156 MARSH-HARE. 



only, have we seen the young in March. They bear a strong resemblance 

 to the adult, and may almost at a glance be distinguished from those of 

 the gray rabbit. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The Marsh-Hare has been seen as far north as the swamps of the 

 southern parts of North Carolina. In South Carolina, it is in some lo- 

 calities quite numerous. Nearly all the muddy swamps and marshes 

 abound with it. We have known two persons kill twenty in the 

 course of a few hours. 



In high grounds it is never seen ; it continues to increase in numbers 

 as we proceed southwardly. It is abundant in the swamps of Georgia, 

 Alabama, and Louisiana. We received a living specimen from Key 

 West, the southern point of Florida. We have seen it in Texas, from 

 whence the specimen described by Gray was brought, and we are in- 

 clined to believe that it will be found to extend into the northern part of 

 Mexico. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



As a remarkable instance of a species continuing to exist in a thickly 

 settled country without having found its way into scientific works, we 

 may refer to this very common species. We obtained specimens in Caro- 

 lina in the spring of 1815. It was called by the inhabitants by the names 

 of Swamp, and Marsh, Hare, and generally supposed to be only a variety 

 of the gray rabbit. We did not publish a description of the species until 

 1836. In the following year, Gray, who had not then seen the Transac- 

 tions of the Acad, of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, in which our de- 

 scription was contained, described it under the name of Lepus Douglassii. 



This species may always be distinguished from our other hares, by its 

 colour, its rather short and broad ears, its short tail, which is never pure 

 white beneath, by its narrow hind-feet, and by its aquatic habits. 



I 



