FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Collared Lemming. 



Dicrostonyx hudsonius 



and related forms 



Names. — Collared Lemming; Snow Lemming; Pied Lem- 

 ming. 



General Description. — A stout-bodied Mouse, related to the 

 Meadow Mice, with large third and fourth claw on forefoot 

 (abnormally large in winter) ; small ears ; short tail ; very small 

 thumb; pelage white in winter, long and soft. 



Color. — Sexes colored alike; marked seasonal variation. 



Upperparts (summer) buffy gray to almost dear gray pro- 

 duced by mixture of gray, buffy gray, and black; a median 



Fig. 86. Forefoot of Collared Lemming 

 Upper figure foot in winter, 

 lower figure foot in summer 



black line from forehead to tail not sharply marked off from 

 surrounding pelage; ears tufted with tawny, enclosed by 

 indistinct grayish patch; buffy on sides of nose and about 

 eye; tail like rest of upperparts; collar formed by tawny band 

 from armpits across throat; underparts washed with pale 

 tawny. 



Winter pelage, everywhere white, hairs slaty at base. 



Immature pelage (summer) like adults but darker, collar 

 less distinct. 



Measurements. — Sexes of equal size. Total length, 6 

 inches; tail vertebras .8 inch; hind foot, .88 inch. 



Geographical Distribution. — Arctic America. 



Food. — Vegetation. 



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