Distribution.—Only a small part of the range of this rabbit lies within the state of Washington; the greater part is in British Columbia. In Washington it occupies the timbered areas north of the Columbia River, east of the Okanogan River, and west of the Kettle River Range. Records are ([Dalquest], 1942: 182): Molson, Danville and Republic. In the 1942 paper, the latter locality was erroneously listed under pineus.
Lepus californicus deserticola Mearns
Black-tailed jack rabbit
Lepus texianus deserticola Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 18:564, June 24, 1896.
Lepus texianus wallawalla [Merriam], Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 17:137, July 14, 1904 (type from Touchet, Walla Walla County, Washington).
Lepus californicus deserticola [Nelson], N. Amer. Fauna, 29:137, August 31, 1909.
Type.—Obtained at western edge of Colorado desert, Imperial County, California; type in American Museum of Natural History.
Measurements.—Three males and 4 females from Union Gap, Yakima County, average, respectively: total length 538, 539; length of tail 72, 71; hind foot 128, 124; ear 120, 124. Two females from the same locality weighed 5 and 6-1/2 pounds, respectively.
Distribution.—The Columbian Plateau, southeastern Washington, and the Yakima Valley area. The northernmost locality record is Moses Coulee (W.W.D.).
Remarks.—The blacktail is the commonest jack rabbit of the West. It is larger than the domestic rabbit and its enormous ears, long, gangling legs, and bounding gait make it appear even larger than it really is. Its iron-gray color, black tail and black ear tips match its sagebrush habitat.