492 



MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY 



of two oblique slits. The large eyes, situated at the sides 

 of the head, have each three eyelids, an upper and a lower 

 hairy lid, and an anterior hairless third eyelid or nictitating 

 membrane, supported by a plate of cartilage. Vibrissa — 

 very long stiff hairs — are scattered above and below the eyes 

 and on the snout. Behind the eyes and a little nearer the 

 summit of the head, are a pair of very long flexible and 

 movable external ears or pinna. These are somewhat 

 spout-shaped, expanding distally and are usually placed 

 vertically with the concavity directed laterally and some- 



Fig. 297. — Lepus cuniculUS. Lateral view of skeleton with outline of body. 



what forwards, leading to the external auditory opening. 

 The neck is a distinct constriction, but relatively short as 

 compared with the neck of the pigeon. The trunk is distin- 

 guishable into thorax in front and abdomen behind. On 

 the ventral surface of the abdomen in the female are four or 

 five pairs of little papilla — the teats. 



At its posterior end, below the root of the tail, is the anal 

 opening, and in front of this in the male is the penis, with a 

 small terminal urinogcnital aperture and with the testes, each 

 in a prominent scrotal sac, at the sides : and in the female 



