The Lepus californicus or Black-Tailed Jackrabbit—also called the American Desert Hare—inhabits Mexico and the Eastern and Western United States, in places such as Baja California Sur, Central Washington, the Great Plains, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Southern Florida, Virginia, and Zacatecas. They were described by English zoologist John Edward Gray in 1837. They are one of the world’s smallest jackrabbits, reaching lengths of 61 centimeters or 24 inches (2 ft) and weighing 3 to 6 pounds.