On Lepus salae, a new African Hare

Hitherto only a small number of well defined species of Hares are known from Africa, viz: one or two species from Algiers and Tunis; eleven have been described as inhabiting the N. E. parts of Africa as far as Somáliland, while Waterhouse ¹) has pointed out that in South Africa there exist three well-marked species of Hares. Two of these species have been captured also at Tette and Quellimane, 17° S. L. ²). But no naturalist ever saw a Hare from the West-Coast of Africa. About ten years ago Mr. D. Sala, a naturalist attached to the Leyden Museum, discovered a Hare in the neighbourhood of Mossamedes (Benguela). This specimen will form the type of a new species as it differs from all the hitherto described species, and I propose to call it after its discoverer, Lepus salae. Prima facie our Hare is distinguished from the Cape-Hares by its bright color, in which respect it more resembles the Nubian Hare, L. isabellinus; with the latter L. salae also agrees in having a white streak from the nose to and round the eyes. The tail is very short, much shorter than in the other African species. Ears longer than head, a characteristic common to all other African Hares, with one exception, viz: Lepus microtis v. Heuglin ¹). The fur on the upper parts of the body is of a light brownish red color, each hair having a brownish black subterminal ring. This ring is not present on the hairs of the flanks of the outside of the legs, of the head, ears and chest, and so these parts appear of a finer bright reddish color. The hairs on the belly and abdomen are white throughout: as also are those on the inside of legs, chin, cheeks, a line running from the nostrils to the eyes and a circle round the eyes. The base of the ears posteriorly and a fringe of rather long hairs on the inner margin of the earconch are also pure white. The outer margin of the ear is of the same color, the point being fringed with short brownish black hairs. A patch on the neck behind the base of the ears is whitish, each hair being here light reddish and white tipped.