Figure 3. — Mouth of the muskrat. 

 Above, subadult with mouth closed ; 

 below, adult with mouth open revealing 

 the cleft, hairy lips and tongue. 



mon eastern muskrat {Ondatra 

 zihethicus), of which there are 14 

 subspecies. 



The fur of the muskrat varies in 

 color from a dark, rich brown to a 



fulvous or reddish brown. Color 

 variants, such as the white or albino 

 muskrat, have been reported from 

 the various races but are exceed- 

 ingly rare. Fur dealers recognize 

 only a dark, almost black variant of 

 the common brown muskrat. These 

 dark pelts represent a distinct 

 black-and-tan color phase of the 

 Virginia, or coastal, muskrat 

 {Ondatra zibethicus Tnacrodon)^ 

 which is found in the tidewater re- 

 gion of the Atlantic coast from 

 southern New Jersey to PaJmlico 

 Sound, N. C. During normal years 

 they command a much higher price 

 than the brown pelts, as there is a 

 ready export market for the limited 

 supply. 



Of North American origin, the 

 muskrat occurs throughout the 

 greater part of the continent from 

 Bering Strait and the northern tree 

 limits southward to the Mexican 

 Border. It is not found along the 

 coasts of South Carolina or Geor- 

 gia, in Florida, or in many parts of 

 California in spite of apparently 

 suitable habitat. It is absent or 

 scarce in the Gulf States except in 

 the coastal strips of Mississippi, 



Figure 4. — Musk glands of male muskrat. 



3 



