Group or Sub-Order DUPLICIDENTATA 
Family LEPORID^. 
Genus Lepus. 
THE COMMON HARE. 
Lepus europaus, Pallas. 
Plate 33. 
This species, the largest of British rodents, measures in length of 
head and body about 22 inches, the tail 3^ inches, and the ears about 
4^ inches ; the weight of the animal being from seven to ten pounds. 
The general colour of the fur is a tawny bufF, irregularly broken 
with darker tints where the blackish under parts of the hairs come into 
view and relieve the yellow tips. 
This want of uniformity in the colour is caused by the peculiar 
character of the fur, which curls and twists in various directions, especially 
along the back and upper parts of the animal, where it is thickest. 
The neck and shoulders and also the legs are more of a pure 
yellowish buff. The under parts of the body and tail are pure white, 
the latter being black on its upper surface. 
The ears are a mixture of brown and bufF, nearly white behind, and 
with black tips. In the winter coat the colour is more inclined to grey. 
The large and prominent yellowish eyes are so placed that the animal 
has a good view of anything behind, but sees indistinctly straight ahead. 
The hind feet and legs are very strong, and greatly exceed the fore 
legs in length. 
27 
