132 
ZOOLOGY. 
week. In a short ride of an hour's duration I have frequently seen as many as thirty indi- 
viduals either running about the trail or sitting among the "sage'' bushes on either side. 
Sometimes three or four might be seen at once. I presumed at the time that they were thus 
abundant in that immediate vicinity by reason of its proximity to water, the great drought 
having driven them in from the vast arid sage plains of the surrounding country. I saw none 
on the left bank of Snake river, and met with no hares after crossing that stream from the 
opposite side (at the mouth of Boise river) until in going norththwest we had proceeded about 
seventy miles, Avhen I fell in with a specimen of L. campestris at Powder river. 
These hares breed in great numbers on the sage plains south of Boise river, and. I was told, 
turn white in winter. Concerning this point there may be a mistake, my informants taking the 
L. camjiestris for this species. 
The flesh is rather bitter, as in the case of the sage code, owing probably to the artemisia 
upon Avhich it feeds. — S. 
LEPUS CALIPORNICUS, Gray. 
California Hare. 
(See chap. 2, p. 104.) 
I saAV a large species of hare at the head of Russian and Eel rivers, California. I also killed 
one of great size in the mountains, between Salmon and Trinity rivers. There is a bluish hare 
very common around Humboldt bay, where the Indians make blankets or robes of their skins, 
hy cutting them into strips, which are twisted with ropes, and then stretched on a frame and 
Avoven. — G-. 
LEPUS ARTEMISIA, Bach. 
Sage Hare. 
Baied, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 602. 
Sp. Ch. — Siiuilar to the common rabbit, Lepus sylvaticus, but smaller and grayer. 
Hah. — Interior of Oregon and Nebraska. 
The little sage hare is very abundant in the open central region of Oregon. It is, as its name 
implies, especially fond of the vicinity of bushes of the so-called "wild sage," or artemisia, 
under which it sits motionless and invisible, in almost perfect security. Several specimens 
were brought to me at Fort Dalles, the skins of Avhich were preserved, and the measurements 
recorded. 
Measurements of specimen. 
No. 50. March 2. Length to root of tail, 12 inches; tail to end of vertebrae, 2; of hairs, 2.50. 
No. 35. January 12, 1855. Under surface of tail, I am told, by Indians is Avhite; that of this 
specimen was lost. At the time this individual was brought to me I was told that the species 
does not turn white in winter. Name in dialect of the Wascos, La-IeJc. 
Length from nose to root of tail 15 inches, 0 lines. 
Heel to point of longest nail • 3 " 8 " 
Height of ear above plane of crown 3 " 3 " 
Ear to point of nose 2 " 10 " 
Tail vertebra}, about 1 " 4 
From olecranon to end of longest nail 4 " 2 " 
Extreme stretch between fore and hind toes 24 " 0 " 
