_Sylvilagus brasiliensis_ and _S. floridanus_ are the only two which
occur in South America and they occur also in North America.
Subgenus BRACHYLAGUS Miller--Pigmy Rabbit
1900. _Brachylagus_ Miller, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 13:157,
June 13. Type, _Lepus idahoensis_ Merriam. For characters see
subgenus _Sylvilagus_.
Sylvilagus idahoensis (Merriam)
Pigmy Rabbit
1891. _Lepus idahoensis_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 5:76, July 30,
type from head of Pahsimeroi Valley, near Goldburg, Custer County,
Idaho (Davis, Recent Mammals of Idaho, p. 363, April 9, 1939).
1930. _Sylvilagus idahoensis_, Grinnell, Dixon and Linsdale, Univ.
California Publ. Zool., 35:553, October 10.
_Marginal records._--In southeastern Washington: Ritzville (Taylor
and Shaw, 1929:29); Lind (243344 USBS); Warden (Taylor and Shaw,
1929:29). In remainder of range: Montana: Bannack (Davis, 1937:27).
Idaho: Trail Creek near Pocatello (Davis, 1939:366). Utah: 3 mi. NE
Clarkson (Durrant, MS); W side Utah Lake (_ibid._); 20 mi. W Parowan
(_ibid._); 10 mi. SW Cedar City (_ibid._). Nevada: 8-1/2 mi. NE Sharp
(Hall, 1946:618); Fallon (Schantz, 1947:187). California: Bodie
(Severaid, 1950:2); 5000 ft., 3 mi. S Ravendale (Orr, 1940:194).
Oregon: Silver Lake (Bailey, 1936:110, fig. 17, 206518 USBS);
Fremont (_ibid._, 205005 USBS); Redmond (_ibid._, 242302 USBS); 10
mi. N Baker (Dice, 1926:27). Idaho: type locality; Junction (Davis,
1939:366).
Total length, 250-290; tail, 20-30; hind foot, 65-72; ear from notch
(dry), 36-48; weight, 6 [MALE] 409(375-435), 9 [FEMALE] 398(246-458)
grams. Upper parts pinkish to blackish or dark grayish depending on
amount of wear. The pigmy rabbit lives in burrows, mostly dug by
itself, preferably where tall sagebrush grows densely. This species
feeds extensively on sagebrush, at least in winter. Six young seem
to be the rule and they are born any time from late in May until
early in August.
[Illustration: FIG. 7. Distribution of _Sylvilagus idahoensis_.]
Subgenus SYLVILAGUS Gray--Cottontails and Allies
1867. _Sylvilagus_ Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 20 (ser. 3):221.
Type, _Lepus sylvaticus_ Bachman [= _Lepus nuttalli mallurus_
Thomas].
1867. _Tapeti_ Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 20 (ser. 3):224,
September. Type _Lepus brasiliensis_ Linnaeus.
1897. _Microlagus_ Trouessart, Catalogus Mammalium ..., p. 660.
Type, _Lepus cinerascens_ J. A. Allen.
1897. _Limnolagus_ Mearns, Science, n. s., 5:393, March 5. Type
_Lepus aquaticus_ Bachman.
1950. _Paludilagus_ Hershkovitz, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 100:333, May
26. Type _Lepus palustris_ Bachman.
Characters of subgeneric worth, in contrast to those of the subgenus
_Brachylagus_, are: First premolar, in upper jaw and in lower jaw, with
more than one fold in the enamel; infolded enamel, which divides each
molar tooth into two parts, crenate.
