On the Hares of Western Europe and North Africa. 149 
Fam. Geometridse. 
Milionia regina^ sp. n. 
Male. — Primaries very similar to the primaries of M. Meeki, 
but with the red band from the base verj much narrower : 
secondaries deep black, the outer margin from the apex to 
the anal angle edged with a narrow band of chrome-yellow, 
upon which are six round black spots. Head and front of 
thorax blue-black ; thorax and anal tuft chrome-jellow ; 
abdomen bright blue. 
Expanse 2| inches. 
Hah. Woodlark Island {Mus. Druce). 
Fam. Thyrididae. 
Rhodoneura nox, sp. n. 
Male. — Primaries and secondaries black ; both wings with 
a central faint greyish line across the middle. Underside of 
both wings reddish brown, streaked with black. Tlie head, 
antennae, thorax, and abdomen black ; the underside of the 
abdomen pale fawn-colour; the legs dark brown. 
Expanse 1 inch. 
Hab. Tenasserim Valley, Burmah [Doherty, Mus. Druce). 
XXV. — On the Hares of Western Europe and North Africa. 
By W. E. DE WiNTON. 
For some time it has been evident that among the hares in 
the collection of the British Museum from different points 
in Southern Europe and the northern coast of Africa several 
species were represented^ but until quite lately specimens 
were wanting from Sardinia, the type locality of Lepus medi- 
terraneusy Wagner, and iVom Tangier, tiie type locality of 
L. Schlumhergerij St. Loup, so that it was impossible to 
classify them satisfactorily ; these two desiderata being now 
supplied, the authorities have kindly allowed me to work out 
this group. 
Very little attention has been paid to the hares of Europe 
since 1857, when Blasius wrote his ' Fauna wirb. Deutsch- 
lands, Saug./ a book which still stands far ahead of any 
other work on European mammals: this author seems to 
have had the necessary material to have thrown more light 
150 Mr. W. E. de Win ton on fJie Flares of 
upon the various forms of South European hares, but it does 
not seem quite clear that he had actually compared specimens 
from Spain with typical specimens of L. mediterraneus^ Wagn., 
which he had seen in Turin (^ c. p. 415). 
It is now generally agreed that Linnjeus's Lepus timidus 
refers to the blue or variable hare, so that L, europceus, 
Pallas, must stand as the name of the brown hare ; thus the 
typical form of that species is the brown hare of Russia = 
L. timidus (form c) of Blusius {t. c. p. 417). The Western 
European form described by Blasius (form h) as differing in 
colour is also smaller, the length of the hind foot being about 
an inch shorter than tliat of the Russian hare; although 
Blasius recognized the difference, he does not attach any 
distinguishing name to the form, but a name is placed 
in the synonymy attributed to Schimper on the authority 
of Gervais (Zool. et Pal^ont. Fr. p. 29, 1851), to wliich 
no description Avas ever published. In describing the 
species from the ]\Iediterranean region these more northern 
well-known forms had to be referred to, and the Central or 
Western European form being found to differ so much in 
size and colour from the typical L. europceus, it is considered 
necessary to describe it and give it a distinguishing sub- 
specific name. 
On bringing together specimens from the different countries 
bordering the northern and southern shores of the western 
portion of the Mediterranean Sea, it will be found that they 
form a very miscellaneous group. In choosing names for 
the different forms described I endeavoured to employ 
several that have found their way into the synonymy given 
by most authors of L. eurojpaius^ so that, in fact, hares should 
be found to fit the names, and not fresh names invented : but 
this was not found possible, the majority evidently referring 
to the same species ; therefore to save further confusion fresh 
names are used. 
