RODENTIA ARVICOLINAE ARVICOLA. 549 



Having thus described all the species of North American Arvicola which I am now prepared 

 to present, I shall proceed to an enumeration of the remaining ones described by authors, taking 

 them up alphabetically. Most of these belong to section A. of Hemiotomys, and the greater part 

 will, in all probability, prove to be synonyms of other species. 



ARVICOLA ALBO-RUFESCENS, Emmons. Massachusetts. 



Arvicola albo-rufescens, EMMONS, Eep. Quad. Mass. 1840, 60. 



DEKAY, N. Y. Zool. I, 1842, 89 ; pi. xxiv, f. 1. 



This species is characterised as having the fur entirely white ; the hairs pale yellowish brown at the extremities ; beneath 

 white ; upon the belly and chin paler than above. Feet and tail brownish. Head and body 3.80 ; tail vertebrae 1.30 ; 

 ears .25 ; hind legs 1.00. 



From the peculiar character of the white fur, colored only at the tips, this would seem, as sug 

 gested by Audubon & Bachman, to be merely a variety of some other species, such features 

 being so far unknown as permanent ones in the Arvicolae. The two specimens collected by 

 Professor Emmons were found at Williams-town, Massachusetts. 



ARVICOLA APELLA, Leconte. Pennsylvania, (in fields.) 



Arvicola apetta, LECONTE, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. VI, 1856, 405. 



AUD. & BACH. N. Ain. Quad. Ill, 1854, 289, (from Lee.) 



Above, brown, redder on the sides ; beneath, gray, inclining to brownish on the chin and throat. Head short, blunt ; 

 ears very short, slightly hairy on both surfaces, entirely concealed. Legs very short ; feet pale brownish. Tail very short; 

 above brown, beneath grayish. Head, 1.00; head and body, 4.00 ; tail, .70 ; ears, .20 ; hind leg, 1.10 (including tibia). 



This species, in all characteristics of form, and apparently of color, is the Pennsylvania 

 Arvicola pinetorum, referred to above ; at least I am unable to appreciate any difference from 

 the descriptions. 



ARVICOLA BOREALIS, Kich. Great Bear Lake. 



Arvicola, borealis, RICH. Zool. Jour. Ill, 1827, 517. IB. F. Bor. Am. I, 1829, 127. 



AUD. & BACH. N. Am. Quad. Ill, 1853, 134 ; pi. cxxix. 

 Ilypudaeus borealis, WAGNER, Suppl. Schreb. Ill, 1843, 593. 



Tail as long as the head. Fur very long and fine, (ten lines ;) thumb nail long, strap-shaped, somewhat as in the Lem 

 mings. Fore claws longer and stronger than the hinder. Color above, dark umber or liver brown, without spots ; beneath, 

 lead gray, a rufous spot under the ears. Tail brown above, grayish white beneath. 



In the description of Audubon & Bachman from Richardson's specimens, the prevailing color above is described as dark 

 reddish brown ; the hairs on the feet ochreous white. 

 Head and body, 4.50 inches ; tail, 1.00 ; head, 1.25 , height of ear, .33 ; width of ear, .25 ; fore feet, .38 ; hind feet .63. 



The characters of this species are quite remarkable, and seem, as Richardson suggests, to 

 indicate a connecting link between the meadow mice and the Lemmings. Nothing is said of 

 the character of the soles, as to hairiness, &c. 



ARVICOLA DEKAYI, Aud. & Bach. N. New York. 



Arvicola dekayi, AITD. & BACH. N. Am. Quad. HI, 1854, 287. 



Arvicola fulva, ACD. & BACH. J. A. N. Sc. Phila. VIII, n, 1842, 295, (name preoccupied.) 

 WAGNER, Wiegmann's Archiv, 1843, n, 53. 



Fur short, smooth, compact, and lustrous ; ears prominent, rising two lines above the fur. Tail longer than the head. 

 Legs long and slender ; the whole animal having the appearance of lightness and agility seen in the mouse. The hairs, 

 which are very short, are above tipped with brown, causing a bright chestnut color ; legs and toes a little lighter ; color 

 cinereous beneath. Incisors yellowish white. Head and body, 3.75 inches ; tail, 1.33 ; height of ear, .21 ; tarsus, .60. 



This animal, in all probability, will be found to belong either to Hypudaeus gapperi, or to 

 a closely allied species. It is very different from most other American Arvicolae. Unless the 

 learned authors have actually compared their specimens with those of Dekay, I should be 

 inclined to consider them mistaken in quoting A. oneidaas a synonym ; at any rate, the descrip 

 tion of Dekay would seem to indicate an entirely different animal. 



