3i6 LEPORID^— LEPUS 



October 1891, 655). A cream-coloured example was taken at Torish, 

 Ben Duan, Sutherland (Buckley, Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist., 1892, 158). 



Hybridism : — See above under genus Lepus, p. 236. 



Geographical variation : — ^There are several closely allied subspecies. 

 The true timidus of southern Skandinavia, which is mainly a south 

 coast form, ranging west to Jaederen, is the largest, having each hind 

 foot^ measuring as much as 160, and the occipito-nasal length of the 

 skull as much as 103 mm. ; this is the " Plain " or " Jsederen Hare " of 

 the Norwegians, who recognise also, in northern Skandinavia and the 

 mountains of the south, a Common or " Fjeld Hare," to which, if it be 

 distinct, Nilsson's name collinus seems to be applicable. The former 

 is characterised, although not universally, by a grey winter coat 

 correlated with a tendency of the black ear-tip to spread downwards, 

 forming a noticeable patch on the outer surface of the ear ; in the 

 latter the winter coat is white and the ear-tip restricted. L. timidus 

 varronis (Miller) of the Alps is a smaller animal, with the hind feet 

 each about 150 mm. long and the occipito-nasal length of the skull 93 ; 

 the winter coat is white or whitish, never grey as in the south Skandi- 

 navian form ; the summer coat is lighter and greyer than in typical 

 timidus. L. timidus scoticus agrees more nearly in size and appearance 

 with the Alpine than with the Skandinavian forms ; but it has shorter ears, 

 is darker in summer, and is not known to become pure white in winter. 



The subspecies of L. timidus decrease as a rule in size from north 

 to south of the range of the species. This is also the case with the 

 arctic hares of North America, where the northernmost subspecies of 

 L. arcticus appear, judging from the published descriptions, to be larger 

 than the southern. In Asia also L. tschuktschorum is larger than L. 

 gichiganus, and L. altaicus is smaller. 



Skull (range of nine specimens, eight in collection of the British 

 Museum) : — Occipito-nasal length, 83-6 to 89 ; condylo-basal length, ^6 

 to 81 ; zygomatic breadth, 43 to 47-4; breadth at inter-orbital constric- 

 tion, 18 to 22-2; breadth at post-orbital constriction, 15 to 16-2; 

 breadth of brain-case, 30 to 33 ; nasals (diagonal), 36 to 40-9; greatest 

 breadth of both nasals together, 17-6 to 22-1 ; length of diastema, 23-2 

 to 27-7 ; length of mandible, 66-4 to 70 ; length of maxillary tooth- 

 row, 1 6-6 to i8-2 ; length of mandibular tooth-row, 17-2 to 20. 



Weight, in lbs. and oz. : — This is less than in the Brown Hare, and 

 most Scottish naturalists give the average as between 5 and 6. 



Harvie-Brown sends me the following : — Argyll — January, 6^°, 6*, 

 S^^ 5". S^ S^ 5*. S, 4*. total nine averaging about 5"; August, 6*, 6, 

 5^*. 5^^ S^^ S'^ 5^ S\ 4^ total nine averaging about 5^ ; December, e, 

 6, S^^ 5*. 5. 4*. 4^ total seven averaging about 5" ; range of twenty-five 

 Argyll specimens (some probably immature), 4* to 6^^", average about 



^ In each case including claws. 



