244 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



FALSE LEMMING 

 Dicrostonyx hudsonius {Pallas) 



Other Names. — White Lemming. Snow Lemming, 

 Pied Lemming, Hudson Bay Lemming. 



General Description. — Similar in appearance to the 

 True Lemming but with smaller head and less robust 

 body. Nose blunt ; ears almost covered in the fur ; 

 body moderately thick-set ; tail and legs very short : 

 four claws on front feet ; two middle claws on fore 

 feet becoming e.xcessively enlarged in winter ; general 

 color ashy gray mi.xed with reddish and blackish ; 

 lower parts reddish ; in winter everywhere pure white ; 

 hairs fairly long and soft. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, ^^ ; Canines, "^ : Pre- 



I — I — 



molars, ^; Molars, |Ef=i6. 



Pelage. — .Adults: Sexes identical. Summer. 

 Above, ash gray mi.xed with reddish and blackish- 

 brown ; lower parts reddish ; a dark brown lateral line 

 from sides of face and neck dividing the colors of 

 upper and lower parts ; grayish-black streak from nose 



to nape; sides of head gray; whiskers brown or white. 

 Winter. Pure white everywhere. Young: Slate color. 



Measurements. — Total length, 5.5 inches ; tail ver- 

 tebrae, .6 inch ; hind feet and claw, .8 inch ; fore feet 

 and claw, 1.2 inch, longest claw, .4 inch. 



Range. — .Arctic America from Labrador west. 



Food. — Green vegetation, grass stems and roots. 



Related Species 



False Lemming, or White Lemming. — Dicrostonyx 

 hudsonius hudsonius (Pallas). Typical animal as 

 described above. Eastern Arctic America. 



Richardson's White Lemming. — Dicrostoiiy.v rich- 

 ardsoni Merriam. Size large; third nail of fore foot 

 larger than fourth. Hudson Bay region about Fort 

 Churchill. 



Alaska White Lemming — Dicrostonyx nclsoni 

 Merriam. Size rather small; upper parts chestnut; 

 feet white ; winter pelage pure white, .\rctic .\laska 

 from Point Barrow. 



The False Lemmings, while markedly resem- 

 bling the True Lemmings, may be readily dis- 

 tinguished from them by reason of the enlarged 

 claw on the front foot, and in winter by the 

 white coloration. All of the False Lemmings 

 turn white in winter and none of the True Lem- 



mings do so. Six species of \\ hite Lemmings 

 have been described, all to be found in some part 

 of Arctic America. 



The Hudson Bay Lemming has very small 

 ears, hidden in the fur, and a tail so short that 

 it can scarcely be seen. The pelage, which in 







iss:"^^ 



Photograph by the West Va. University Experinuiil Stat 



MEADOW MOUSE 

 The Meadow Mice are probably the most abundant small rodents in North America 



