LEPUS AMERICANUS VIRGINIANUS. 
2 I I 
in the town of Lyonsdale, in Lewis County. In color they are 
a uniform dark sooty-brown, lighter on the soles of the feet. 
LEPUS AMERICANUS VIRGINIANUS (Harlan) Allen. 
Southern Varying Hare. 
This variety or subspecies of the Varying Hare occurs in the 
low border-lands of the Adironclacks, particularly in the valleys of 
Lakes George and Champlain, but is not met with at any great 
elevation, a few hundred feet constituting, in this latitude, its 
altitudinal limit. 
Its food and habits are not known to differ from those of its 
nearest relative, the great northern hare, from which it may be 
distinguished, in winter, by the circumstance that the change to 
white is not complete, more or less light reddish-brown remain- 
ing about the head and ears, and on the upper surfaces of the fore- 
feet. 
Rabbits are not commonly supposed to swim, but Mr. William 
Brewster has kindly written me of a case that fell under his personal 
observation. He says: “While at Lake Umbagog, Maine, in the 
summer of 1873, I saw something which may interest you. I was 
paddling up Cambridge River one warm July morning when, upon 
rounding a bend, my attention was attracted by a slight splashing 
sound ahead, and looking closely I discovered a Rabbit (. Lcpus 
Americanus ) evidently about to attempt the passage of the stream 
which at that place was perhaps one hundred feet wide, and at 
least eight or ten deep. He entered the water deliberately, but 
without apparent fear or hesitation, and was soon beyond his depth 
and striking out boldly for the opposite shore. A more ridiculous 
(albeit successful) attempt at swimming can scarcely be imagined. 
He literally hopped through the water, using only his hind legs and 
kicking with such vigor that the whole forward part of his body 
was raised above the surface at each stroke. Between the strokes 