Tlie name Lepus mediterraneus was given by Wagner 
(Miinch. Anz. 1841, p. 439) to the small species occurring in 
the island of Sardinia ; this name hns usually been employed 
by modern authors when mentioning hares found in any of 
the adjacent countries. Gervais (Zool. et Pal^ont. Fr. p. 29, 
1851) introduced two names on the authority of Schimper, 
who had got together a considerable number of hares in the 
Strassburg Museum, the conclusion being that these forms 
were the same as L. vieridionalis, Gen^, a name never 
published; but later (Hist. Nat. Mamm. i. p. 282, 18.54) the 
same author considers that Gene's species might probably be 
identical with L. mediterraneus^ Wagn. Schimper appears 
Western Eiiroim and North Africa. 151 
never to have published the results of his investigations 
himself. Blasius (Faun. Deutschl., Saug. p. 412, 1857) 
mentions all these names as synonyms of L. timidus=L. eiiro- 
pceusj and brings in another name attributed to Schimper 
(Regensb. Corresp. 1850, p. Ill), proposed for the hare of 
Andalucia obtained by Dr. Rosenhauer, but to which no 
description was added. Fitzinger (Sitzb. d. k. Akad. 
"VVissensch. 1867, p. 161) adds another name for thePyrenean 
hare (? sp.) on the authority of Nerde Boub^e, with no refer- 
ence to any description, but simply as a synonym of 
L. timidus = L. europceus ; the same author in the same place 
introduces a name for the hare of Andalucia on the authority 
of Natterer, also without reference to it ever having 
been previously published : Natterer certainly was the first 
author to distinguish this hare from those of Central Europe ; 
but although he gives a short description (' Isis,' 1818, 
col. 816), he mentioned no name, and Fitzinger does not 
notice this reference ; it must therefore be written off as a 
nomen nudum. One more name for this same hare, though 
never published, is still in existence in the Vienna Museum ; 
one or more specimens from Andalucia are, or were, labelle I 
" Lepus gracilis, Natt." For this last piece of information 
T am indebted to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, who noted the fact 
during a visit to that museum in 1877. 
Waterhouse (Mamm. vol. ii. p. 43, 1848) complicated 
matters by taking a hare from Tunis as typical of L. medi- 
terraneus, Wagn. ; but no specimen from Sardinia was then 
in the British Museum for comparison, so the error may 
readily be excused. 
In this paper a deviation is made from the rule as to takitig 
measurements ; in all cases the length of the ear is taken 
from the base at the back, and not from the notch unless 
particularly stated. Every effort has been made to give as full 
measurements of the skulls as possible ; but as there is so 
much individual variation, and the character of the skulls in 
this group makes it so difficult to know where to fix the points 
of the compass, owing to the irregularity of the sutures and 
many apophyses, these measurements must be accepted for 
what they are worth. Greatest length of nasal bones is taken 
diagonally on the bone of one side, being far easier than 
between two parallels, as there are no points in strict longitu- 
dinal line. The " molar series " is measured by the outsides 
of the tooth-soc/ce^s, as it is considered more reliable in this 
group than the teeth, which slope and have no crowns. 
152 Mr. W. E. de Winton on the Hares of 
Lepiis europcBus occidentalism subsp. n. 
Smaller than L. eiiropceus ti/picus ; colour much warmer 
and more rufous throughout. 
The difference in the length of the hind foot is perhaps the 
most constant size character. The difference in colour is 
most constant in the head and ears and legs. 
I take as the type of this subspecies a specimen from 
Herefordshire, killed on the 7th January, 1898, which I 
propose to present to the British Museum. 
Measurements taken in the flesh : — 
Head and body 570 millim. ; tail 86 ; hind foot 135, to 
end of claws and hair 142 ; ear from notch 99, from base at 
back 120. 
Weight when killed 8 lbs. 6 oz. 
For comparison I give measurements of a Russian hare of 
quite ordinary proportions (no. 94. 8. 7. 30 in Brit. ]\Ius.), 
from Lithuania : — 
Head and body (dry skin) (c.) 600 millim.; tail (c.) 90; 
hind foot (c.) 156, to end of claws 168; ear from notch (c.) 
110, from base at back (c.) 121 without end-hairs. 
The comparative measurements of the skulls given below 
do not show any striking differences, excepting in the basal 
length and mandible; I am, however, unable to say if this 
greater length would be always found in the Russian hare, 
but the proportion seems constant in the specimens examined. 
