KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 57. NtO 2. 



49 



Lepus siamensis. Bonh. 



J* Koh Lak, Siamese Malaya, 10 /u 1914. — Nose to vent = 444 mm.; tail = 75 mm. — £ Koh Lak 

 16 /i2 1914. — Nose to vent = 445 mm; tail = 92 mm. — $ Koh Lak 25 /u 1914. — Nose to vent = 

 460 mm.; tail = 90 mm.; ear = 90 mm. 



At Koh Lak in the Siamese Malaya hares were rather common in the low-lying 

 country near the coast. Only three specimens were preserved, but several others were 

 shot for the kitchen. The natives highly appreciate the flesh of hares and generally used 

 to snare tliem. Another metod, also frequently used by the Siamese and the Laotians, 

 is to shoot hares during night-time with the aid of a lantern. The female specimen shot 

 at Koh Lak on the 16th of December contained an almost fullgrown young. 



All my specimens are true siameiisis as described by Bonhote on specimens from 

 Chieng Mai in Northern Siarn. At this locality, however, hares seemed to be rather rare 

 and no specimens were obtained at that locality. In the collections of Mr. Eisenhofer 

 there were a few specimens shot at the surroimdings of Chum Poo, a short distance south- 

 east of Chieng Mai, the type locality of this species. 



The general colouration of the fur in my specimens perfectly well agrees with the 

 description of the type as given by Bonhote. 



The skulls, however. show some slight differences as seen by the measurements 

 given below. 



Tn his original description Bonhote considers the Siamese hares as being most 

 nearly related to Lepus hainanus Swinh. (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870 p. 233). I, however, 

 think it is most nearly related to Lepus peguensis Blyth, which species it resembles very 

 much both as to size and colour. In Lepus peguensis the fur on the back and tail is black 

 instead of very dark brown as in L. siamensis. The black terminal patch on the posterior 

 outer surface of the ear, so conspicuous in peguensis, is slightly indicated in all my speci- 

 mens and not totally absent as stated by Bonhote. One of the main points of diff erence is, 

 however, that in Lepus peguensis the feet are ivhite while in Lepus siamensis they are julvous. 



The occurance of a hare as far south as to about Lat N. 12° adds a considerable dis- 

 tance to the distribution of this species in the Malay Peninsula. 



Skull measurements 



Lepus 



siamensis 





i L. peguensis 



L. hainani 



9 



i 9 



9 (type) 







84,3 mm. 



84,9 mm. 



86,0 mm. 



85,0 mm. 



72,0 mm 



12,0 • 



12,6 »> 



13,0 » 



13,0 » 



11,0 » 



17,1 



16,2 



— 



— 



— 



26,0 • 



25,7 » 



26,0 



, 25,0 



21,0 



26,1 



25,9 » 



30,0 



28,0 » 



26,0 • 



— 



1 — 



54,0 



53,0 



— 



8,0 





10,0 



9,0 



10,0 » 



17,8 



16,1 



21,0 » 



18,0 



16,0 



21,8 » 



21,6 



— 





— 



73,6 » 



— 



— 



_ 



— 



39,2 



~ 



_ 



— 



— 



12,5 



12,3 » 



— 



— 



_ 



31,0 » 



31,0 » 



— 



— 



— 



o" 



Greatest length 86,8 mm. 



Breadth between m 1 12,3 » 



Interorbital breadth 20,0 



Length from 1st premolar to outer edge i 



of incisors 27,2 



Breadth of brain case 27,1 » 



Height, crown to base of lower jaw . . 51,0 



Greatost breadth of basioccipitale . . . 10,5 » 



Posterior breadth of nasals 17,5 



Diastema 22,0 



Lengtli from condylus to gnathion . . 78,1 



Zygomatic width i 37,3 » 



Postorbital breadth 14,6 



Length of nasals mesially 31,5 



K. Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl. Band 57. N:o 2. 



