BACHMAN’S HARE. 
37 
grass or weeds, and approaching gradually to the centre, numbers of these 
Hares were knocked down with clubs as they attempted to make their 
escape, as well as occasionally other animals which happened to be secreted 
within the circle. We were told that a raw Herman recruit, who had 
once or twice before been made the butt of his comrades, having joined 
only a few days, was invited to partake of the sport, and as the excitement 
became quite agreeable to him, was amongst the foremost in knocking 
down the unfortunate Hares, as they dashed out or timidly squatted yet a 
moment, hoping not to be observed ; when suddenly one of his companions 
pointed out to him a skunk, which, notwithstanding the din and uproar on 
all sides, was very quietly awaiting the course of events. The unlucky 
recruit darted forward : — we need say nothing more, except that during the 
remainder of the war the skunk was, by that detachment, known only as 
the “ Dutchman’s rabbit.” 
This Hare so much resembles the common rabbit, that it has been 
generally considered the same animal ; and this is not singular, for the 
gray rabbit does not extend to those portions of our country in which 
Bachman’s Hare is found, and few, save persons of some observation, 
would perceive the differences between them, even if they had both species 
together so that they could compare them. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
Lieut. Abert, of the United States Army, procured specimens of this 
Hare in the neighbourhood of Santa I’d, v, nich were the first that were made 
known to naturalists as existing east of California, as the animal was 
described from a specimen sent by Douglas from the western shores of 
America. It now appears that it occupies a great portion of Texas, New 
Mexico, and California, probably extending south through great part of 
Mexico. Its northeastern limit may be about the head waters of the Red 
river or the Arkansas. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
From the small size of this Hare, it was at one time considered possible 
that it might prove to be only the young of some other species of Lepus, 
but its specific characters are now fully established, and it is, at present, 
known as more numerous in some localities than even the gray rabbit. 
This species was discovered among a collection of skins in the museum 
of the Zoological Society by Dr. Bachman and Mr. Waterhouse, and the 
latter gentleman having desired the doctor to allow him to describe and 