L. e. ti/piciis. L, e. occidentalis. 
Skull : millim. millim. 
Greatest length 102 99-0 
„ breadth 48 47 
Breadth across maxillae below lachry- 
mals 30-5 3o-5 
Nasals, length in middle line 06 38"5 
„ greatest length 48-5 46'o 
„ greatest breadth 26 23 
„ across narrowest part IS'o 17 
Intertemporal constriction 14"7 15 
Basal length 80 79-7 
Length of upper molar series 20'5 20 
Deptli from top of nasals to palate in 
front of premolars 26 26 
Depth from top of nasals to front of 
palate 20-.') 21 
Mandible, length (bone only) from con- 
dylar process to upperside of 
incisors 79"o 72 
Mandible, length from back of incisors to 
angle 76 67 
Mandible, greatest height standing on 
table perpendicvilarly to condyle . . 46'o 41 
Western Europe and North Africa. 153 
Lepus LUfordij sp. n. 
Lepus yranatensis (Schimp.), Roseuliauer, Regensb. Corresp. 1850, 
p. Ill (nom. nud.). 
Lepus meridionalis (Gen6), Gervais, Zool. et Paleont. Fr. p. 29 (1851) 
(partim, n. n.). 
Lepus hispanicus (Natt.), Fitzing. Sitzb. Ak. Wissensch. 1867, p. 161 
(n. n.). 
Lepus pi/7-enaicus (Boubee), Fitzing, f. c. (n. n.). 
Lepus gracilis, Natt., MS., in Mu-seo Viennense (n. n.). 
Lepus timidus (partim), Blasius et auct. 
Lepus europtsus (partim), Lepus mediterraneus (partim), auct. 
Upper parts of head and body, ears, and tail much as in 
L. e. occidentalism though the colours are darker, while varying 
somewhat in tone, as in that species ; the tail is long, black 
above, white on the sides and beneath. Fur very much 
waved or plaited on the back ; interspersed among the ordi- 
nary fur are long, coarse, snow-white hairs, which are very 
much more conspicuous than in L. e. occidentalism especially 
on the sides and rump ; these long hairs in their basal half, or 
that part hidden by the thick fur, are black, the terminal 
half protruding beyond the fur snow-while ; both fore and 
hind limbs bay-red in front, snow-white behind; the white 
almost encircling the fore leg immediately above the elbow, 
and at the wrist extending from the inner side round on to 
the front of the joint ; the fore feet are red, with tips near 
the nails white ; on tiie hind feet the white extends in the 
same way from the inner side of the heel, so that the front of 
the foot is white save for the presence of narrow lines between 
the toes. The whole of the underparts are snow-white 
excepting the neck-band, which is dark fawn. 
The most striking character of this hare is the sharp 
distinction between the colours of the upper and under sur- 
faces of the body and the strong contrast between the bright 
bay of the outer sides of the legs and the pure wliite of the 
inner sides, the fur being also sleeker and lying closer on the 
legs than in any other species. 
In the seven specimens referred to there is no variation 
whatever in the character of the markings. 
Type S , Slid Dec. 1894, Seville (Brit. Mus. no. 95. 3. 3. 12). 
Presented by Lord Lilford. 
Measurements (taken from dried skin) : — 
Head and body 470 niillim. ; tail 86; ear 118; land foot 
(without claw) 116. 
Skull: greatest length 89; greatest breadth 43; breadth 
across maxillffi below lachrymals 33 ; lengtli of nasals in 
middle line 30, greatest length 38, greatest breadth 20, across 
narrowest part lo'O ; intertenip. constr. 12*1 ; basal length 
71'5; length of upper molar series (tooth-sockets) 16't); 
154 Mr. W. E. de Wiiiton on the Hares of 
depth from top of nasals to palate immediately in front of 
premolars 22*5, in front of palate 20 ; mandible, length (bone 
only) from condylar proc. to upperside of incisors 65, back 
of incisors to angle 60'5 ; greatest height standing on table 
per])endicularly to condyle 38"3, 
1 lie number of names which have been proposed show 
clearly that this hare was never thought to be the same as 
the more northern form, and I can only suppose that the 
would-be describers were baulked by not having a typical 
L. mediterraneus for comparison. It seems perfectlyincredible 
that this well-marked species, by far the most strikingly 
coloured member of the genus, should never have been 
described ; but after a most thorough search in every book or 
pamphlet which was likely to throw light on the subject, I 
am unable to attach any of the above names to a description. 
