1896.] Zoology. 



Dr. J. A. Allen (1. c.) concludes that the American Polar 

 not specifically separable from the European L. timidus (~n 

 Auct.), and the deficient material which he had for exa: 

 that time probably justified such a verdict as the safest one, especially 

 when we consider the standard of species and varieties adopted at that 

 date by American mammalogists. Through the kind liberality of 

 Messrs. G. Brown Goode and F. W. True of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, and of Mr. Outram Bangs of Boston, I have been favored to ex- 

 amine, in connection with the specimens in the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia, an unusually large series of skins and skulls 

 of the Polar Hares of America and northwestern Europe. The results 

 of this study, so far as they relate to the Polar Hares of eastern North 

 America, and Scandinavia may be summed thus briefly. — 



1. Lepus timidus L. Scandinavian Polar Hare. 



Type locality (hypothetically restricted), Southern Sweden. 



Nasals nearly or quite reaching to anterior vertical plane of pre- 

 maxillaries. Posterior frontal swelling on a plane with the postorbital 

 processes. Upper incisor with transverse sectional diameter greater than 

 the longitudinal diameter ; the chord of the arc of its exposed surface 

 (with skull, minus mandibles, resting on a plane horizontal surface) 

 is vertical ; the radius of the arc described by the incisors is one-eighth 

 (tVtt) of the basilar length of skull ; their inner faces indented by a 

 deep broad sulcus and they are rooted on the premaxillaries at or 

 slightly anterior to the inferior maxitfo-premaxillary sutures. Roots of 

 lower incisors extending to base of pm. 1. 



Summer pelage ; above blackish brown, sprinkled with gray ; ears 

 darker, but not black, tail white, dark above. 



2. Lepus arcticus " Leach," Ross. Baffin Land Polar Hare. 



Type locality, lat. 73° 37', northern Baffin Land, southeast of Cape 



Size larger (?) than timidus, with relatively smaller and wider skull 

 and shorter ears. Skull of the same type as timidus, with the follow- 

 ing differences: Nasals, rostrum and incisive foramina relatively 



those personally interested. I suggested (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.. Phila . l^o, p. 

 :;m.V). that both the publishing and tb, ■■ >rity for such 



names should be indicated. My friend, V. ed an improve- 



ment on mv formula which I heartily endorse, viz.. that instead of " Rm>a dam- 

 ;t,-,n* iw". M-i.. S.,nii.. Latr." :1. <■ .. it -liould read H>i,.n .-'omttans " Bosc.," 

 Sonn. & Latr., and the Baffin Land Hare would read Lepus arcticus " Leach," 

 Ross. This comports far better with our motto that, " Zool 



