LEPTJS MEDITERRANEUS. 125 



brown colour, the red tint prevailing more in some parts 

 than in others, each hair grey at the roots, black in the 

 middle, and tawny at the tips ; under parts of the body, 

 inside of the thighs, and a transverse patch beneath the 

 lower jaw white ; the neck and chest in front light reddish, 

 as are the sides of the body and the legs outside ; ears 

 yellowish grey on the anterior part of the outer surface, 

 whitish behind, and the tips black ; the tail is black above 

 and white beneath. 



Length of head and body, 1 foot 9 inches 8 lines ; head, 

 3 inches 10 lines ; ears, 4 inches 10 lines ; tail, 3 inches 

 8 lines. 



Feeds entirely on grass and other vegetables. Breeds 

 several times in the year, producing from one to five young 

 at a birth, after a gestation of thirty days. The young are 

 born with the eyes open and clothed with fur. Weighs 

 from 8 to 12 pounds. 



This Hare is found in almost every part of Europe ex- 

 cepting the most northern. It is the Common Hare of 

 England, but is not found in Ireland. Is common in Spain, 

 France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and 

 Poland. In Russia, according to Pallas, it is the only 

 species south of the 55th degree of latitude, but does not 

 occur further north, and is unknown in Sweden and Nor- 

 way. Its range extends into Persia. 



Lepus Mediterraneus. 



Leptts Mediterraneus, Schbbbek, Saugth. Supp. vol. iv, p. 77 ; Watek- 

 house, Hist. Rodent, p. 43. 



Description. — Only 5 grinders in the upper jaw on each 

 side ; ears longer than the head, nearly naked in the middle, 

 and black at the tips ; the legs and back of the neck deli- 

 cate yellowish rufous ; hairs on the back near the extre- 

 mities almost cream-colour, the extremities themselves 