I have connected with this handsome species the name of 
the late Lord Lilford, in memory of the extreme interest he 
took in the mammals of Europe, especially those of the 
Spanish peninsula, and in recognition of the gracious help he 
was always ready to give in assisting this branch of zoology. 
Lepus mediterraneus, Wagn. 
Lepus fnediterraneus, Wagner, Miinch. Anz. 1841, p. 439 (uec Water- 
house, nee Loche). 
A description of this hare is given here for the sake of com- 
parison, especially in regard to the measurements of the skull. 
Size very small, not much more than half that of 
L. e. occidental is; tiie ears are rather short in proportion, 
the backs of which are thinly clad with hair; the fur of 
the back is not waved and plaited ; the nape, fore and hind 
legs bright foxy red, the underparts strongly washed with 
the same colour, exce))ting the centre of the belly and the 
inguinal region, which are pure white ; there are no sharp 
lines between the colours in any part excepting the tail, which 
is like its allies. The bases of the fur in all parts are slate- 
coloured ; this is very marked in the neck and chest-band, 
and on the back the iur is buff-grey beneath the broad black 
ring, and not white as in L. ewojjceus and allies. 
ileasurements (taken from dried skin, no. 92. 2. 27. 1, in 
the British Museum, from Sardinia) : — 
Head and body (c.) 400 millim. ; tail 76; hind foot 97; 
ear 96. 
Skull: greatest length 79*5 ; greatest breadth 39 ; breadth of 
maxillai below lachrymal 27'5; length of nasals in miildle line 
27, greatest length 34, greatest breadth 17"5, across narrowest 
part 12; intertemp. constr. 12; basal length 63; lengthof upper 
Western Euroije and North Africa. 155 
molar series (tooth-sockets) 15 ; depth fiom upperside of nasals 
to palate immediately in front of premolars 18*5, above front 
of palatal foramen 16 ; mandible, length (bone only) from 
back of condylar process to upperside of back of incisors 57"3, 
from angular process to same place 55 ; greatest height 
standing on table perpendicularly to condyle 31. 
Lepus corsicanus, sp. n. 
In general colouring and proportions very similar to 
L. e. occi'dentaUs, but resembling L. mediterraneiis in having 
deeper grey bases to the fur generally, and the fur of the back 
being rusty below the black ring, with grey bases. The eye- 
ring is very conspicuous, being shown up by a rufous patch 
on the cheeks, which extends from in front of the orbit to 
halfway between the eye and ear. This pattern is traceable 
in other species^ but is not nearly so conspicuous. The nape 
of the neck is milike any of its allies, being grizzled smoky 
grey. 
Type S J January 1875, Bastia (Brit. Mus. no. 78. 7. 3. 4) . 
Presented by Lord Lilford. 
Measurements (taken from dry skin) : — 
Head and body 450 millim. j tail 73; hind foot 119; 
ear 107. 
Skull : greatest length 90 ; greatest breadth 43"5 ; breadth 
of maxillte below lachrymals 31*2 ; length of nasals, middle 
line 31*5, greatest length 39*5, greatest breadth 21*5, nar- 
rowest part 14; intertemp. constr. 15; basal length (c.) 73; 
length of upper molar series (tooth-sockets) 17'2; depth from 
top of nasals to palate in front of premolars 21*5, at front of 
palatal foramina 18*2 ; mandible, length (bone only) from 
back of condylar process to upperside of back of incisors 65, 
upperside of back of incisors to angle 59'5 ; greatest heiglit 
standing on table perpendicularly to condyle 36"5. 
