GRAY RABBIT. 181 



scribed it under the (wrong) name of L. Americanus, giving as synony- 

 mous, L. Hudsonhis, Pallas ; American hare, Forster, Pennant, Arct. 

 Zool. Hearne's Journe}', Sabine, Parry and Richardson ; ^vho each de- 

 scribed the Northern hare, and not this species. He, however, quoted 

 Harlan and Godman correctlj", with the exception of the name which they 

 had misapplied. 



In 1842 Dr. Dekat (See Nat. Hist. N. York, part 1st, p. 93,) refers 

 this species to Lepiis nanus of Schreber, supposing the description of that 

 author, (which is contained in an old work that is so scarce in America 

 that our naturalists have seldom had an opportunity of referring to it.) 

 to have escaped the notice of modern authors. After giving a trans- 

 lation from Schreber, he remarks, " The whole history of the habits of 

 this species, and its abundance, sufficiently confirm the fact, that Schreber 

 had our Rabbit in view, although he was misled by Schcepff and Pennant, 

 and confounded two species." 



We regret that we are obliged to differ from an author who is gene- 

 rally accurate, and who is always courteous in his language towards 

 other naturalists, but in this case we must do so. 



In order to save the student of natural history the labour of searching 

 for Schreber's ^vo^k, to refer to his description, we have concluded to insert 

 it here, together with our translation of the article, adding the references 

 to authors, &c., which were omitted by Dekay, and which we conceive 

 very important in pursuing our inquiries. 



extract froji schreber. 



" DER WABUS, ODER AMERIKANISCHE HASE. 



TAB. CCXXXIV. B. 



Lepus nanus. Lepus auribus extrorsum nigro marginatis, cauda supra 

 nigricante. 



btnonymen. 



Lepds Hudsonics. 



Lepd3 Apice AcRiuM CxcDiiQCE CiNEREO, Pall., NoT. Spec. Glis., p. 30, 15, Zimmerm., 



E. E. z. 336. 

 Lepus Americanus, Lepus eauda abbreviata pedibus postici corpore dimidio locgioiibus 



auricularum caudaeque apieibus griseis, Erxleben, Mamm., p. 330. 

 America.v Hare, Forster, Phil. Tr., Ixxii., p. 376, Pennant, Hist., p. 372 u. 243. 

 Hare, Hedge Coney, Lawson, Car., p. 123, Catesby's App., p. xxviii. 



