CAPE HARE 107 



have captured several on the rocky hillside to the north 

 of the Zoo, and one female so caught gave birth in 

 captivity to one young one, but did not survive the 

 birth of her youngster. A second species, C. ruddi, was 

 described by Thomas and Schwann in 1905 from Sibu- 

 deni in Zululand, which has a redder tail and browner 

 nape spot. 



Lepus capensis. Cape Hare. Vlak Haas. 



General colour yellowish grey brown, mottled with 

 darker owing to the woolly hair being slate colour at the 

 base and tips yellowish or dun-brown with a subterminal 

 black band ; the sides are ruddier and the underside 

 whitish. The back of the neck and head is grey. Ears 

 about 4J inches long ; tail 4 inches in length and black 

 above, white below. Length of head and body from 

 20 to 24 inches. 



This Hare ranges all over Cape Colony, Natal and the 

 Orange Free State, and is found on the plains or amongst 

 scattered scrub or bush. It feeds at early morn and 

 towards sunset. It makes a " form " or lair in a tuft of 

 grass or under a small bush or weed, although when 

 pursued it will take to an Aardvark or Mierkat hole. Its 

 speed is not as poor as the natural histories want to make 

 out, as the writer has often had excellent sport with grey- 

 hounds on the Free State flats. We have shot females 

 with a well-developed foetus towards the end of July and 

 beginning of August, so that late winter or early spring 

 seems to be the breeding season, and two the usual 

 number at a birth. A highveld species, Lepus ochropus, 

 is distinguished from the above by its yellow throat and 

 nape. 



A new species, Lej5MS monticularis, was described from 

 Deelfontein in the Cape Colony. 