The many nominal species of the subgenus _Sylvilagus_ belong to no more
than 12 and perhaps to only ten full species. The now more abundant
specimens than were available a half century ago reveal also that there
are less trenchant differences between some of the species than were
supposed to exist when the five names for genera or subgenera listed
immediately above were proposed. Some species can be placed in each of
two subgenera with almost equal propriety. If used, four of the five
subgeneric names mentioned above would contain only one species each. It
seems that no useful purpose is served by attempting to fit the several
species of the genus _Sylvilagus_ into more than the two subgenera
_Brachylagus_ and _Sylvilagus_; the other names, _Tapeti_ Gray,
_Microlagus_ Trouessart, _Limnolagus_ Mearns, and _Paludilagus_
Hershkovitz, are here arranged as synonyms of the subgeneric name
_Sylvilagus_ Gray.
Sylvilagus brasiliensis
Forest Rabbit
Total length, 380-420; tail, 20-21; hind foot, 77-80; ear from notch
(dry), 39-46. The principal characters of this species are small size,
dark color, short tail, and dingy buffy (not white) undersurface of the
tail. These rabbits rest in forests or other thick vegetative cover and
do not venture far from such cover to feed.
SYLVILAGUS BRASILIENSIS CONSOBRINUS Anthony.
1917. _Sylvilagus gabbi consobrinus_ Anthony, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.
Hist., 37:335, May 28, type from Old Panam['a], Panam['a]. Known from
type locality only.
1950. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis consobrinus_, Hershkovitz, Proc. U.
S. Nat. Mus., 100:353, May 26.
SYLVILAGUS BRASILIENSIS DICEI Harris.
1932. _Sylvilagus dicei_ Harris, Occas. Papers Univ. Michigan, Mus.
Zool., 248:1, August 4, type from 6000 ft., El Copey de Dota, in
the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica.
1950. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis dicei_, Hershkovitz, Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus., 100:352, May 26.
_Marginal records._--Costa Rica (Goodwin, 1946:359); Rancho de R['i]o
Jimenez; Juan Vi[~n]as; type locality; _San Jos['e]_.
[Illustration: FIG. 8. Distribution of _Sylvilagus brasiliensis_.
1. _S. b. truei_
2. _S. b. gabbi_
3. _S. b. dicei_
4. _S. b. consobrinus_
5. _S. b. messorius_
6. _S. b. incitatus_ ]
SYLVILAGUS BRASILIENSIS GABBI (J. A. Allen).
1877. _Lepus brasiliensis_ var. _gabbi_ J. A. Allen, Monogr. N.
Amer. Rodentia, p. 349, August, type locality Costa Rica and
Chiriqu['i]; restricted by Nelson (N. Amer. Fauna, 29:259, August 31,
1909), by designation of type specimen, to Talamanca [= Sipurio,
R['i]o Sixaola, near Caribbean Coast], Costa Rica.
1950. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis gabbi_, Hershkovitz, Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus., 100:351, May 26.
1908. _Lepus gabbi tumacus_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.
Hist., 24:649, October 13, type from Tuma, Nicaragua.
_Marginal records._--Honduras: San Pedro Sula (Nelson, 1909:261);
to Gulf Coast and southward along coast to Panam['a] Canal,
Panam['a]: Gatun (Goldman, 1920:146); Corozal (_ibid._); Gobernador
Island (_ibid._); Divala (_ibid._); _Chiriqu['i]_ (Goodwin,
1946:358). Northward east of the range of _S. b. dicei_, thence
westward in Costa Rica: Vijaqual, San Carlos (Goodwin, 1946:358).
Nicaragua: Matagalpa (Allen, 1910:96); Ocotal (_ibid._). Honduras:
San Jos['e], Santa Barbara (Goodwin, 1942:151).
SYLVILAGUS BRASILIENSIS INCITATUS (Bangs).
1901. _Lepus_ (_Tapeti_) _incitatus_ Bangs, Amer. Nat., 35:633,
August, type from San Miguel Island, Bay of Panam['a]. Known from
type locality only.
1950. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis incitatus_, Hershkovitz, Proc. U. S.
Nat. Mus., 100:352, May 26.
SYLVILAGUS BRASILIENSIS MESSORIUS Goldman.
