THE COMMON (JKAY KAHIJIT. 



537 



8, 1890. I have found a female with young not ready for birth on 

 Augst 21st in Porter County. The exact number of litters pro- 

 duced in a year is not known, but probably averages three or four, 

 and as the period of gestation is about a month, the potential num- 

 ber is larger. 



Economic status. — As the foregoing account shows, rabbits some- 

 times do considerable damage to gardeners and fruit growers. 

 Methods of trapping and hunting rabbits are too well known to 

 require discussion here. The animals are usually hunted enough to 

 hold them in cheek so that they do not become a serious pest, but it 

 is not desirable they be given any further legal protection at pres- 

 ent. 



The Biological Survey of the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 recommends the application of the lime-and-sulphur wash, used in 

 spraying for the San Jose scale, to the trunks of young trees need- 

 ing protection from rabbits. It is made by boiling 15 pounds of 

 sulphur and 20 pounds of unslaked lime in 15 gallons of water 

 for one hour, then adding 30 gallons of water and applying with a 

 brush. A single application is said to protect trees from rabbits 

 for an entire winter. The trees can also be protected by various 

 wrappings or by permanent cylinders made of poultry netting or 

 screen wire. Where orchards are kept free from underbrush, tall 

 grass and weeds, the rabbits are not apt to be numerous. In favor 

 of the animals, it must be remembered that rabbit hunting fur- 

 nishes good sport and that their flesh makes a very palatable food. 



Genus Lepus Linnaeus. 



Lepits Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. 10, I, p. 57, 1758. Lyon, Smith. 



Miscl. Coll. (Quart. Issue), Vol. 45, p. 389, 1904. 

 Dental formula. — The same as Sylvilagus. 



Generic characters. — As restricted by Lyon, this genus includes 

 only the jackass rabbits of America and varying hares of this 

 country, Europe and Asia. As here understood, the water hares 

 of the southern United States are also included. They are dis- 

 tinguished by their large size and by a number of anatomical char- 

 acters. 



Three subgenera and about fifty species and subspecies are 

 included in this genus which is limited to the northern hemisphere. 

 Thirty-five or more si)ecies are found in North America, three 

 of them may occur in Indiana. 



