1)04 MONOGRAPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



considering tin- hitler as probably referable "to some species of Spermophile — 

 probably Spermophilm townsendi". They were led to this belief by finding 

 thai Lewis and Clarke "refer to an aniinal whose whole contour resembles 

 that of the Squirrel, the thumbs being remarkably short and equipped wilh 



blunt nails, and the hair of the tail thickly inserted on the sides only, which 

 gives it a Hat appearance, whereas the animal of this article [Arctomys lewisi\ 

 does not resemble a squirrel in its whole contour ; its thumbs, instead of being 

 remarkably short and equipped with blunt nails, have long nails nearly the 

 length of those on the other toes, and the tail, instead of being flat with the 

 hairs inserted on the sides, is quite round. It differs also so widely in several 

 other particulars that we deem it unnecessary to institute a more minute com- 

 parison."* Audubon and Bach man were, however, misled in regard to the 

 character of the tail, which is not "quite round", but has "a flat appearance, 

 and a long oval form", as described by Lewis and Clarke. They have, in 

 other particulars, evidently placed a forced construction upon Lewis and 

 ( 'larke's description. 



As the whole synonymy of the species turns upon Lewis and Clarke's 

 description, I quote it in full. "There is also a species of squirrel", say these 

 authors, "evidently distinct [from those they had just described], which we 

 have denominated the burrowing squirrel. He inhabits these plains [of the 

 Columbia], and somewhat resembles those found on the Missouri;! he meas- 

 ures one foot and five inches in length, of which the tail comprises two and a 

 half inches only : the neck and legs are short ; the ears are likewise short, 

 obtusely pointed, and lie close to the head, and the aperture larger than will 

 generally be found among burrowing animals. The eyes are of a moderate 

 size, the pupil black, and the iris of a dark sooty brown: the whiskers are 

 full, long, and black: the teeth, and, indeed, the whole contour, resemble 

 those of the squirrel : each foot has five toes ; the two inner ones of the fore 

 feel [meaning, evidently, the inner toe of each foot] are remarkably short, and 

 are equipped with blunt nails: the remaining toes on the front feet are long, 

 black, slightly curved, and sharply pointed: the hair of the tail is thickly 

 inserted on the sides only, which gives it a flat appearance, and a long oval 

 form: the tips of the hair forming the outer edges of the tail are white, the 

 other extremity of a fox red: the under part of the tail resembles an iron 



* Quad. N. Amur, iii, p. 34. 



t Theii "Barking Squirrel", ■= Cynomya ludovicianus. 