1912. _Sylvilagus gabbi messorius_ Goldman, Smiths. Misc. Coll. 60
(no. 2):13, September 20, type from Cana, 1800 ft., mts. of
eastern Panam['a].
1950. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis messorius_, Hershkovitz, Proc. U. S.
Nat. Mus., 100:352, May 26.
_Marginal records._--Panam['a] (Goldman, 1920:147): Boca de Cupe;
_Tacarcuna_; _Tapalisa_; type locality.
SYLVILAGUS BRASILIENSIS TRUEI (J. A. Allen).
1890. _Lepus truei_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 3:192,
December 10, type from Mirador, Veracruz.
1950. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis truei_, Hershkovitz, Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus., 100:351, May 26.
_Marginal records_ (Nelson, 1909:264, unless otherwise noted).--San
Luis Potos['i]: Rancho Apetsco, Xilitla (Dalquest, 1950:4), thence down
coast to Tabasco: Teapa. Chiapas: Huehuetan. Oaxaca: Santo Domingo.
Veracruz: Buena Vista; Motzorongo. Puebla: Metlaltoyuca.
=Sylvilagus bachmani=
Brush Rabbit
Size small. Total length, 300-375; tail, 20-43; hind foot, 64-81; ear
from notch (dry), 50-64; weight (topotypes of _S. b. macrorhinus_) 16
[MALE] 679 (561-832), 22 [FEMALE] 707 (517-843) grams. Body uniformly
dark brown or brownish gray, but tail whitish beneath; hair on
midventral part of body gray at base; only a slight crenulation of ridge
of enamel which separates an individual molariform tooth into anterior
and posterior sections. From _Sylvilagus audubonii_, the only other
species of _Sylvilagus_ in the same geographic area, _S. bachmani_
differs in smaller size, less white on underparts (the hairs on the
midventral part of the body being gray instead of white at base),
shorter ears and legs, and a less crenulated ridge of enamel separating
the anterior and posterior parts of a molariform tooth.
The brush rabbit is a Pacific Coastal species; as may be seen from
figure 9 on the next page, this species occurs from the Columbia River
on the north to the tip of Baja California on the south. Nowhere, so far
as I can learn, does it occur as far east as the crest of the
Cascade-Sierra Nevada Mountain Chain. Throughout its range the brush
rabbit is closely associated with--in fact, lives in--the chaparral that
is dense enough to afford protection from raptorial birds and the larger
carnivorous mammals. The rabbit's reliance on protective cover is so
great that, as pointed out on an earlier page, a person can turn this
trait to advantage in protecting cultivated crops from inroads that the
rabbits might make on them. The protection is afforded by clearing the
brush from a strip forty-five feet wide so that the cleared strip
intervenes between the cultivated crops and the brushy shelter. The
rabbits will not risk crossing the open strip and hence do not reach the
growing crops.
[Illustration: FIG. 9. Distribution of _Sylvilagus bachmani_ and
_Sylvilagus mansuetus_.
1. _S. b. ubericolor_
2. _S. b. tehamae_
3. _S. b. macrorhinus_
4. _S. b. riparius_
5. _S. b. mariposae_
6. _S. b. bachmani_
7. _S. b. virgulti_
8. _S. b. cinerascens_
9. _S. b. rosaphagus_
10. _S. b. howelli_
11. _S. b. exiguus_
12. _S. b. peninsularis_
13. _S. b. cerrosensis_
14. _S. mansuetus_ ]
Brush rabbits use simple "forms" in the brush for resting. Only one
observer (Orr, 1940: 173) has reported an individual entering a hole. In
patches of chaparral in which the rabbits live they make runways that
are especially well defined at the edges of the brush. The outer
entrance to a runway is tunnellike and one to two feet from the outer
entrance there is a special form that serves as a lookout post. A brush
rabbit that is about to venture into the open ordinarily pauses in such
a form for several minutes, presumably to satisfy itself that no enemy
is in the open area whither the rabbit is bound.
