134 Bangs A Neiv Musk Rat from Newfoundland. 



Description. 



Type. No. 1155 Collection of E. A. and O. Bangs, Boston, Mass. From 

 Codroy, Newfoundland, May 14, 1894, Ernest Doane, collector. Total 

 length, 476 mm.; tail, 200 mm., hind foot, 70 mm.; ear from notch, 22 mm. 

 (Measurements taken in flesh by the collector). 



Upper parts: General color Front's brown,* shaded a little with Vandyke 

 brown,* darkening on the top of the head to almost black. The long shin 

 ing hairs are black all over the back, but on the sides they shade off a little 

 to a very dark reddish brown. 



Under parts and sides of the head of a shade between Prout's brown,* 

 and broccoli brown,* paling off on the under side of the neck and legs to 

 almost fawn color.* Lips and hair under the nose white. Under fur slate 

 grey everywhere. Feet blackish slate,* with the fringe of long hair around 

 the toes of the hind feet Isabella color.* 



Cranial characters: Skull small and smooth, and broad between the 

 orbits, with large rostrum and small audital bullae. 



Specimens taken later in the season than the type are rather 

 more reddish (ferruginous) in general color, but compared with 

 specimens of F. zibethicus of corresponding dates from Massa 

 chusetts, Nova Scotia, etc., the difference is quite as great as be 

 tween the type and examples of F. zibethicus of the same date as 

 the type from those localities. 



I have carefully compared musk rats from our Eastern Coast 

 from Connecticut to Cape Breton and can find no difference in 

 specimens of the same age and season and no tendency towards a 

 small dark northern race,f and therefore incline to the belief 

 that F. obscurus is an insular form peculiar to Newfoundland. I 

 have however never seen any musk rats from Labrador, and it is 

 possible that there the animal may be more like the one found 

 in Newfoundland. 



*Ridgway's Nomenclature of colors. 



fThe largest musk rat I have examined is from Shenacadie (Cape Breton) Nova Scotia. 

 It is a very old adult male. No. 2007, Collection of E). A. and O. Bangs, and measures, 

 total length, 632 mm.; tail, 291 mm.; hind foot, 87 mm.; ear from notch, 26.5 mm. 



