526 



U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



List of specimens. 



ABVICOLA RUFIDORSUM, B'aird. 



SP. CH. Size large. Above, bright rufous, or reddish chestnut ; this tint paling very insensibly to the belly, where it 

 changes rather abruptly to reddish white. No dorsal band. Feet reddish. Under surface of tail whitish. 



This species is of large size, nearly equal, indeed, to the A. ripairus. There are no very 

 prominent peculiarities in form ; the ears being moderately large, well furred, and concealed by 

 the hair of the head. The feet are large and broad; the soles with six tubercles ; the posterior 

 rather longer than usual. 



The upper parts and sides are a bright chestnut red, slightly obscured by dusky tips to the 

 hairs, although these are only visible on close examination. The under parts of body and tail 

 are white, tinged with dull yellowish ; the feet are reddish. 



This species, in its bright colors, resembles no other found in the eastern portion of the conti 

 nent, except, perhaps, A. pinetorum. This, however, belongs to a different section, with much 

 shorter head, tail, and feet. From A. gapperi, the uniform red of the back and sides will at 

 once distinguish it. It comes much nearest to A. occidentalis, but is larger ; has the red more 

 vivid, and has no trace of the darker broad dorsal band. The tail, also, is shorter. 



The only specimen of this species I have ever seen was obtained at Holmes' Hole, Massachu 

 setts, and belongs to the Boston Society of Natural History. 



List of specimens. 



