ZOOLOGY. 61 



Above, dark fuscus brown, with but little yellowish brown visible. Sides paler ; beneath, ashy white. Tail almost uni- 

 formly brown throughout. Feet liver brown. Skull, 1.27 + 71, or as 100 : 56. 



One specimen collected at Crater pass, Cascade mountains. 



ARVICOLA LONGIROSTRIS, Baird. 



Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 530. 



Sp. Cn.— Size large, (4£ inches.) Skull, 1.08 inch. Fur long, .55 of an inch above. Ears rather small, three-fourths 

 the length of hind foot, sparsely coated with short hairs. Feet very short ; hinder ones less than three-quarters of an 

 inch long. Tail two-fifths the body, the vertebra twice as long as the hind foot. Above, dull yellowish chestnut, or 

 rufous brown, mixed with black, yet without any distinct rusty. Beneath, dirty whitish ash. Line separating the colors 

 rather distinct. Feet light brown. Tail nearly unicolor, paler beneath at the base. Skull, 1.08 + .61, or as 100 to .55. 

 Muzzle of skull very long. Distance between upper molars and incisors more than one-third the whole length of the skull. 



The single specimen collected of this new species was found on the upper Pit river of Cali- 

 fornia. 



ARVICOLA MONTANA, Peale. 



Arvicola montana, Peale, Mamm. & Birds of U. S. Ex. Ex. 1848, 44. 

 Aud. & Bach., N. Am. Quad. Ill, 1854, 302. 

 Baird, Gen. Kep. Mammals, 1857, 528. 



Sp. Ch. — Size of A. riparia, or a little less, (4.75 inches.) Fur about half an inch long. Ears short, as long as fore foot, 

 about half the hindei ; sparsely coated with longish hairs. Feet short: hinder ones .80 of an inch. Tail long; about 

 two-fifths of the head and body ; vertebras more than twice as long as the hind foot. Above, dull yellowish brown, uni- 

 formly and equally mixed with black; lighter on the sides. Beneath, dull whitish ash. No rusty tints. Tail distinctly 

 bicolor. Skull, 1.12 + .62, or as 100 : 56. Distance between upper molars and incisors less than one-third the whole 

 length of the skull. 



The numbers of arvicola inhabiting the natural meadows bordering the streams of many parts 

 of California and Oregon are surprisingly great. The little hillocks of earth thrown up form 

 their burrows, in some localities almost touch each other. They are particularly abundant on 

 the banks of Klamath river and the Des Chutes, and in the mountain meadows of the Cascades. 

 Their burrows are very deep and extensive. While one morning sitting by our camp fire, on 

 the banks of a stream in the Cascade mountains, I noticed one of these little field mice busily 

 throwing up earth from below while enlarging his burrow. Though numerous, they are very 

 shy and not easy to take ; having failed in my efforts to secure this one as he came to the 

 surface, I had recourse to a measure which I had, when a boy, sometimes successfully practised 

 on the "chipmuck" of the eastern States. It was but a step to the stream, and we had two 

 large camp kettles, holding about three gallons each; with these, assisted by Mr. Fille- 

 brown, I attempted to drown him out, but, though we poured at least twenty gallons of water 

 in nearly a continuous stream into the hole, we were unable to dislodge him. 



Mr. Albert H. Campbell, who spent much time in California connected with the government 

 surveys, related to me similar efforts which he has made to drown them out, uniformly without 

 success. Another experiment of his is equally indicative of the capacity of their burrows. The 

 Arvicolce of southern California subsist, in a great degree, on the stems of a malvaceous plant 

 which grows to the height of three to four feet. If a stalk of this plant be cut and inserted into 

 their burrow, it will, if all is quiet, be soon drawn down, the branches cut off, and the whole 

 disappear. Mr. Campbell informs me that he has sometimes seen six or more of those stalks, 

 three feet long and as large as the little finger, drawn successively into the burrow of one of 

 these animals. 



