RODENTIA-LEPORIDAE—LEPUS AQUATICUS. 
613 
less black. The rump, upper surface of the tail, outer and anterior surfaces of the feet, are 
dark chestnut brown. The under half of the tail, the belly, and the under surface of the head, 
with the lower part of the chin, are pure cottony white ; the band across the lower part of the 
throat is light yellowish brown. There is a black spot in the middle of the forehead between the 
anterior base of tbe ears. The ears are hoary gray in their concavity, the margin of which, 
however, is yellowish brown. The anterior band is grizzled like tbe back; the rest of the 
back of the ear is dull ashy. There is much black on the sides of the head, sometimes 
aggregated into a broad patch on the cheeks. 
The under fur on the back, anteriorly, is lead gray, tinged with sooty at the tip. Towards 
the rump, however, there is an infusion of yellowish brown in the tips. The bristly hairs are 
black, with a median bar of yellowish brown. There is the usual chestnut hrown patch on 
the nape. 
This species is readily distinguished from L. sylvaticus by its disproportionably larger head 
and incisors and its absolutely larger size. The ears and hind feet are shorter,, the latter mucn 
thinner and more pointed. The tail is longer and narrower. The colors are somewhat similar, 
but there is much more black on the back and head. The rump and legs are much redder, and 
the fur on the anterior portion of the back lacks the yellowish brown tip. 
This species is very similar in many characteristics to L. palustrisj as in the short ears, and 
short and slender hind feet, disproportionate size of skull and incisors, &c. The size is, however, 
much larger ; the tail much longer ; the under parts of tail and belly pure cottony white, &c. 
Measurement of shull. 
Skull. 
No. 1228. 
Skull. 
No. 1228. 
Inches and lOOths. 
lOOths of length. 
Inches and lOOths, 
lOOths of length. 
Total length to end of nasals_ 
3. 40 
1. 00 
Upper incisor, height_ 
. 34 
. 10 
Greater width______ 
1.61 
.47 
width between external 
Distance between ante-orbital notches_ 
.84 
.24 
edges.__ 
.24 
.07 
Nasal bones, length.... 
1.46 
.43 
Upper molars, length taken together.... 
. 66 
.19 
width behind_ 
. 66 
. 19 
distance between__ 
.43 
. 13 
width before___ 
.51 
. 15 
Lower jaw, length. __ __ 
2. 80 
. 82; 
■ Upper incisors from front to molars_ 
1.14 
. 34 
1. 85 
. 49- 
from front to hinder mar¬ 
arc..... 
2.68 
.79- 
gin of palate_ 
1.52 
.45 
This measurement was made with a less accurate rule than that used for the table in the- 
introductory article. 
It is a question whether Dr. Bachman and Waterhouse are correct in their identification of 
the Lepus aquaticus of Bachman with the L. douglassi , var. 1 of Gray. Waterhouse gives a 
much more elaborate description of Gray’s specimen than the author does; in the course of 
which he mentions that the ears are rather shorter than the head ; the abdomen lufous yellow. 