The breeding season is from January to June, at least in California.
There are 2 to 5 young, averaging 3.5 per litter. They are born in a
nest.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI BACHMANI (Waterhouse).
1839. _Lepus bachmani_ Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, Pt. 6
(for 1838):103, February 7, type from California, probably between
Monterey and Santa Barbara.
1904. _Sylvilagus_ (_microlagus_) _bachmani_, Lyon, Smiths. Misc.
Coll., 45:336, June 15.
1855. _Lepus trowbridgei_ Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia,
p. 333, type from Monterey County, California.
_Marginal records._--California (Orr, 1940:150): 2 mi. S mouth
Salinas River; near Morro.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI CERROSENSIS (J. A. Allen).
1898. _Lepus cerrosensis_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.,
10:145, April 12, type from Cerros [=Cedros] Island, Baja
California. Known from type locality only.
1909. _Sylvilagus bachmani cerrosensis_, Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna,
29:255, August 31.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI CINERASCENS (J. A. Allen).
1890. _Lepus cinerascens_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.,
3:159, October 8, type from San Fernando, Los Angeles County,
California.
1907. _Sylvilagus bachmani cinerascens_, Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 20:84, July 22.
_Marginal records._--California (Orr, 1940:168): 5700 ft., San
Emigdio Canyon; 3 mi. E San Fernando; Reche Canyon (Orr, 1940:169);
3500 ft., Dos Palmas Springs, Santa Rosa Mts. Baja California
(Nelson, 1909:253): La Huerta, thence northward up-coast to point of
beginning.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI EXIGUUS Nelson.
1907. _Sylvilagus bachmani exiguus_ Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 20:84, July 22, type from Yubay, central Baja
California.
_Marginal records._--Baja California (Nelson, 1909:254): Agua Dulce;
Santana.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI HOWELLI Huey.
1927. _Sylvilagus bachmani howelli_ Huey, Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat.
Hist., 5:67, July 6, type from 10 mi. SE Alamo, Baja California,
lat. 31[deg] 35' N, long. 116[deg] 03' W.
_Marginal records._--Baja California (Huey, 1927:68): Laguna Hanson,
Sierra Juarez; type locality.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI MACRORHINUS Orr.
1935. _Sylvilagus bachmani macrorhinus_ Orr, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 48:28, February 6, type from Alpine Creek Ranch, 3-1/2
mi. S and 2-1/3 mi. E Portola, 1700 ft., San Mateo County,
California.
_Marginal records._--California (Orr, 1940:163): 10 mi. SW Suisun; W
side Mt. Diablo; Summit Station, Santa Cruz Mts., thence north along
coast to Golden Gate.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI MARIPOSAE Grinnell and Storer.
1916. _Sylvilagus bachmani mariposae_ Grinnell and Storer, Univ.
California Publ. Zool., 17:7, August 23, type from McCauley Trail,
4000 ft., near El Portal, Mariposa County, California.
_Marginal records._--California (Orr, 1940): Carbondale (p. 158);
French Gulch, 6700 ft., Piute Mtn. (p. 159).
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI PENINSULARIS (J. A. Allen).
1898. _Lepus peninsularis_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.,
10:144, April 12, type from Santa Anita, Baja California.
1909. _Sylvilagus bachmani peninsularis_, Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna,
29:255, August 31.
_Marginal records._--Baja California (Nelson, 1909:255): type
locality; Cape San Lucas.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI RIPARIUS Orr.
1935. _Sylvilagus bachmani riparius_ Orr, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 48:29, February 6, type from west side San Joaquin
River, 2 mi. NE Vernalis, in Stanislaus County, California. Known
from type locality only.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI ROSAPHAGUS Huey.
1940. _Sylvilagus bachmani rosaphagus_ Huey, Trans. San Diego Soc.
Nat. Hist., 9:221, July 31, type from 2 mi. W Santo Domingo
Mission, Baja California, M['e]xico, lat. 30[deg] 45' N, long.
