184 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



tail two inches six lines ; of the head one inch six 

 lines. 



Description. Top of the head, reddish-gray- 

 brovvn colour ; eye-lids whitish ; a black line part- 

 ing from the external of the eye is directed to- 

 wards the ear; a reddish-brown line on each 

 cheek; ears short, rounded, covered with very 

 fine hair, of a reddish-brown within, and of a gray- 

 ish-brown without on the anterior border, and of 

 a whitish-gray on the posterior ; top of the neck, 

 shoulders, and base of the dorsal fur of a grayish- 

 brown, spotted with white ; five longitudinal black 

 bands slightly touched with red on the body, the 

 intermediate commencing at the occiput, and the 

 lateral at the shoulders, all terminating towards 

 the rump, which is of nearly a lively red ; inferior 

 parts of the flanks and sides of the neck of a more 

 pale red ; two white bands, one on each side, se- 

 parating the two lateral black bands ; exterior sur- 

 face of the fore feet, gray-fawn colour ; exterior 

 of the thighs and hind feet above red; superior 

 lip, chin, throat, belly and face, with the interior 

 of the extremities, of a dirty brown ; tail reddish 

 at its base, blackish above and red beneath, with 

 a black border. All the hairs of the superior parts 

 of the body, are gray at base ; those of the tail red 

 or reddish at base, then black, and terminated with 

 dirty white. 



Habit. Digging holes in the earth having two 

 openings and as many lateral branches, in which 



