THE IRISH HARE 



337 



DIMENSIONS IN MILLIMETRES:— 



N.B. — 53 females killed by coursing at various dates, and not specially selected, averaged 8 lbs. 5 oz., 

 ^ith maximum 9 and minimum 6. Six of both sexes, specially selected as the largest amongst a number, 

 22nd February 1899, averaged 7, with maximum 8 and minimum 6 lbs. 5 oz. (see Irish Naturalist^ 1912, 234). 



of 6* were considered to be not fully adult, and an immature male of 

 7 is mentioned above, on p. 331. 



Distinguishing characters : — The ochraceous or tawny, instead of 

 smoky brown colour is at all seasons distinctive as between the Irish 

 and the Blue Hare, while asTjetween the Irish and the Brown Hare the 

 same points of distinction maybe used as those laid down for distinguish- 

 ing the Blue Hare. The cranial characters are given above, on p. 333. 



To show the difference between the two groups Eulagos and Lepus, 

 a subadult Brown and an adult Irish Hare were photographed in the 

 same position (Plate XXII I.). The specimens were chosen because they 

 were of about the same weight, an adult Brown Hare being too large 

 for purposes of comparison. In these two specimens the actual body 

 length was about the same, but its depth was slightly greater in europceus, 

 in which animal also the hindquarters appeared to the eye to be more 

 massive. In hibernicus the head is markedly larger, both in length 

 and breadth, besides being more rounded ; the eye is rounder, the 

 ears markedly shorter, but the dimension of head and ears together is 

 slightly longer in europceus. Every part of the limbs is longer in 

 hibernicus ; and, to show that this is not peculiar to the specimen of 

 europceus used for comparison, the corresponding dimensions of an 

 exceptionally large and fully adult europceus are added for comparison. 

 In not one dimension of limbs or skull did this large specimen exceed 

 the much lighter hibernicus. 



L. hibernicus is, except in head, a more finely built animal, with 

 longer legs, lighter bone, and less massive body. 