115[deg] 58' W, or precisely, near the huge red cliff that marks
the entrance of the Santo Domingo River Ca[~n]on from the coastal
plain.
_Marginal records._--Baja California (Huey, 1940): San Quint['i]n (p.
223); El Rosario (p. 222).
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI TEHAMAE Orr.
1935. _Sylvilagus bachmani tehamae_ Orr, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 48:27, February 6, type from Dale's, on Paine's Creek,
600 ft., Tehama County, California.
_Marginal records._--Oregon (Orr, 1935:28): Prospect. California
(Orr, 1940:156): Auburn; 7 mi. W and 14 mi. S Chico; Rumsey; Castle
Springs; 3 mi. S Covelo; Mad River Bridge, S. Fork Mtn.
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI UBERICOLOR (Miller).
1899. _Lepus bachmani ubericolor_ Miller, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Philadelphia, p. 383, September 29, type from Beaverton,
Washington County, Oregon.
1904. _Sylvilagus_ (_Microlagus_) _bachmani ubericolor_, Lyon,
Smiths. Misc. Coll., 45:337, June 15.
_Range._--Columbia River, Oregon, south to San Francisco Bay,
California, and from the Pacific Coast eastward to a line connecting
the following marginal records.--Oregon (V. Bailey, 1936:109, unless
otherwise noted): Portland (Nelson, 1909:251); Mackenzie Bridge;
above Grants Pass. California (Orr, 1940:153): Laytonville; Maillard
[=4 mi. E Lagunitas].
SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI VIRGULTI Dice.
1926. _Sylvilagus bachmani virgulti_ Dice, Occas. papers Mus. Zool.
Univ. Michigan, 166:24, February 11, Soledad, Monterey County,
California.
_Marginal records._--California (Orr, 1940:166): The Pinnacles;
Waltham Cr., 4-1/2 mi. SE Priest Valley; 2 mi. S San Miguel; Bryson.
=Sylvilagus mansuetus=
Brush Rabbit
1907. _Sylvilagus mansuetus_ Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington,
20:83, July 22, type from San Jos['e] Island, Gulf of California,
Baja California. Known from San Jos['e] Island only.
This insular species is closely related to _Sylvilagus bachmani_ and is
distinguished by paleness, proportionately longer and narrower skull,
fusion to skull of anterior arm of supraorbital process, and larger
jugal.
=Sylvilagus palustris=
Marsh Rabbit
(See figure 42)
Total length, 425-440; tail, 33-39; hind foot, 88-91; ear from notch
(dry), 45-52. Upper parts blackish brown or reddish brown; underside of
tail brownish or dingy gray (not white); ears, tail and hind feet short;
posterior and anterior extensions of supraorbital processes joined to
skull along most (or all) of their extent. The lack of white on the
underside of the tail is a ready means of distinguishing this species
from the other species of the genus which occur within its geographic
range. The species occurs in the lowlands, possibly not above 500 feet
altitude, of the Lower Austral and Tropical life-zones. In Florida,
Blair (1936) found that the marsh rabbit ate 29 per cent of its bodily
weight in green food each day and that the number of embryos in 3
females was 4, 4 and 3.
SYLVILAGUS PALUSTRIS PALUDICOLA (Miller and Bangs).
1894. _Lepus paludicola_ Miller and Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 9:105, June 9, type from Ft. Island, near Crystal
Riv., Citrus Co., Fla.
1909. _Sylvilagus palustris paludicola_, Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna,
29:269, August 31.
_Marginal records._--Florida (Nelson, 1909:270): Hibernia [= Green
Cove Springs]; San Mateo; along Atlantic Coast at least to Micco;
Kissimmee River; Cape Sable; northward along Gulf Coast and on
coastal islands at least to Suwanee River.
SYLVILAGUS PALUSTRIS PALUSTRIS (Bachman).
1837. _Lepus palustris_ Bachman, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia,
7:194, type locality eastern South Carolina.
