SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 193 
Smoothing his fur, I plugged the shot-holes, exa- 
mined him closely, measured him; admired his 
handsome shape, bright-grey coat, and brushy 
tail; investigated his teeth and claws, walked 
back, and had a look at him from a distance; 
then set to work, and skinned him. You can 
see him also, if you like to visit the British 
Museum, where this very victim is ‘ set up,’ and 
placed amidst the Marmots; his name, together 
with that of his destroyer, black-lettered on the 
board to which he is affixed. At the sound of 
the rifle, every one of his companions took sensa- 
tion-headers into their holes, and did not come 
out again during my stay on this occasion. 
The length, from the nose to the root of the tail, 
was a trifle over twelve inches; the tail six inches; 
head oval, and very flat ; nose, short and broad, 
thickly covered with fine hairs; the cutting 
(incisor) teeth large, strong, and of a yellow 
colour; whiskers, black and long; ears, nearly 
hid by the fur on the neck and vertex ; the claws, 
strong and curved, are admirable digging imple- 
ments. The general tint is that of a rusty-grey, 
with a blackish conspicuous band extending from 
the back of the head down the shoulders. I 
need not give a more minute detail of specific 
characters. 
VOL. II. O 
