[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 25-29. Ventral views of skulls of rabbits. All 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 florida.n.u.s mearnsi._

FIG. 28. _Sylvilagus aquaticus aquaticus._

FIG. 29. _Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 30-34. Lateral views of skulls of rabbits. All 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._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 35-38. Lateral views of skulls of rabbits. All 1.

Different views of these skulls are shown in figs. 16-19.]

FIG. 35. _Sylvilagus audubonii minor._

FIG. 36. _Sylvilagus florida.n.u.s mearnsi._

FIG. 37. _Sylvilagus aquaticus aquaticus._

FIG. 38. _Sylvilagus cunicularius cunicularius._

=Sylvilagus florida.n.u.s=

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 Panama 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.

florida.n.u.s_ 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.

florida.n.u.s_ from those of the other species which occur in that area.

SYLVILAGUS FLORIDa.n.u.s 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 FLORIDa.n.u.s AMMOPHILUS A. H. Howell.

1939. _Sylvilagus florida.n.u.s ammophilus_ A. H. Howell, Jour. Mamm., 20:365, August 14, type from "Oak Lodge", on peninsula opposite Micco, Florida. Known from type locality only.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 39. Distribution of _Sylvilagus nuttallii_, _S.

florida.n.u.s_ 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. florida.n.u.s_ 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 FLORIDa.n.u.s 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_) _florida.n.u.s aztecus_, Lyon, Smiths. Misc. Coll., 45:336, June 15.

_Marginal records_ (Nelson, 1909:188, unless otherwise noted).--Oaxaca: Santa Maria Petapa; Santa Efigenia. Chiapas: Tonala, 50 M (Hooper, 1947:56). Oaxaca: Salina Cruz; _type locality_.

SYLVILAGUS FLORIDa.n.u.s CHAPMANI (J. A. Allen).

1899. _Lepus florida.n.u.s chapmani_ J. A. Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.

Hist., 12:12, March 4, type from Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas.

1904. _Sylvilagus_ (_Sylvilagus_) _florida.n.u.s chapmani_, Lyon, Smiths. Misc. Coll., 45:336, June 15.

1899. _Lepus florida.n.u.s caniclunis_ Miller, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.

Philadelphia, p. 388, October 5, type from Fort Clark, Kinney County, Texas.

1902. _Lepus simplicica.n.u.s_ Miller, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 15:81, April 25, type from Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas.

_Marginal records_ (Nelson, 1909:178).--Texas: Clyde; Victoria County; _Rockport_. Tamaulipas: Soto la Marina; Juamave. Coahuila: Monclova; Sabinas. Texas: Comstock; Stanton.

SYLVILAGUS FLORIDa.n.u.s CHIAPENSIS (Nelson).

1904. _Lepus florida.n.u.s chiapensis_ Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc.

Washington, 17:106, May 18, type from San Cristobal, Chiapas.

1909. _Sylvilagus florida.n.u.s chiapensis_, Lyon and Osgood, Bull. U.

S. Nat. Mus., 62:32, January 28.

_Marginal records_ (Nelson, 1909:190, unless otherwise noted).--Chiapas: type locality; Comitan. Guatemala: Hacienda Chancol; Panajachel (Goodwin, 1934:56). Chiapas: Tuxtla.