1909. _Sylvilagus palustris_, Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna, 29:266, August
31.
_Marginal records._--Nansemond County (Handley and Patton,
1947:190), southward along Atlantic Coast to northern Florida:
Anastasia Island (Nelson, 1909:269). West to Gulf Coast and along
Coast to Alabama: Bon Secour (Nelson, 1909:269); Flomaton (Howell,
1921:74); Dothan (_ibid._). Georgia: Americus (Nelson, 1909:269).
South Carolina: Society Hill (_ibid._).
[Illustration: FIGS. 10-14. Dorsal views of skulls of rabbits. All x 1.]
FIG. 10. _Romerolagus diazi_, 31 km. S Mexico City, D. F. No. 30815
KU, [FEMALE].
FIG. 11. _Sylvilagus idahoensis_, Millett P. O., Nevada. No. 37275
MVZ, [MALE].
FIG. 12. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis truei_, 30 km. SSE Jesus Carranza,
Veracruz. No. 32128 KU, [MALE].
FIG. 13. _Sylvilagus bachmani macrorhinus_, 1700 feet, Alpine Creek
Ranch, San Mateo County, California. No. 53382 MVZ, [FEMALE].
FIG. 14. _Sylvilagus palustris palustris_, Riceboro, Georgia. No.
45502 USNM, [FEMALE]. (After Nelson, 1909: pl. 12, fig. 3.)
[Illustration: FIGS. 15-19. Dorsal views of skulls of rabbits. All x 1.]
FIG. 15. _Sylvilagus nuttallii grangeri_, 1/2 mi. E. Jefferson, Nev.
No. 58527, [FEMALE].
FIG. 16. _Sylvilagus audubonii minor_, 3290 ft., Neville Spring,
Grapevine Mts., Big Bend, Brewster Co., Texas. No. 80519 MVZ,
[MALE].
FIG. 17. _Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsi_, 4 mi. NE Lawrence, Douglas
Co., Kansas. No. 3774 KU, [MALE].
FIG. 18. _Sylvilagus a. aquaticus_, Crawford Co., Kansas. No. 8544
KU. [MALE].
FIG. 19. _Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius_, 3 km. W Acultzingo,
Veracruz. No. 30749 KU, [MALE].
[Illustration: FIGS. 20-24. Ventral views of skulls of rabbits. All x 1.
Different views of the first four of these skulls are shown in figs.
10-13.]
FIG. 20. _Romerolagus diazi._
FIG. 21. _Sylvilagus idahoensis._
FIG. 22. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis truei._
FIG. 23. _Sylvilagus bachmani macrorhinus._
FIG. 24. _Sylvilagus palustris palustris_, Society Hill, South
Carolina. No. 2089 USNM (after Lyon, 1904: pl. 76, fig. 6).
[Illustration: FIGS. 25-29. Ventral views of skulls of rabbits. All x 1.
Different views of these skulls are shown in figs. 15-19.]
FIG. 25. _Sylvilagus nuttallii grangeri._
FIG. 26. _Sylvilagus audubonii minor._
FIG. 27. _Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsi._
FIG. 28. _Sylvilagus aquaticus aquaticus._
FIG. 29. _Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius._
[Illustration: FIGS. 30-34. Lateral views of skulls of rabbits. All x 1.
Different views of these skulls are shown in figs. 10-15.]
FIG. 30. _Romerolagus diazi._
FIG. 31. _Sylvilagus idahoensis._
FIG. 32. _Sylvilagus brasiliensis truei._
FIG. 33. _Sylvilagus bachmani macrorhinus._
FIG. 34. _Sylvilagus nuttallii grangeri._
[Illustration: FIGS. 35-38. Lateral views of skulls of rabbits. All x 1.
Different views of these skulls are shown in figs. 16-19.]
