538 



REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



They may be distinguished by the following key: 



Legs and ears very long (ear in.). Jack rabbit. 



L. campestris, appendix. 



Legs and ears sliorter, the former under 4 in. 

 Species northern, turning white in winter. 



L. americanns phaenotiis, appendix. 

 Species southern, color always brownish ; habits aquatic. 



L. aquaticus, p. 538. 



LEPUS AQUATICUS Bachniau. 

 WATER HARE. 



Lepus aquaticus Bachman, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci; Phila., Vol. 7, 

 p. 319, 1837. 



Kennicott, Patent Office Report. 1856. 



Evermann and Butler, Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. for 1893, p. 

 139, 1894. 



Butler, Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. for 1894, p. 85, 1895. 



Diagnostic characters. — Size larger and hair coarser and stiffer 

 than in the cottontail rabbits. 



Description. — Back mottled with buff, brownish-red and black, 

 the amount of black being less than in the cottontail; belly and 

 underside of tail white ; hind foot relatively short and scantily 

 haired on the underside ; ears longer than in the cottontail. The 

 total length is about 21 inches the size therefore being interme- 

 diate between the jackrabbit and the cottontail. I have no detailed 

 measurements. 



Skull and teeth. — ^The skull is larger than that of the cotton- 

 tail and is further distinguished by having the postorbital process 

 solidly joined to the side of the cranium. 



Range. — The water hare is limited to the lower Mississippi Val- 

 ley. Kennicott states that it was not uncommon about Cairo, 111., 

 in the fifties. Butler has recorded it from Indiana on Mr. Chans- 

 ler's report. I have no additional records excepting Chansler's 

 statement to me which is as follows: "A very few of these are 

 found here (Knox County). They are larger than the common 

 rabbit and of a brownish color. One of these ra])bits was seen by 

 my brother Will, September 17, 1898; also anotliei* by Will Staley. 

 It was also seen in 1894; tio I'ccenl r-ecords; se(Mns to be rare; 

 usually found about water or swampy placets." I consider these 

 statements reliable enough to give the species a place in the fauna 

 of the State, although no specimens an* extant. 



Ifahifs. Kennicott said of tin; water liai'o in Illinois that it 

 was generally found in the denser woods and especially the cypress 



