138 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



or eight, in place of three molars on each side, the 

 usual number ; eyes large, situate six-tenths of an 

 inch from the extremity of the snout. 



Legs small, terminated by five clawed toes be- 

 hind, four before. The fore feet brown above ; 

 middle toe the longest, then the next on each 

 side, the outer one small, all furnished with hook- 

 ed nails ; the thumb tubercle very small, and fur- 

 nished with a scarcely visible nail. 



The three middle toes on the hind feet nearly 

 equal ; the two remaining toes very small, parti- 

 cularly the interior ; all furnished with nails simi- 

 lar to those on the fore toes. 



Tail small and short, sparsely covered with 

 brownish hair. 



Habit. Living in marshes on the shores of 

 rivers; they dive well, and swim with facility; 

 their habits in many respects resemble those of 

 the Arvicola amphibius ; they bring forth six or 

 eight young at a birih ; feeding principally on the 

 wild rice, {Zizania aqimtica.) 



Inhabit the swamps along the shores of the 

 Delaware. (Specimens in the Philadelphia Mu- 

 seum.) 



Species. 



4. Arvicola hortcnsis, (nobis.) 



Char. Essent. Body ferruginous-brown above; 

 plumbeous, intermixed with yellow beneath; hairs 

 coarse, standing more or less obliquely from the 