FIG. 35. _Sylvilagus audubonii minor._
FIG. 36. _Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsi._
FIG. 37. _Sylvilagus aquaticus aquaticus._
FIG. 38. _Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius._
=Sylvilagus floridanus=
Florida Cottontail
Total length, 375-463; tail, 39-65; hind foot, 87-104; ear from notch
(dry), 49-68; upper parts brownish or grayish; underside of tail white;
skull with transversely thick posterior extension of supraorbital
process of frontal. The geographic range is the largest of all of the
North American species of the genus _Sylvilagus_; from Canada the
species occurs south at least to Costa Rica and it may occur in Panam['a]
for the species is recorded also from South America.
In the western part of the Great Plains this species is confined to the
riparian growth along streams and _Sylvilagus audubonii_ occupies the
remainder of the terrain. In New Mexico and southwestern Texas _S.
floridanus_ is confined to the boreal life-zones where timber provides
denser cover than is found in the lower life-zones. The zonal range is
from the Canadian Life-zone into the Tropical Life-zone. It is not
surprising, therefore, that there is much geographic variation in the
shape and size of the skull. There is so much geographic variation in
the skull that it is impossible, at this writing at least, to frame a
description that will enable the reader to distinguish the skull from
those of all other species of the genus. In any given area, however, it
is possible, easily and certainly, to distinguish the skulls of _S.
floridanus_ from those of the other species which occur in that area.
SYLVILAGUS FLORIDANUS ALACER (Bangs).
1896. _Lepus sylvaticus alacer_ Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington,
10:136, December 28, type from Stilwell, Boston Mountains, Adair
County, Oklahoma.
_Marginal records._--Missouri (Nelson, 1909:176): Columbia; St.
Louis. Illinois: Ozark (Necker and Hatfield, 1941:56). Tennessee
(Nelson, 1909:176): Samburg; Raleigh. Mississippi (Nelson,
1909:176): Michigan City; Bay St. Louis. Texas (Nelson, 1909:176):
Port Lavaca; Brazos; Henrietta. Oklahoma: Norman (Blair, 1939:128).
Kansas: _8 mi. NE Harper_ (12917 KU); Rago (12508 KU); Halstead
(3110 KU); _4 mi. S_ and _14 mi. W Hamilton_ (13673 KU); 3 mi. N
Chanute (22026 KU).
SYLVILAGUS FLORIDANUS AMMOPHILUS A. H. Howell.
1939. _Sylvilagus floridanus ammophilus_ A. H. Howell, Jour. Mamm.,
20:365, August 14, type from "Oak Lodge", on peninsula opposite
Micco, Florida. Known from type locality only.
[Illustration: FIG. 39. Distribution of _Sylvilagus nuttallii_, _S.
floridanus_ and _S. insonus_.
Guide to kinds:
1. _S. n. nuttallii_
2. _S. n. grangeri_
3. _S. n. pinetis_
4. _S. f. similis_
5. _S. f. mearnsi_
6. _S. f. llanensis_
7. _S. f. alacer_
8. _S. f. mallurus_
9. _S. f. hitchensi_
10. _S. f. floridanus_
11. _S. f. ammophilus_
12. _S. f. cognatus_
13. _S. f. robustus_
14. _S. f. chapmani_
15. _S. f. holzneri_
16. _S. f. restrictus_
17. _S. f. subcinctus_
18. _S. f. orizabae_
19. _S. f. connectens_
20. _S. f. russatus_
21. _S. f. aztecus_
22. _S. f. chiapensis_
23. _S. f. yucatanicus_
24. _S. f. hondurensis_
25. _S. f. costaricensis_
26. _S. insonus_ ]
SYLVILAGUS FLORIDANUS AZTECUS (J. A. Allen).
1890. _Lepus sylvaticus aztecus_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.
Hist., 3:188, December 10, type from Tehuantepec City, Oaxaca.
1904. _Sylvilagus_ (_Sylvilagus_) _floridanus aztecus_, Lyon,
Smiths. Misc. Coll., 45:336, June 15.