NORTHERN HARE. 95 



exception of the black edge on the outer borders of the ears. In the lati- 

 tude of Albany, New York, it has always a tinge of reddish-brown, more 

 conspicuous in some specimens than in others, giving it a wavy appear- 

 ance, especially when the animal is running, or when the fur is in the least 

 agitated. In the winter season the hair is plumbeous at base, then red- 

 dish, and is broadly tipped with white. The parts of the body which are 

 the last to assume the white change, are the forehead and shoulders ; we 

 have two vi^inter-killed specimens before us that have the forehead, and 

 a patch on the shoulders, brown. On the under surface, the fur in most 

 specimens is white, even to the roots. A few long black hairs arise above 

 and beneath the eyes, and extend backwarts. The soles have a yel- 

 lowish soiled appearance. 



We possess a specimen of the young, about half grown, which in its 

 general aspect resembles the adult ; the colour of the back, however, is 

 a shade darker, and the under surface, an ashy white. The black edge is 

 very conspicuous on the outer rim of the ear, and some of the whiskers are 

 of unusual length, reaching beyond the head to the middle of the ear. 

 The tail is very short, black above, and grayish-white beneath. The 

 young become ^vhite in the autumn of the first year, but assume their 

 winter colouring a little later in the season than the adults. We have 

 met with some specimens in the New York markets, late in January, in 

 which the change of colour was very partial, the summer pelage still pre- 

 dominating. 



DIMENSIONS, 



The size and weight of the Northern hare, we have found to vary very 

 much. The measurements hitherto given, were generally taken from 

 stuffed specimens, which afford no very accurate indications of the size of 

 the animal when living, or when recently killed. Dr. Godman, on the au- 

 thority of Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte, gives the measurement of a 

 recent specimen, as thirty-one inches, and Dr. Harlan's measurement of 

 the same specimen after it had been stuffed, was sixteen inches. We think 

 it probable that the Prince and the Doctor adopted different modes of 

 measuring. All stuffed specimens shrink very much ; of a dozen now in 

 our collection, there is not one that measures more than eighteen inches, 

 from point of nose to root of tail, and several white adults measure but 

 fifteen inches. 



The following measurements are from the largest specimen we have 

 procured, taken when the animal was recently killed. 



