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cottontail
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eastern cottontail eastern cottontail rabbit A cottontail rabbit with upright ears sits alert in green grass, looking slightly to the side. Illustrated chart showing the footprints of eight animals-opossum, skunk, raccoon, red fox, woodchuck, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, and muskrat-each with labeled front and hind foot tracks next to a drawing of the animal.
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eastern cottontail
eastern cottontail Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

cottontail

mammal
Also known as: Sylvilagus, cottontail rabbit
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History

cottontail, any of several North and Central American rabbit species of the genus Sylvilagus. See rabbit.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.