RODENTIA—ARVICOLINAE—FIBER ZIBETHICUS. 563 
Measurements. 
No. 851. No. 851. 
Inches. Inches. 
Nose to occiput......++ eeeecene sissvevsccerecs 2.83 Arm, from elbow to end of claws.......++++ eee 3.50 
CYC rcscceseccees oe eee tare se eseeeecees 1.30 fore foot.....+++ ees ccercccs se eeeeeeees 1.33 
CBF cccccccecns wc cevecevacces eerccees 2.15 longest claw....+..+ wp eiaseap ence ces eons -40 
root of tail ...seeseeere sccce-coeceese| 11.50 Leg, from knee joint to end of claws........++. 5.50 
naked part of tail........+. ecceesene --| 13.50 tibia .......6 ove cece ccasaccccccccccnene 2.93 
end of outstretched hind legs...... ecees) 17.50 hind foot from heel to end of claws........ 3.17 
Tail from root to end of vertebr@....eeseseeeees 11.00 longest claw...... ec ccee ceccece eevccces -48 
Hairseccesseacscescacc's| 11517 Skull, length........ ataib, bala @] 8(e\sid (a\alele cecvece 2.62 
Uncovered portion of tail......... oeseccsccdens 9.50 WIGEH So ce cle nen cnccunaie se ccccccceecs 1.63 
Ears, height posteriorly ......2eeeeeseseecseee: 92 
anteriorly ....ccccecee occ eccccceeelee eecerecees 
internally above skull.....e+...++- -70 
above notch ...ssses-ceceseececees -83 
Width ...scccrccccscccerveccocscccccecs -80 
The largest skull I have seen is No. 2300 from Washington ; this measures 2.85 inches by 1.75. 
Specimens vary from the preceding description in a more fuscous character of the tips of the 
under fur, the reddish here sometimes nearly replaced by grayish brown, giving a much darker 
impression to the animal. This is more particularly the case in winter killed skins. The size 
is sometimes considerably greater than that described. 
The well known musk rat of the United States appears to have as wide a range throughout 
North America as the beaver, and, unlike this species, maintains its foothold successfully - 
against the destructiveness of mankind. It extends at the present day from the Atlantic to the 
Pacific, and from the Rio Grande to the barren grounds of arctic America. The species is 
quite abundant in Washington Territory, and appears to extend almost to the extreme north- 
western point of America. It was at one time supposed, indeed, that the musk rat was found 
on the Asiatic side of Behring’s Straits; but it appears now to be ascertained that the skins 
obtained from the Tschucktchis, of Kamschatka, are procured from the tribes on the American 
shore, 
I have seen no specimens of muskrat from California; but there is every probability of its 
occurring there. 
Brandt mentions a dealer in St. Petersburg who possesses the art of so dressing the musk rat 
as to impart to it the appearance of the fur seal, both as to color and quality. 
