TEXAN HARE. 
15? 
coloured gray and yellowish hairs ; the posterior outside half of the ear is 
white, with the exception of the extreme point, which in one of our speci- 
mens has a slight margin of brown at the tip of the ear, while another 
specimen is more deeply tinged with brown for three fourths of its length. 
Around the eye there is a light yellowish-gray ring ; under surface of 
neck, rufous, faintly spotted or marked with brown ; tail, black above, the 
same colour continuing on the rump and dorsal line in a stripe for about 
four inches from the root of the tail ; eyes, orange hazel ; nails, brown. 
The line of white on the belly and flanks is irregular in shape where it 
joins the dark colours of the upper surface, and in this respect differs from 
Lepus callotis, in which species the white extends higher up the sides and 
is continued in a tolerably straight line nearly to the tail. 
Whiskers, white, a few of them black at the roots, 
l 
DIMENSIONS. 
Prom point of nose to root of tail, - 
“ “ to ear, 
Bar, externally, .... 
Width of ear, 
Length of tarsus, - - - 
“ tail (including fur), 
longest whisker, - 
Feet. Inches. Lines. 
- 1 9 
4 1 
6 5 
3 
5 
4 2 
3 6 
HABITS. 
This Hare received from the Texans, and from our troops in the Mexican 
war, the name of Jackass rabbit, in common with Lepus callotis , the Black- 
tailed Hare described in our second volume, p. 95. It is the largest of 
three nearly allied species of Hare which inhabit respectively New Mexico, 
Texas, Mexico, and California, viz. the present species, the Black-tailed, 
and the Californian Hare. It is quite as swift of foot as either of the 
others, and its habits resemble those of the Black-tailed Hare in almost 
every particular. The young have generally a white spot on the middle 
of the top of the head, and are remarkable for the rigidity of the fringe of 
hairs which margins the ears. The feet of this species do not exhibit the 
red and dense fur which prevails on the feet of the Black-tailed Hare (and 
from which it has sometimes been called the Red-footed Hare). 
The Mexicans are very fond of the flesh of this animal, and as it is widely 
distributed, a great many are shot and snared by them. It is very good 
eating, and formed an important item in the provisions of John W. Atjdij- 
