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Show 1900.] THE VARIABLE HARE. 89 reference to the Variable Hare of Scotland, seem to be synonyms of the Southern Scandinavian Variable Hare. Type locality. Upsala, Sweden. As regards colour and size, I cannot distinguish Professor Collett's specimens from those of Scotland : all have progressed a long way towards melanism. On the other hand, not one of my Scotch series reaches the size of two skulls, supposed to be from Scandinavia, in the British Museum. It is probable, therefore, that Nilsson was right in describing two forms of Variable Hare from Scandinavia. Distribution (provisional). South Scandinavia, Scotland, and mountains of Europe. (2) LEPUS TIMIDUS COLLINUS. Lepus borealis collinus, S. Nilsson, Illuminerade Figurer till Skandinaviens Fauna, pi. 19 (1829-1832). I have seen no specimens of the second Scandinavian form, which probably inhabits the mountains and the north of the country '. (3) LEPUS TIMIDUS HIBERNICUS. Irish Hare, Tarrell, Proc. Zool. Soc. 183?, p. 88. Lepus timidus var. (3, Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. Animals, 1835, p. 35. Lepus hibernicus, Bell, Hist, of British Quadrupeds, 1837, p. 341. Typical locality. Ireland. Colour in summer reddish brown, often of conspicuous foxlike shade : in winter similar, but in severe weather or on exposed situations a white coat, more or less complete in proportion to the need, is assumed. Size larger than that of Scotch Hares. Weight up to about 10 lbs., whereas that of Scotch Hares, according to Mr. J. E. Harting, " averages probably between 5 lbs. and 6 lbs.; the heaviest I have noticed weighed 7| lbs." 2 It is a pity that the original describer of this Hare should have compared it with the totally distinct Common Hare of England. Hence we have had, so far as I am aware, no careful comparison of it with the Scotch Hare, and its very conspicuous coloration has consequently been overlooked. The introduced Irish Hares of the Island of Mull retain their red coloration. Distribution. Ireland. (4) LEPUS TIMIDUS LUTESCENS, subsp. nov. Tvpe. No. 82.2.4.1 of British Museum Collection, from Dona-bate, Co. Dublin (Chas. Cobbe). Distinguishing characteristics. General colour " rich buff-shading 1 Since the above was written I have been able (through the kindness of Mr. W . E. de Winton) to examine three skulls from Eussia, which probably belong to this form, and of which the basilar length is SU, 79, and 74-5 m m . (the latter immature). * < Field,' Sept. 5,1891. |