508 EODENTIA 



Remarks. — The conspicuously yellowish underfur of this hare 

 is perhaps its most striking characteristic. With the material 

 at hand I am unable to distinguish between the Oorsican form 

 and that of Sicily and Rome. 



1. Bastia, Corsica. Lord Lilford (p). 78. 7. 3. 4. 



(Type of subspecies.) 

 2 i. Marsala, Sicily. J. I. S. Whitaker (p). 98. 2. 9. 1-2. 



<J. Rome, Italy. (C. Coli.) G. Barrett-Hamilton (p). 8. 9. 30. 1. 



Lepus europaeus hybridus Desmarest. 



1822. Lepus hybridus Desmarest, Mammalogie, p. 349 (Central Russia). 

 1842. Lepus aguilonius Blasius, Amtl. Bericht xix Vers. Naturf. u. Aerzte, 



Braunschweig, p. 89 (Central Russia). 

 1850. Lepus medius Middendorfi, Bull, de la Classe Phys.-Math. de l'Acad. 



Imp. des Sci. Nat. de Saint-Petersbourg, ix, p. 218 (part). 

 1857. [Lepus timidus] a. Nordostliche Form, Blasius, Saugethiere Deutsch- 



lands, p. 417 (part). 

 1898. Lepus europieus (typical) de Winton, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 



7th ser., i, p. 150, February, 1898. 

 1906. L[epus2 m[edius] aguilonius Hilzheimer, Zool. Anzeiger, xxx, p. 511, 



August 14, 1906. 

 1910. Lepus medius aguilonius Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Europe,p. 217. 



Type locality. — Central Russia. Based on the Russak of 

 Pallas (Nov. Sp. Quadr. Glir. Ord., p. 5). 



Geographical distribution. — Central Russia, westward into 

 eastern Germany.* 



Diagnosis.- — Size greater than in Lepus europaeus europseus 

 (hind foot about 15 mm.) ; colour in summer pelage essentially 

 as in the typical form but lighter, the cheeks strongly suffused 

 with dull white, the rump buffy grey with slightly darker 

 median area ; grey winter pelage habitually assumed. 



Colour. — Though the actual elements of the colour of the body 

 are essentially as in Lepus europaeus europseus, the general effect 

 is noticeably lighter, owing to the greater length of the sub- 

 terminal cream-buff annulations. The rump is also more 

 evidently grey in contrast with the back. White of interramial 

 region spreading conspicuously so that cheeks are practically 

 whitish throughout (except for a dull ochraceous-buff area under 

 and behind eye and another at base of whiskers), in strong 

 contrast with the grizzled buffy of crown, face and muzzle. 

 Grey area on back of ear nearly white and forming a very 

 conspicuous whitish rim to outer border. Inguinal patches 

 clear, light ochraceous-buff. Collar somewhat duller and paler. 

 Otherwise as in L. europseus europseus. 



* While I have seen no German specimens of this hare there can be 

 little doubt that it is the East Prussian animal referred to by Altum 

 (Forstzoologie, 2nd ed., i, p. 181) as being not infrequently greyish white 

 in winter. The same author gives rather extended observations on the 

 occurrence of the grey winter coat in the hares of other parts of Germany. 