The breadth of the skull will at once distinguish this form 
from its near ally L. kabylicus. 
Lepus habylicuSj sp. n. 
Lejxus mediterranem, Levaill. Loclie's Expl. Alg., Mamm. sp. 84 (uec 
Wagn.). 
Lepus (Bgyptius, Lataste, Act. Soc. Linn. Bordeaux, xxxix. p. 157 (nee 
Geoff.j. 
Size about that of L. Lilfordi, but in colour closely 
resembling L. mediterraneus ; the ears, which are still more 
naked behind than in the latter species, are proportionately 
longer, as are also the hind feet, and, like that species, the 
base of the fur is slate-coloured, and on the back the fur is 
156 Mr. W. E. de Wiiitoii on the Hares of 
not white below the deep black ring, but bufF shading into 
grey. There is a conspicuous buff-white ring round the eyes 
extending towards the nose and ears. The chest (somewhat 
grizzled) and fore legs are rufous, and all the underparts 
except the centre of the belly and the inguinal region are 
much washed with the same colour. 
Type (Brit. Mus. no. 51. 8. 25. 7), Algiers. 
Measurements (taken from dry skin) : — 
Head and body 475 niillim. ; tail (taken from another 
specimen, that of the type injured) 80; hind foot (c.) 105; 
ear 113. 
Skull: greatestlength,basedamaged (c.) SG; greatest breadth 
41; breadth of maxillae below lachrymals 28*5 ; length of nasals, 
middle line 27, greatest length 34*5, greatest breadth 20, nar- 
rowest part 12*5; intertemp. constr. 12*2; basal length — ; 
length of upper molar series (tooth-sockets) 15 ; deptli from 
top of nasals to ])alate immediately in front of premolars 
20"2, at front of palatal foramina 17"2 ; mandible, length 
(bone only) from back of condylar process to upperside 
of back of incisors 62, upperside of back of incisors to 
angle — ; greatest height standing on table perpendicularly 
to condyle o5'5. 
This hare is no doubt closely allied to L. meJilerraneus, 
but, besides the greater size of the animal, the skull is so 
peculiarly narrow, that I consider it worthy of full specific 
rank. 
Lepus Schlumbergeri, St. Loup. 
Lepus Schhimberyeri, St. Loup, Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1894, t. xix. 
p. 168. 
As this hare has been very imperfectly described, a more 
complete description is here given ; it is the common hare in 
the neighbourhood of Tangier. 
Size medium, rather smaller than L. e. occidentalis ; 
darker and greyer in colour, somewhat resembling the East 
African hare L. victorice, but the grizzling coarser and more 
mottled owing to the very broad black median band on the 
fur ; nape very pale cinnamon ; a well-defined buff-wiiite 
ring round the eyes, a stripe of the same colour extending 
towards the nose and the ears ; ears medium, about same 
length as head, black tip not well defined; neck and chest 
dull brown, grizzled. The extreme bases of the fur of all 
parts are pale grey, on the back the base of the fur is only 
very faintly tinged with grey ; there is a broad extent of dirty 
white, showing a slight tinge of pale cinnamon, followed by 
a dec]) black band ; above this the coarser glossy hairs have 
Western Europe and North Africa. 157 
a broad pale bufF ring, the extreme tips black. Whiskers 
scarce, mostly white. 
Measurements : — 
Head and body 470 millim. ; tail (c.) 75 ; hind foot 120 ; 
ear 103, from occiput 115. 
Skull : greatest length 91 ; greatest breadth (squamosals) 
42*5 ; breadth across front of zygomata 41*5 ; length of nasals 
in the middle line 31, greatest length 40, greatest breadth 21, 
across narrowest part 14*5 ; intertemp. constr. 12, breadth 
across maxillffi below lachrymals 31*7; basal length 72*5; 
length of upper molar series 15 j depth from nasals lo palate 
immediately in front of molars 20, above front of palatal 
foramina 16'5; length of mandible (bone only) from back of 
condylar process to upperside of back of incisors Qtb'o ; 
greatest height standing on table perpendicularly to con- 
dyle 37-5. 
