157 
Hist., xiii, 1869, 194; Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 11, 1871, 184; 
Mon. N. A. Rodentia, 1877, 827.—Coues and Yarrow, Expl. and 
Surv., W. 100th Merid., 1875, 128.—Jordan, Manual Vertebrates, 
1878, 34, 2d ed. 
1838. Lepus bachmani, Waterhouse, Proc. Zoél. Soc. Lond., vi, 1888, 108 ; 
Nat. Hist. Mam., ii, 1848, 124~-Bachman, Journ. Acad. Nat. 
Sci., Phila., viii, 1889, 96.—Aud. & Bach., Quad. N. Am., i1i, 1853, 
85, pl. cviii (based on Waterhouse’s specimens).—Baird, Mam. 
N. Am., 1857, 606; U. S. and Mex. Bound. Survey, ii, 1859, ii, 48 
(Brownsville, Texas). 
1867. Sylvilagus backmant, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 8d series, xx, 
1867, 222. 
1867. Sylvilagus nanus, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 3d ser., xx, 1867, 
221.—Allen, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zo6l., 1, 1869, 239. 
Specific Characters—Length from nose to tail 18.50 to 17.00 inches; 
hind fcot 8.10 to 4.20; ear 2.10 to 3,00; ear two-thirds length of head ; 
head a little shorter than the hind foot. Pale yellowish-brown above, 
varied with black; sides and rump grayer; nape and limbs yellowish- 
rusty, fading into whitish on the anterior surface of the hind legs; head 
above less varied with black than the back; beneath white, except the 
breast, which is pale yellowish-brown. The hairs of the upper surface 
have long shining black tips, succeeded by a broad bar of pale yellowish- 
brown, then a narrower zone of black, and thence to the base grayish- 
plumteous. Under fur dark plumbeous, nearly black, often tipped with 
pale brown. 
Distribution.— Lepus sylvaticus, including its several varieties, cecupies 
the greater part of the southern half of the continent. Its northern limit 
corresponds nearly with the isotherm of 45°. Variety sylvaticus extends 
from Southern Maine southward to Florida and the Gulf Coast, and west- 
ward to the eastern portions of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Indian Terri- 
tory, throughout eastern Texas, and southward to Yucatan. Westward, 
in middle Kansas, it passes into var. nuttalli, in Arizona into var. arizona, 
and on the Pacific slope it is represented by variety auduboni. 
Description and Habits.—The natural habitat of this animal is dry level 
ground, rather thinly wooded, and interspersed with dense thickets and 
occasional openings. It is usually less abundant in hilly and heavily tim- 
bered regious. On the prairies and in settled country, the Rabbit takes 
shelter about fences and stacks. In open lands it is preyed on by rapa- 
cious birds; large snakes often get the young. Among mammals the 
Weasels are their worst enemies ; ; the White Weasel and Mink follow 
them under logs, into trees and burrows, and often in cultivated regions 
