RODENTIA MURID^E NEOTOMA CINEREA. 101 



under-ground, among rocks, or in brush-heaps. We have seen many heaps 

 of rushes, sticks, and grasses, which could have been the work of no other 

 animal, and formed either the nest itself, or the "vestibule" of a subter- 

 ranean abode. We have also been informed to the same effect by several 

 hunters and good observers. Dr. Kennerly has found it living under stones. 

 It shows no tendency to modify its primitive habits by taking up its resi- 

 dence with man. 



The food of these rats is entirely vegetable, and observers agree in 

 noting their particular fondness for mezquite beans ; both the long straight 

 pods of the Algarobia glandtdosa, and the curious spirally twisted fruit of 

 the " screw mezquite " (Strombocarpa pubescens). As might be expected 

 from the nature of their food, their flesh is excellent eating. 



The idea of eating rats is doubtless disgusting to most persons not 

 Chinese nor Indian ; but all such must remember that they take their notions 

 from the House Rat, which is a dirty beast, feeding upon garbage and 

 any decaying animal or excrementitious matter which may come in its 

 way. The Bush Rat's food is as cleanly as that of a hare or squirrel, and 

 there is no reason why its flesh skould not be as good, as in truth we can 

 assert it to be, having eaten it ourselves. 



NEOTOMA CINEREA, (Ord) Baird. 



Rocky Mountain Rat. 



Mus cinereus, ORD, Guthrie's Geog., 2d Am. ed., ii, 1815, 292 (based cm ash-colored rat, 

 with hairy tail, of the Rocky Mountains, LEWIS & CLARK, passim}. 



Neotoma cinerea, BD., M. N. A., 1857, 499, pi. liii, f. 4. OOUES, Proc. Acad. Phila, 1874, 

 175. 



Myoxus drummondii, EiCH., Zool. Journ., Hi, 1828, 517. 



Neotoma drummondii, RICH., F. B.-A., i, 1329, 137, pi. viii. 



Neotoma occidental, COOPER'S MSS. BD., P. A. N. S. P., vii, 1855, 335; M. N. A., 



1857, 496, pi. liii, f. 3. 



HAB. Western and Northwestern North America, to the Pacific. East to Neb- 

 raska, Colorado, etc., and in British America to Hudson's Bay. South to New Mexico, 



Arizona, and California. 



