104 



chin and throat gray-\vhite. The hairs of the head colouredlike those 

 of the body ; an indistinct pale longitudinal dash on the flanks just 

 above the haunches : the anai region \vhite. The general colour of 

 the tarsus above is wiiite ; the hairs, however, are grayish-white at the 

 base, and then annulated with very pale bufF colour (alraost white), 

 and pure white at the points ; the sides of the tarsus are brown ; 

 the long hairs which cover the under jiart of the taisus, as well as 

 that of the fore-feet, deep bro\vn. The fore-feet above very pale 

 brown, approaching to white ; the hairs covering the toes principally 

 white : the claws are slender and pointed, that of the longest toe 

 very slender. Ears longer than the head, sparingly furnished with 

 hair, the hairs minute and closely adpressed ; externally, on the 

 forepart, grizzled with black and yellowish white, on the hinder 

 part grayish-\vhite ; the apical portion is obscur^ margined with 

 black ; at the base the hairs are of a woolly nature, and of a very 

 pale buft' colour ; the hairs on the occipital part of the head, and ex- 

 tending slightly on to the neck, are of the šame colour and of the 

 šame \voolly cliaracter ; the ears internally are Avhite, tovvards the 

 posterior margin obscurely grizzled with blackish, at the margiu 

 yellowish. 



Dimeiisioiis. in. lines. 



Length 10 O 



Tarsus 3 O 



Tail and fur 1 3 



Ear externully 2 8 



Nose to ear 2 5^ 



Habitat S.W. coast of N. America, probably Califomia. 



" Tliis animal niuy possibly not be adult ; but neither in the teeth, 

 so far as can be ascertained from a stuffed specimen, nor in the cha- 

 racter of the fur, can I see any reason for believing it young, excepting 

 that it is much under the ordinary size of the species of the genus to 

 which it belongs ; and although it may not be adult, it certainly is not 

 a very young animal. Compared \vith Lep. palustris, ■v\ith which spe- 

 cies it was sent over by Mr. Douglas, it presents the folio wing points 

 of distinction. Although the present animal is not above one-third of 

 the size of that species, the ears measure nearly a quarter of an inch 

 more in length : in fact, they are here longer than the head, whereas 

 in Lep. palustris they are much shorter. The next most important 

 diiference is in the feet, — vvhich instead of having comparatively 

 short and adpressed hairs ■vvRich do not conceal the clavrs, are in 

 Lep. Bachnaiū long and woolly, especially on the under part, and not 

 only canreal the claws, but extend upwards of a ąuarter of an inch 

 beyond their tips. The claws are more slender and pointed, espe- 

 cially those of the fore-feet. Besides these diiFerences there are 

 some others, which perhaps may be considered of minor importance : 

 the fur is much softer and more dense ; the longer hairs are extreme- 

 ly delicate, \vhilst in Lep. palustris they are harsh. As regards the 

 colour, Lep. palustris luis a very distinct rich yellow tint, \vhich is not 

 observed in the present species, the pale annulations of the hairs 



