2 



surface, scarcely becoming lighter on the throat and lower jaw. 

 The margin of the upper lip, the cheeks, and a patch under each 

 ear, are of the same colour with the under surface. Of the mou- 

 staches, which are short, some of the hairs are yellowish, while the 

 greater number are blueish black. The legs are of the colour of 

 the upper surface of the body, which becomes deeper on the feet. 

 The whole of the silky hairs exhibit that varying somewhat metallic 

 gloss which is common to most aquatic Mammalia. 



The naked muzzle is of moderate size. The claws are short, 

 those of the hinder toes being somewhat flattened, while the ante- 

 rior claws are compressed but not acute. " The eyes," Mr. Cu- 

 ming states, u are small, their colour dark-blue." , 



" The total length is 2 feet 4 inches ; from the nose to the root 

 of the tail, 1 foot 7 inches; girth at the belly, 9J inches." 



Its habits, according to Mr. Cuming's observations, agree with 

 those of the European Otter; and it is equally capable of domesti- 

 cation. 



Mus longicaudatus. Mus caudd longissimd: supra pallide 

 Julvus nigrescente varius ; infra' et ad pedes albescens. 



Hab. in arbores Chiliae, nidum e foliis graminum construens. 



The most striking peculiarity of this Mouse is the extreme length 

 of its tail, which approaches nearly to double that of the body ; 

 the length of the head and body, taken in a straight line, being 3 

 inches, while that of the tail is 5{. 



The fur is soft, smooth, and well furnished. The hairs are deep 

 ashy grey at their base : those of the upper surface are fawn-co- 

 loured or pale rufous towards their points, the extreme tip being 

 frequently black ; those of the under surface are tipped with white 

 slightly tinged with fawn. 



The face is covered with short hairs of mingled fawn and black : 

 the lips are nearly white : the moustaches extremely long, black at 

 their base and silvery at the tip. The ears are rounded and of 

 moderate size : their lobe is well covered on the inside with short 

 hairs of the colour of those of the face, and on the outside is spa- 

 ringly furnished with very short whitish hairs which are scarcely 

 discernible on the blackish skin. The colour of the back is mixed 

 fawn and black; the black disappears on the sides, which are almost 

 purely fawn-coloured, as are also the front of the fore-legs and the 

 outside of the hinder legs. The tail is scaly, and furnished with 

 numerous very short bristly hairs, which are brownish above and 

 nearly white beneath. The hairs of the upper surface of the tarsi 

 are short, and of a very pale fawn approaching to white ; those of 

 the toes still more white ; and the lengthened bristles covering the 

 claws almost silvery. 



The length of the head is 1 inch and 2 lines ; of the ears, 5 lines; 

 breadth of the ears, 5 lines ; length of the anterior limbs, 9 lines $ 

 of the posterior limbs, 1 inch and 6 lines ; of the anterior tarsus and 

 toes, 5 lines ; of the posterior tarsus and toes, 1 inch and 2 lines ; 

 and of the tnoustaches, 1 inch and 6 lines. 



