LEPORIDiE 185 



The name Rabbit properly belongs only to a particular spec- 

 ies of Hare, the European Rabbit {Lepiis cunictdits), which is 

 well known in this country as the domesticated "English" Rabbit. 



Genus Lepus Linnae;us. (Hare.) 

 Hind legs longer than the fore legs; eyes large; ears long, 

 usually equaling or exceeding the head in length; inner side ot 

 cheeks haired; tail short; soles heavily haired; no naked pads 

 under the toes; pelage soft; skin thin; skull with distinct supra- 

 orbital processes ; malar extending posteriorly in a short process ; 

 occiput depressed; auditory bullae large; incisors very short, not 

 reaching as far back as the premolars ; coronoid process of lower 

 jaw a thin, low, more or less incurved plate, sometimes obsolete. 



Lepus campestris sierrse Me;rriam. 



(Of the plains; of the mountains.) 



SIERRA PRAIRIE HARE. 



In summer; above grizzled gray, the hairs whittish for the 

 basal two thirds, then blackish, then almost pure white and the 

 tip again black ; eye ring, front edge and part of inner surface of 

 ear pale grayish buff; a broad stripe of the color of the head on 

 the front side of the ear; back half oi the convex side of the ear 

 and nape white; tip of ear black; an indistinct white spot on fore 

 head ; breast gray ; front side of fore legs and back side of hind 

 legs pale buffy gray; soles brown-; remainder O'f legs and belly 

 white; tail large, bushy, white all around or with a narrow gray- 

 stripe on the upper side. In winter; white, more or less tingecT 

 with yellowish brown-; ears tipped with black. Simetimes the 

 change to winter pelage is incomplete. 



Length about 135 mm. (25 inches) ; tail vertebras 100 (4) ; 

 hind foot 165 (6.50) ; ear from crown 150 (6) ; weight 6 to 10 

 pounds. 



