THE HARE. 
19 
The Common Hare of Great Britain, Lepus timidus, Linn., 
Is not found in Ireland. 
The Irish Hare, Lepus Hibernicus, Bell. 
The Alpine Hare, Lepus variabilis, Pallas. 
The following paper was communicated by me to the Royal Irish 
Academy, in May, 1838, and was published in the Transactions, vol. 
xviii. part 2 : — 
“ On the Irish Hare ( Lepus Hibernicus ). — The Earl of Derby was the first 
to call the attention of English zoologists to the differences existing between the 
common hare of Great Britain and that of Ireland; and, for the purpose of 
having the matter duly investigated, he, in April, 1833, transmitted specimens of 
the Irish hare to Mr. Yarrell, who exhibited them at a meeting of the Linnsean 
Society. In the month of July, in the same year, this gentleman introduced 
the subject to the Zoological Society, at the same time pointing out some of the 
more prominent characters which distinguish the two animals. With regard to 
the specific difference of the Irish hare, Mr. Yarrell did not, on either occasion, 
offer an opinion. Mr. Jenyns, in his Manual of British Vertebrate Animals, 
published in 1835, introduced the Irish hare as a variety of the Lepus timidus , 
with the remark, that it ‘ might almost deserve to be considered a distinct 
species.’ Mr. Bell, in his work on British Quadrupeds, completed in 1837, 
judging from external character, brought it forward, for the first time, as a differ- 
ent animal from the common hare of England. In a communication to the 
Magazine of Zoology and Botany for August, 1837, Mr. Eyton stated that, 
from an investigation of the anatomical characters of the Irish hare, he detected 
such differences as ‘ would probably distinguish it as a species distinct from the 
common hare, did no other characters exist’ (vol. ii. p. 283). 
“ Having thus looked retrospectively to the Irish hare, from the first simple 
announcement of the characters in which it differs from the Lepus timidus , until 
from internal as well as external evidence it is considered specifically different, 
it may be thought unnecessary to treat further on the subject, but the sequel 
will, I trust, show that it has not yet been entirely exhausted. 
“ The very erroneous idea prevails in some quarters that the hare of Ireland 
was not known to differ from that of England, until the subject was introduced 
in London, in the year 1833. Respecting the former animal Mr. Bell observes, 
that ‘ it is certainly a very remarkable circumstance that it should have remain- 
ed unnoticed until so late a period, and can only be accounted for by the fact 
that it is the only hare found in Ireland, and that therefore the opportunity of 
comparison did not frequently occur’ (p. 342). The difference between the 
hare of Ireland and that of England and Scotland has, however, though not 
committed to the press, been long known in this country to the oldest sportsmen, 
dealers in animal skins, and such other persons as had the opportunity of ex- 
amining them.* Yet, strange to say, to naturalists generally, what is here 
* On account of the difference between these animals in the two countries, 
the late David Ker, Esq., upwards of thirty years ago, had some hares brought 
from England, and turned out on the largest of the three Copeland Islands, off 
the coast of Down, where, however, they did not much increase, and long since 
became extinct. About twenty years ago, a sporting friend, when visiting the 
Island of Islay, off the coast of Argyleshire, killed several individuals of the 
Irish hare, as well as of the indigenous one ; and, on pointing out the former to 
some persons resident in the island, was informed that they were not any 
novelty, as the species had been introduced from Ireland by the chief proprietor 
of the island, but at what period I have not learned. It may be in reference to 
these that Daniel, in his Rural Sports, observes, with respect to the size of 
hares in different parts of the British Islands, that “ the smallest are in the 
Isle of Islay.” In a journal kept by that distinguished naturalist the late John 
c 2 
