RODENTIA-LEPORIDAE—LEPUS GLACIALIS. 
577 
B.— Skull without any post-orbital process. 
Post-orbital processes so fused in the frontals as not to exhibit a suture. Feet 
very short; fur very scanty, exposing the toes. 
12. Tail long, pure white beneath..... L. aquations. 
13. Size much less. Tail very short; dull brownish white beneath.... L. palustris. 
LEPUS GLACIALIS, Leach. 
Polar Hare. 
Lepus glacialis, Leach, “ Ross’ Voyage, 8vo, II, 1819, App. iv, 170.” 
Ed. Sabine, App. Narr. Franklin’s Journey, 1823, 664.— Ib. App. Parry’s First Voyage, 1824, 187. 
Rich. App. Parry’s Second Voyage, 1825, 321 .—Ib. F. Bor. Am. I, 1829, 221. 
Harlan, F. Am. 1825, 194. 
Griff. Guv. V., 1827, 265. 
Fischer, Synopsis, 1829, 373. 
J. C. Ross, in App. J. Ross’ Narr. 1835. 
Bachman, J. A. N. S. Phila. VII, n, 1837, 285; pi. xxi.— Ib. VIII, i, 1839, 76. 
Wagner, in Schreb, Saugt. IV ; pi. ccxxxv. D. (original figure. No text.)—I b. Supplement Schre- 
ber, IV. 1844, 101. 
Waterhouse, Nat. Hist. Mamm. II, 1848, 102. 
Aud. & Bach. N. Am. Quad. I, 1849, 242; pi. xxxii. 
Lepus timidus, Fabr. Fauna Groenl. 1780, 25. 
“L. arcticus, Leach, Ross’ Voyage, II, 1819, App. 151.” * 
Varying hare, Pennant, Hist. Quad. 1781, No. 242 .—Ib. Arctic Zoology, I, 1784, 94, (in part.) 
Sp. Ch.—S ize very large ; exceeding a large cat. Ears about four-fifths the length of the head. Hind foot considerably 
longer than the head. Color in winter, pure white to the roots of the hairs; the ears, however, black at the extreme tip 
on both surfaces. In summer, yellow-brownish gray above, varied with black; rump and upper surface of tail sooty 
plumbeous; under parts whitish, everywhere with a strong sooty tinge. Ear almost uniform glossy black, with the 
posterior margin whitish; the membrane dark brown. 
This species is among the largest, if not tbe largest, of the varying hares, not only of this 
country, hut of Europe. The ears and legs, however, are far from assuming the dimensions of 
the more southern Texas and California species. 
Taking an adult in winter as the type, the head is much arched and broad. The ears are 
about four-fifths the length of the head; they are broad, ovate; the membrane somewhat 
rounded, hut appearing more pointed on account of the hair. They are closely covered with 
hair on both sides, except towards the bottom of the concavity, which is nearly naked. The tail 
is rather short, and so densely covered with hair as to be appreciable only on close examination. 
The under surfaces of the feet are densely furred, so much so as very nearly to conceal the nails, 
which are nearly black. The fur is very full, soft, and fine all over the body. 
The color of this species in winter is a pure white to the very base of the hairs ; the brushy fur 
on the under surfaces of the feet only being of a dirty yellowish white. The edges of the orbit, 
the eyelashes, the nails, and the membrane of the ear are black; there is a triangular patch 
1 I have not this work at hand to ascertain why the name of arcticus should not be retained, as taking precedence in the 
paging of the same work. 
T3 L 
