MAMMALIA. 



63 



of examining some specimens of hares procured from the portion of Tibet north of Sikkim. 

 These specimens agree well with the original description of L. pallipes, except that the colour 

 of the lower parts is white, not rufescent hoary (the latter is probably a mistake), and that I am 

 unable to detect any triannulation of the outer piles in the fur except in a few black-tipped 

 hairs on the middle of the back. The term "ears largely tipped with black," too, does not apply ; 

 the black tips, I should say, are rather narrow. But these are possibly individual dif- 

 erences, and the general colouration, a peculiar yellowish tint, well shown in the figure, coincides 

 precisely, as does the distribution of colour. The dimensions correspond, except that 

 "head 4§" must, I think, be too much, but it is not possible to tell how the head was 

 measured. A skull over 4 inches long would be gigantic and quite out of proportion to the 

 size of the animal. 



These specimens from Eastern Tibet look at first very distinct from the Western skin 

 obtained by Dr. Stoliczka, the latter being much more rufous and less yellow. But on close 

 examination, this and the paler colour of the under-fur, which is silky- white on the middle 

 of the back in the former skins, are the only distinctions, the distribution of colour and 

 proportions are the same, and the skulls are very much alike ; indeed, two skulls extracted 

 from Eastern Tibetan specimens differ nearly as much from each other as either does from 

 that of the Western Tibetan animal. Despite the difference in external appearance, therefore, 

 I hesitate to consider these two forms distinct. 



This western more rufous form may, of course, be Mr. Hodgson's L. oiostolus, which he 

 says is the prevalent species in Ladak, but the type of that species was a very young animal 

 not sufficiently mature for identification. Unfortunately, the name was the first given, and 

 it is therefore important to recognize the species if possible. 



The four specimens brought by Dr. Henderson from the first Yarkand Expedition, and 

 described by Dr. Anderson in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society under the name of 

 L. tibetanus, are quite immature, being scarcely half-grown. One is labelled Karakash, another 

 Gogra hot-springs. The last, which is very young, probably belongs to L. hypsibius, the 

 others to the present species ; but the specimens are much too young for identification. They 

 are paler in colour than adults, and the fur more woolly. I do not think any of them belongs 

 to the true L. tibetanus. 



These young hares, however, differ considerably in colour from an Eastern Tibetan speci- 

 men sent by Mr. Mandelli, which is more grey, and has, I think, still more woolly hair, thus 

 suggesting the appropriateness of Mr. Hodgson's name oiostolus. 



42. Lepus tibetanus. PI. IV, fig 2. 



Rare of Little Tibet, Vigne, Travels in Kashmir, &c, ii., p. 268. 



L. tibetanus, Waterhouse, P. Z. S., 1841, p. 7. — Nat. Hist. Mam., Rodentia, ii, p. 58. — Gunther, 

 Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1875, Ser. 4, xvi, p. 228. 



1, 2, Nubra valley, Ladak. 



I should have been unable to identify this species but for Dr. Giinther's having com- 

 pared the hares obtained by Captain Biddulph in the Nubra valley with the type in the 

 British Museum, which is, I suppose, that originally brought by Vigne from near Skardo, and 

 described by Waterhouse. Dr. Giinther points out that the specimens from Nubra, although 

 rather smaller in size, agree with the type very well, and may be distinguished from both 

 L. pallipes and L. oiostolus of Hodgson by having straight, not curled, hairs. 