Supraorbital wings well developed, prominently rising- 
above frontals ; temporal constriction very narrow ; nasals 
very broad, encroached upon considerably by the frontals, in 
a broad almost parallel-sided process. 
The skull is very broad, with prominent supraorbital wings, 
and thus very unlike the Algerian hare L. kabylicus {sujjra) 
in every particular. 
Lepus funetce, sp. n. 
Lepus mediterrmieus, "Waterhouse, Mamm. ii. p. 43, 1848 (nee Wagn.). 
In texture of fur and in the length of the ears resembling 
L. cegyptius, but the plain grooves in the incisors without 
cement-filling show it to be widely separated from that 
species. Colour pale, rather sandy ; nape of neck soft reddish 
fawn ; fore and hind legs reddish fawn ; belly white ; tail 
black above, white below. Colours generally dull and not 
sharply defined. Ears very long, almost naked behind in 
their whole length. 
This is the hare taken by Waterhouse for L. mediterraneus, 
and from the extreme smallness of the last molar that natu- 
ralist was led to suppose that the tooth was altogether 
wanting ; but it need hardly be said that this is not the case. 
This small tooth is only about half the size of that tooth in 
true L. 7nediterraneuSy and, pressing closely against 5^, it 
might be overlooked if the skull was not thoroughly clean, 
as certainly was the case with Waterhouse's specimen, the 
original being still in the British Museum. 
Type (British Museum no. 47. 10. 21. 3), Tunis. Col- 
lected and presented by — Fraser. 
Measurements (taken from the dried skin) : — 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 7. Vol. i. 12 
158 Sir G. F. Hampson on 
Head and body (c.) ^00 raillim. ; tail 75; liind foot 100; 
ear 136. 
Skull : greatest length 82 ; greatest breadth 41 ; breadth 
of maxillte below lachrymals 28 ; length of nasals, middle 
line 28, greatest length 35, greatest breadth 20'2, across nar- 
rowest part 13'5 ; intertemp. constr. 12; basal length fil ; 
length of upper molar series (tooth-sockets) 14'5; de|jth from 
top of nasals to palate immediately in front of premolars Vi)'5, 
above front of palatal foramina 15*5; mandible, length (bone 
only) from back of condylar ])rocess to ujjperside of back of 
incisors 60, upj^erside of back of incisors to angle o^ ; 
greatest height standing on table perpendicularly to con- 
dyle 37. 
There are two specimens of this hare in the British 
Museum, presented by the same collector as the type speci- 
men, labelled " Island of Kerkenna, off Tunis." The specific 
name is the genitive of Tuneta, the earlier form of Tunis. 
XXVI. — On a Collection of Heterocer a made in the Transvaal *. 
By Sir Geoege F. Hampson, Bart., B.A. 
Pyralidae. 
Lamoria imbella, Wlk. xxx. 955. 
Pretoria. 
CsAMBIA-^^. 
Crambus {Propexus) tenuistriga, sp. n. 
Head and thorax pale brownish ; abdomen whitish. Fore 
wing brassy yellow, with a fine white stripe slightly defined 
by fuscous from base through the cell to tcrmen below apex ; 
traces of dark points beyond lower angle of cell and of a sub- 
terminal series ; a more prominent terminal scries. Hind 
wing whitish. 
Boh. Pretoria (Distant), numerous specimens. Exjy. 24 
millim. Type in B. M, 
llie only Crvndms with pectinated antenna3 recorded from 
the Old World. 
* [I am indebted to Sir George Ilnnipson for thus working out the 
collection of Pjralidpp I made in tbe Triinsvaal during the years 1893-90. 
The species were almost all taken at I'retoria, ai:d I have added the 
names of fifteen others taken duiing my first vij.it (lb90-91) and oi e 
which I recently described in these pages. — W. L. Distant.]