Hi folks,

Kelly Mcallister wrote:
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996=20

>>Yes, I guess Snowshoe hares do turn white during winter in Washington. =
=20

>>I finally left my computer and picked up a book, Dalquest's "Mammals =
of=20
Washington," to see if I had been misled by something in it.

The question of brown or white snowshoe hares piqued my interest as =
well, so I picked up my copy of Vernon Bailey's "The Mammals and Life =
Zones of Oregon" (June 1936).

Under the heading of Lepus americanus washingtonii - Washington Snowshoe =
Hare; Brown Hare; Red Rabbit, he lists the following

"Type. - Collected at Steilacoom, Wash., by George Suckley, April 1, =
1854.

"General characters. - Approximate size and general form of the varying =
hares, but more rusty or reddish brown at all seasons, not changing to =
white in winter. Summer and winter fur, dark grizzled rusty or reddish =
brown over upper parts and throat; top of very small tail and back of =
ear tips blackish; belly chin, inside of legs, edges of ears, and =
sometimes toes and speck on crown white; underside of tail buffy or =
gray. Young similar to adults, with less white.

"Distribution and habitat. - These brown rabbits occupy the lower =
country west of the high Cascades of Washington and Oregon, ranging to =
the tops of some of the coast ranges and probably all, but only onto the =
western foothills of the Cascades (fig. 13)....

"Their dark, rich colors are a product of the humid west-coast climate =
of abundant rain and little snow, of dense shadowy forests and dark fern =
and chaparral undergrowth."

Figure 13 showed general distribution of L.a. washingtonii in western =
Oregon, east to about Hood River and south along the foothills of the =
Cascades. Another form, L.a. klamathensis, was described and the figure =
illustrated a range from Mount Hood south in the Cascade Mountains to =
California. This "Oregon Snowshoe Hare" had a winter fur described as =
"Some individuals are merely slightly grayer than in the summer, but =
most are pure white all over except for dusky spots on back of ear =
tips."

A third form, L.a. bairdii (Rocky Mountain Snowshoe Hare), was described =
in Oregon as being "over most of the Blue Mountain Plateau". The figure =
indicates that these hares are also on the Washington side of the Blue =
Mtns. This form is described as having "Winter coat usually pure white, =
with sometimes a trace of gray or buffy over head; back of ear tips =
dusky." "In winter their tracks and runways are often conspicuous; but =
the rabbits, when pure white, are practically invisible on the snow =
fields except in motion. They are fleet of foot and have little trouble =
in saving themselves when directly pursued but are much hunted by the =
Canada lynx, bobcats, and owls, which stealthily pounce upon them." =20

The workers of 60 years ago did a lot of work. It's a shame that we =
have so little access to their writings, in these days of "Peterson =
Field Guides" (the McDescriptions of descriptive biology).....

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net