Sica BANGS — NEW LABRADOR RODENTS 37 
comparison, and, although showing good characters to distinguish 
it from zanuitus, is perhaps best treated as a subspecies of that 
species. 
Mr. Preble has compared, with great kindness, my two Labra- 
dor examples with the types of zzmuitus and sphagnicola, and 
agrees with me that the form of southern Labrador is different 
from either of the previously named forms of eastern North 
America. 
For nearly a year Mr. Doane trapped in vain for this elusive 
little lemming in every kind of place about Black Bay and Lance 
au Loup, taking the vole and the red-backed mouse by the hun- 
dred. On the night of April 15, 1899, as Mr. Doane was coming 
home after dark through the woods, he saw a little mouse-like 
animal run along the snow in front of him, and reaching out, he 
trod on it with his snow-shoe. When he picked it up, he thought 
in the darkness that it was only the common vole, but fortunately 
he carried it home, and on again looking at it found to his delight 
that it was the long-sought-for lemming. 
Erethizon dorsatus picinus' subsp. nov. 
Type, from Lance au Loup, Labrador, J’, old adult, no. 8839, coll. of E. 
A. and O. Bangs, collected Feb. 16, 1899, by Ernest Doane. 
Subspecific characters — Size rather larger than in true £. dorsatus; tail 
averaging a little shorter; color plain black or brownish black, without white- 
tipped or white-ringed hairs; skull rather larger; rostral portion stouter; 
incisor teeth broader and stronger, and usually dull yellow (the incisors of 
true #. dorsatus are usually orange); molariform teeth smaller. 
Color and pelage.— Hairs jet black in color, or in some specimens dull 
brownish or rusty black,” very long and rather wooly, entirely or nearly con- 
cealing the quills except on rump and tail; a few of the stiff quill-like hairs 
on sides of tail and rump, tipped with yellowish; quills on head and fore part 
of body white basally and rusty brown at ends; quills on rump and tail white 
with brownish black ends. 
1 Picinus— pitch-black. 
2 These brownish specimens, four in number, have the appearance of being faded. They are 
all youngish individuals taken in winter or early spring, and have, perhaps, carried the coat of 
the previous summer over without moult. There are in the series two young of about the same 
age as the brownish ones, that are entirely black, showing that the brownish color is not a 
constant juvenile character. 
