290 SWAMP-HARE. 



western part of that State, is still more abundant in the State of Missis- 

 sippi, and in the lower part of Louisiana, and is frequently brought by 

 the Indians to the market of New Orleans. It was also obtained in 

 Texas by Douglass and by J. W. Audubon. Gray states that it exists in 

 California ; we have however carefully inquired into the history of the 

 specimen in the British Museum, which was received after the melan- 

 choly death of Douglass, and have reason to believe that the label was 

 accidentally misplaced, and that it came from the eastern portion of 

 Texas. 



GEMERAL REMARKS. 



Although all our hares bear a strong resemblance to each other, 

 particularly in their summer colours, yet all have different marks, by 

 which they can, with a little attention be distinguished. The present 

 species, in its colour on the upper surface and in its aquatic habits, is 

 closely assimilated to the marsh-hare ; it differs, however, very widely in 

 other respects. 



The Swamp-Hare is a third larger than the marsh-hare ; the largest 

 specimen of the latter in more than fifty that we measured, was only 

 fourteen inches long, whilst the largest Swamp-Hare ■was twenty-two 

 inches, and we are informed that it is often much larger. The tail of the 

 marsh-hare is exceedingly short, its vertebrae being not more than an 

 inch long, ^vhilst that of the present species is two inches and an eighth, 

 being more than double the length. The ears differ in the same propor- 

 tion. The under surface of the tail of the marsh-hare is ash-coloured, 

 mixed with brown, whilst that of the present species is pure white. Its 

 feet are thinly covered Tvith hair, and its toes, (which are capable of 

 being ■widely spread,) are well adapted to enable it to swim, and to pass 

 over marshy and muddy places. 



The tracks of this species, and of the marsh-hare, in the mud, leave a 

 distinct impression of the toes, ■whilst on the contrary the tracks of the 

 gray rabbit, the Northern hare, and the Polar hare, exhibit no such 

 traces, their feet being so thickly clothed ■with long hair that even the 

 points of the nails are scarcely perceptible. The present species is 

 larger than the gray rabbit, being very nearly the size of the Northern 

 hare, which it probably exceeds in weight. Indeed the Northern hare 

 and this species, when divested of their hides, are very nearly equal in 

 size ; but the fur of the former being loose and long, whilst that of the 

 present species lies compact and smooth, the Northern hare appears to 

 be the larger of the two. This species differs from the gray rabbit in 



