COMMON HARE. 333 



trusts for its safety to the rapidity and duration of its 

 course. 



The Common Hare, the type of the family, is widely 

 distributed throughout the continent of Europe, reaching 

 from the south of Sweden and the north of Russia to the 

 Mediterranean and the Caucasus ; according to Pallas it 

 is not found in Siberia. Within the above limits it is 

 subject to considerable variation, and has consequently 

 been separated into several distinct species. But although 

 the extreme forms appear sufficiently distinct, yet they 

 are connected by so many intermediate links, that Prof. 

 Blasius, after examining a great number of specimens 

 from different countries, regarded them merely as climatic 

 or geographical forms, and divided them into three prin- 

 cipal races. These are — the north-eastern (including the 

 so-called species L. caspicus of Ehrenberg, L. medius of 

 Nilsson, and L. aquilonius of Blasius himself), distin- 

 guished by its thick fur and its inclination towards turn- 

 ing white in winter ; the central, with moderate fur and a 

 considerable increase of grey in winter ; and the southern 

 (including L. mediterranius of Wagner, L. meridionalis of 

 Gene, and L. granatensis of Schimper) with thin fur, 

 scantily-clad ears, and a maximum of red in its coloura- 

 tion. An examination of specimens of each of these 

 forms leads us fully to agree in the conclusions of the 

 great German zoologist. 



In Britain the Common Hare is found throughout the 

 whole island, and owing to its preservation as game it is 

 extremely abundant in many parts ; it is not found, how- 

 ever, in any part of Ireland, where its place is taken by 

 the next species. It is comparatively rare in the extreme 

 north of Scotland, but is found in the low grounds and 

 valleys even in Sutherlandshire and Caithnesshire. Messrs. 

 Baikie and Heddle inform us that it was introduced into 



