regarded it as dis- 

 tinct, and bestowed on it the above name. We have however been since 

 assured by the residents of Missouri, that like the Northern hare, Lepus 

 Toumsendii assumes a white garb in winter, and it is therefore probable that 

 the name will yet require to be changed to that of L. campestris. As, how- 

 ever, another hare exists on the prairies of the West, the specific charac- 

 ters of which have not yet been determined, we have concluded for the 

 present to leave it as it stands, supposing it possible that the white winter 

 colour may belong to another species. As we hope in a future volume 

 to give a figure of the species in its white dress, we shall have an op- 

 portunity of correcting errors, should any on farther investigation be 

 found to exist. 



