THE HARE. 



23 



Length of head 



Breadth of head above the meatus auditorii 



— at tlie zygomata . 

 Distance between the superciliary ridges . 

 Lengtli of humerus 



— of radius 



— of ulna 



— from base of radius to lower extre- 



mity of metacarpus 



— of second finger and nail 



— of femur 



— of tibia 



— of OS calcis 



— from base of os calcis to lower ex- 



tremity of metatarsus 



— of second toe and claw, measured in 



a straight line . . . . 



— from upper extremity of os calcis to 



lower extremity of metatarsus 



— of scapula ..... 



Breadth of scapula 



Length of pelvis .... 



Irish Hare. 



FEMALE. 



MALE. FEMALE. 



Original Wt. Original Wt 

 51b. 3oz. I 71b. 440Z. 



line. 



in. 



a 



3 



2 





9 





2 J 





9 





10 





7 





4 





4 





6 





IJ 



5 



2 



1 



4 



2 



10 



2 



7 



3 



10 



3 



6 



1 



4 



3 



line. 



8 



li 

 lOi 



3 

 10 



0'. 



85 



C 

 8 

 8 

 3 

 2 



3 

 IJ 



6 

 2 



lOi 

 7 



Scot. Hare. 



FEMALE. 



Original Wt. 

 71b. 4oz. 



line. 



9 



1 

 105 



21 

 10' 



35 

 II 



" This table, which exhibits a comparison of two female specimens of equal size 

 and weight, shows a very different result from that arrived at by Mr. Eyton, who 

 observes, that the skeleton generally of the Irish hare is larger than that of the 

 English ; that the lateral processes of its lumbar vertebra; are longer, its sca- 

 pula and ribs broader, and its cranium* larger; but in all these characters an 

 equality is presented by the individuals inider consideration, f Mr. Eyton fur- 

 ther adds, that the Irish is distinguished from the common hare by ' the greater 

 length of the humerus, in proportion to that of the ulna ;' but in these indi- 

 viduals the humerus is equal and the ulna of the Lepus timidus of superior 

 length. As remarked by Mr. Eyton, — ' in the numbering of the vertebra and 

 ribs (twelve in number) they do not differ, except as to the caudal ones, which in 

 the Irish hare are thirteen, and ui the English sixteen ; the sacral in both are four, 

 the lumbar seven, the dorsal twelve, and cervical seven ; making the total num- 

 ber ill the Irish hare forty-three, and in the common hare forty-six.' The 

 teeth appear in all respects similar in both species. The orbits are somewhat 

 more of an oval form in the Irish than in the common liare. 



" The most obvious characters oi form between the common and Irish hare 

 are the superior length of ears and tail, j and the less rounded head of the former 

 animal : those of co/owr have been before noticed. The specific characters I pro- 



* Although this can hardly be called larger, there is some diflerence in I'orm 

 between it and that of Lepus timidus. 



t Althovigh the lumbar vertebra are not in reality longer in the Irish species, 

 yet from taking a more horizontal direction they so appear when the animal is 

 viewed with its head towards the spectator. 



X The greater length of these parts gives an erroneous idea of superior size to 

 the Lepus timidus, when there is an equality in the length of its head and body, 

 and in weight. Mr. Bell and Mr. Eyton, judging, it may be presumed, from the 

 individuals examined by them, describe the Irish as larger than the common 

 hare ; btit the difference in size is, I consider, dependent on locality, as both 

 species differ remarkably, in this respect, in the barren and moimtainous parts 

 of the country, and in the rich demesnes of the valley, where they are protected. 

 In general, I should say the Leptis timidus is tlie larger animal. 



