AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



219 



in summer, white in winter; the orbits of the eyes sur- 

 rounded by a reddish fawn colour at all times; ears and head 

 of nearly equal length; tail very short."* 



Dr. Godman, however, doubts the propriety of erecting 

 this into a new species, on the ground of the differential 

 characters adduced not being sufScient. " When," says he, 

 " we compare this animal with the polar hare, L. glacialis 

 Sabine, and with the L. variabilis, or Alpine hare, we shall 

 be convinced that distinctive characters have not yet been 

 given to establish the supposed new species, as well as that 

 such distinctive characters are very few and diificult of dis- 

 covery." We fully agree with this author as to the want 

 of character in the specific description, and that taking this 

 alone, there would not, perhaps, be any just grounds for ele- 

 vating it into a new species. But, at the same time, as we 

 have before observed, the species of the genus Lepus resem- 

 ble each other so closely, that it is almost impossible to de- 

 termine what should be assumed as differential characters. 

 The author of the Fauna Americana, it should be stated, has 

 the strong support of Dr. Richardson, in corroboration of the 

 validity of his species. This author makes an observation in 

 his account of it, however, which may lead to error — that the 

 identity of the specimen described by Dr. Godman, with 

 the L. virginianus of Dr. Harlan, has not been ascertained; 

 now, if we mistake not, both these authors drew up their 

 accounts from the same specimens; thus, the former says, 

 " Through the kindness of that zealous friend of science, 

 Charles L. Buonaparte, we have had an opportunity of exa- 

 mining and preparing a description of a hare, from specimens 

 in winter and summer pelage, belonging to his valuable col- 

 lection;" and the latter observes, " The above description 

 is taken principally from a prepared specimen in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. C. Buonaparte." 



Before attempting to compare this animal with the other 

 American species, we will give a desci-iption of the speci- 

 men from which our illustration was drawn. This indivi- 

 dual was obtained by Mr. Titian R. Peale, in the State of 

 Maine, late in the autumn; it is evident that the change in 

 the colour of the hair has not taken place, and hence no 

 character can be drawn from this, as it presents a mixture 

 of both coats. 



Size — larger than the common American Hare. Fur — 

 forehead, cheeks, and back reddish brown, darker on the 

 posterior parts of the body. These hairs are coloured as 

 follows — plumbeous at base, then light yellow, then dusky, 

 then reddish brown, and, finally, blackish at tip. Under 

 jaw white, and this colour extends backwards as far as the 

 bases of the ears. Belly and legs whitish, here and there 

 tinged with light reddish brown; some irregular white spots 



* Fauna Americana, &c. by R. Harlaa^ M. D. 



on the back. Tail white beneath, light lead colour above. 

 Ears whitish, tinged with reddish brown internally; whitish 

 with a darker reddish brown border on their anterior mar- 

 gin externally, tip brownish black. Orbits of the eye sur- 

 rounded with a reddish brown. Whiskers, some of the 

 hairs entirely white, others wholly black, and some black 

 at base and white at tip. Feet, covered with a thick brush, 

 which is of a soiled yellowish white, intermixed on top with 

 reddish brown; fore toes short, claws white, long, not much 

 curved, and resembling those of the common American 

 Hare; hinder toes large, spreading. Our description being 

 taken from a stuffed specimen, we are unable to give cor- 

 rect measurements, or to say any thing about the weight, 

 these, however, are very fallacious guides, as all the authors 

 we have quoted give great latitude in this respect. The 

 ears, also, are so much contracted by drying as to be much 

 shorter than the head. 



That this species may be compared with the Polar Hare, 

 (L. glacialis,) we subjoin a description of the latter as given 

 by Sabine. " The Polar Hare is larger than the variabilis. 

 Its colour, in winter dress, is white, having the ears black 

 at tip, and longer than the head. The nails are strong, 

 broad, and depressed . The ears are longer in proportion to 

 the head, than those of the common Hare, (L. timidus,) and 

 much longer than those of the Alpine Hare, ( L. variabi- 

 lis. J The fore teeth are curves of a much larger circle, and 

 the orbits of the eye project much more than those of either 

 of the other species; the claws are broad, depressed, and 

 strong, those of the L. timidus and L. variabilis, on the 

 contrary, are weak and compressed." 



Thus it will be seen that the species under consideration 

 differs from the glacialis: in the length of its ears, in tl'O 

 form and strength of its nails, and in the reddish brown 

 margin of the ears, which are never found in the Polar Hare 

 in its winter dress. As respects the fawn coloured ring sur- 

 rounding the orbits of the eyes, we are unable to speak from 

 actual observation, except in the specimen under considera- 

 tion, Dr. Godman, however, thinks that this does not always 

 exist. The nearest approach of this species is certainly to 

 the variabilis of the old continent, from which it neverthe- 

 less appears to be distinct, in many particulars of its form 

 and habits. 



The American Varying Hare appears to inhabit a great 

 portion of North America, as it has been found in Virginia, 

 and as far north as 55 degrees, whilst eastward it is found 

 on the great plains of the Colombia. It appears generally 

 to frequent plains and low grounds, where it lives like the 

 common Hare, never burrowing, but does not resort to the 

 thick woods. The variabilis of Europe, on the contrary, 

 is described as always inhabiting the highest mountains, 

 and never descending into the plains, except when forced 



