DESCRIPTION
Of a Polar hare, three months old, killed on the 12th of August at Repulse Bay.
The head and back are hoary, from an intermixture of hairs entirely black, with others
which are black at the base and white at the tips. When these hairs are blown aside, they
permit a shorter yellowish-gray down to be seen. On the breast, flanks, and thighs, the
longer hairs have fewer white tips, and are more thinly scattered, allowing much of the down
to become visible : the down on these parts has a bluish-gray colour. The belly, feet, and
tail are entirely white. The hairs on the belly are very long. The ears have a similar colour
with the back, but the proportion of black hairs is rather greater. Their margins are white,
and there is a small brownish-black spot at their tips.
Dimensions.
In ch e s. Line s.
Length of the head and body . . . . 1 7 6
„ ‘ „ ears . • . . • . . _ 3 6
A nearly mature foetal specimen was of a blaekish-brown colour on all the
upper parts and outsides of the extremities.
[70.] 3. L e p u s V ir g in ia n u s . (Harlan.) Prairie Hare.
Varying Hare. Lewis and Clark, Journey, &c.., vol. ii. p. 178.
The Varying Hare ? Godman, Nat. Hist., vol. ii. p. 163.
Lepus Virginianus. Harlan, Fauna, p. 312.
Prairie Hare. Fur Traders.
The servants of the North-west and Hudson’s Bay Companies have long
been acquainted with this animal, but it is still very imperfectly known to
naturalist's. The best account of it is contained in the narrative of Lewis
and Clark’s interesting Journey to the Columbia; but Dr. Harlan first named
it as a species distinct from the Lepus variabilis. It is a common animal on
the plains through which the north and south branches of the Saskatchewan
flow, and which extend as far eastward as the Winepegoosis and southern
extremity of Winepeg lake, and to the southward, unite with the plains of
the Missouri, where this hare is also found, as well as on the great plains of
the Columbia. I have not heard of its existing further north than latitude 55°.
It frequents the open plains, where it lives much after the solitary manner of the
common European hare, without burrowing; it is also occasionally met with among
the small clumps of poplars and willows, with which the plains are studded near
their confines ; but it does not resort to the thick woods, like the American
hare. It possesses great speed. I was not successful in the attempts I made to
obtain specimens of this hare, a mutilated hunter’s skin, in the winter dress, being
all I could procure. Mr. Drummond killed a full-grown individual on the banks
of the Saskatchewan, in the month of September, and remarked that, as far as his
recollection went, there was no difference betwixt it and the common English hare.
Owing to a succession of wet weather, and want of convenience for drying specimens,
the skin unfortunately became putrid, and was thrown away.
DESCRIPTION
Of a mutilated winter skin.
The fu r is not quite so dense and fine as that of the Polar hare, but more so than that of
the American hare. I t is everywhere of a pure white colour on thé surface, except, on the
borders of the ears. The whiskers and muzzle are white. There are no coloured rings round
the eye, but when the fur there is blown aside, it is seen to be of a very pale wood-brown or
fawn colour for about two-thirds of its length from the roots upwards. On the upper aspect
of the head, the wood-brown colour of the concealed parts of the fur is deeper/ and' is mixed
with a little bluish-gray. On the cheeks the fur is longer, and white to very near the roots 9
where it is bluish-gray. On the sides of the neck, the fur is bluish-gray for a short space at
the roots, then of a buff colour intermediate between pale wood-brown and cream-yellow for
two-thirds of its length; and, lastly, white at the tips. On the back, the fur is white for one-
third, of its length from the roots, then pale brownish-yellow or buff colour for less than a
third ; and, lastly, white to the tips. The fur on the belly and legs is white its whole length.
The éars have a pretty broad wood-brown or fawn-coloured border along their anterior
margin, and a narrower one towards the base of the posterior margin ; the fur on these
borders is blackish-brown towards its roots. The back of the ear between the fawn-coloured
margins is covered with entirely white fur. The ear has a brownish-black tip about the same
size with the black tip of the ear of the Polar hare.
Dimensions.
Length of the head and body
Inches.
. . 22 0
„ fur of back I 4
„ fur of belly . . 2 4
„ whiskers . . 3 6
Inches. Lines.
Length of the ears, measured posteriorly, including
fur . . . . 4 0
,, , „ from rictus to apex, without
fur . . . . . . 3 0
,, fur, at tip of the ear _ . 0 6
The D esc ript io n of this species of hare, by Lewis and Clark, is as follows
“ They weigh from seven to eleven pounds; the eye is largo and prominent, the pupil of a
deep sea-green, the iris of a bright yellow and silver colour; the head, neck, back, shoulders*
2 G