ster, 1915

White-tailed Jack Rabbit

_Specimens examined_ (15).--NW 1/4 sec. 23, R. 1 E, T. 23 N, 1; sec. 24,
R. 1 E, T. 22 N, 1; 2 mi. N, 2 mi. E Ladner, 1; 4 mi. S, 7 mi. W Ladner,
2; 10 mi. S Ladner, 1; 6 mi. N, 2-1/2 mi. W Camp Crook, 1; 2 mi. N
Buffalo, 1; sec. 30, R. 3 E, T. 19 N, 1; SW 1/4 sec. 26, R. 2 E, T. 19
N, 1; 10 mi. S, 5 mi. W Reva, 3; 12 mi. S, 5 mi. W Reva, 1; 17 mi. S, 4
mi. W Reva, 1.

This jack rabbit is abundant throughout the areas of short grass in the
county and individuals occasionally utilize grassy slopes of buttes.
Extensive favorable habitat and the paucity of natural predators
resulting from control operations probably are the principal factors
favoring the heavy concentrations of this hare noted by all of our field
parties.

A female examined on May 21 carried five fetuses and each of two others
examined late in May carried six; all fetuses were nearly of the same
size (110 to 120) and were completely covered with hair. A female
obtained on May 31 appeared to have recently weaned young and females
examined on June 5 and 17 were lactating. A female shot on June 28 and
another taken on July 12 proved to be approximately half grown,
although young of the year collected on June 16, 26, and 28 were nearly
of adult size.

In late March of 1963, white-tailed jack rabbits were molting to summer
pelage from the white pelage of winter.

~Sylvilagus audubonii baileyi~ (Merriam, 1897)

Desert Cottontail

_Specimens examined_ (12).--2 mi. N, 5 mi. W Ludlow, 2; 10 mi. S, 4 mi.
W Ladner, 1; 7 mi. N, 2-1/2 mi. W Camp Crook, 3300 ft., 1; 5 mi. W
Buffalo, 1; 10 mi. S, 5 mi. W Reva, 7.

The desert cottontail is a common inhabitant of the uplands of Harding
County, especially where varied local relief and in some instances
brushy vegetation provide suitable cover. A female shot on May 26 in a
dense stand of pines in the North Cave Hills carried five embryos that
measured 75, another taken on July 4 was pregnant with six embryos that
measured 18, and two females collected on June 16 and another on June 24
carried seven embryos that measured 32, 40, and 45, respectively. Two
subadults collected in late June and two collected in early August were
nearly full grown. The testes of an adult male obtained on March 28
measured 50.

The male mentioned above was completely in winter pelage. Adults taken
on June 16, 23, and 24 had almost completed molt to summer pelage, but
each retained some evidence