28 MAMMALS OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS 



FAMILY ZAPODIDAE. 



Hudson Bay jumping mouse. Zapus hudsonius 

 (Zimmerman). 



Rather uncommon, but not rare in the county. They 

 are very tame, and I have almost put my hand on one be- 

 fore it moved; then it went bounding over the grass with 

 long, kangaroo-like jnmps. Apparently they never have 

 any definite direction, are as likely to leap towards one as 

 away, and can often be caught in the hands. They are 

 readily identified by their bright yellowish fawn-color and 

 their extremely long hind legs and tail. They are usually 

 found in grassy meadows and swamps. 



FAMILY LEPORIDAE. 



Eastern varying hare; White rabbit. Lepus 

 americanus virginianus (Harlan). 



Uncommon. One specimen in the Peabody Museum 

 taken by C. A. Loud at Hamilton, Feb. 8, 1888. Easily 

 distinguished from the cotton-tail by its large size and 

 very long hind legs. Color pure white in winter, dark 

 brown in summer, and mottled brown and white in fall and 

 spring. 



Northern cotton-tail ; Gray rabbit; Coney. Syl- 

 vilagus transitionalis (Bangs). 



Very common. In June the female makes a nest and 

 the young are born in it. They soon leave it, however, 

 and are often found in mowing fields in July aud August. 

 They prefer brier grown patches in which they hide and 

 which are a protection against hawks, etc. In the fall 

 they are persistently hunted with hounds and often resort 

 to an old woodchuck burrow, where they are easily dug 

 out by the relentless hunters. 



