Chap. 2. 



QUADraiPEDS OF VERMONT. 



4! 



THE MUSK-RAT. 



THE MEAIJOW MOUSE. 



Genus Fiber. — Cuvier. 



Generic Characters. Teoth, 16 Tncisovs 



S. no canines, arindeis ^.?- Lower incisor? 

 sharp pointed and convex in front ; grinders will) 

 flat crowns, fnrnisiied with scaly, transverse zig- 

 zag laniinae ; fotn- toes, with tlie rudiments of a 

 fifth, on the fore feet ; five toes on the hind feet, 

 having tlie edges fnrnisiied with slilF hair?, nscd 

 in swimming, like the nienibranc of palmaleJ feet; 

 tail long, compressed laterally; both se.xes secrete 

 an odoriferous, musky unguent. 



THE MUSK RAT. 

 Fiber zihelhlcus. — Desm. 

 Description. — General color, yp'low- 

 ish, or reddish brown, lio-hter beneath ; 

 body thick and tlattish, with a short head 

 and indistinct neck ; incisor}^ teeth very 

 large; lips covered with coarse hair; nose 

 short; eyes small and lateral, and partly 

 concealed by the hair ; ears low, oblong, 

 covered with hair and inconspicuous ; tail 

 nearly as long as the body, flattened later- 

 ally, and covered with small brown scales, 

 interspersed with short black hairs ; legs 

 and feet covered with short, brown shin- 

 ing hair ; toes 5 on each foot ; thumbs 

 very small ; claws strong and sharp ; a 

 brown spot beneath the tip of the under 

 jaw. Length of the specitnen before me, 

 from the nose to the origin of the tail 13 

 inches; tail 9.J inches ; weight 3.^ pounds. 



History. — Musk Rats, or Musquashes, 

 as they are often called, have a strong 

 smell of musk, particularly the males. 

 Their fur is used in the manufacture of 

 hats, and great numbers of their skins 

 are shipped to Europe. Dr. Richardson 

 imforras us that from four to five hundred 

 thousand are annually imported from 

 North America into Great Britain. Musk 

 Rats were very numerous in Vermont 

 when the country was new, and their 

 skins afforded to the earl}' settlers an im- 

 portant article of export. Although now 

 much diminished, they are still found in 

 considerable numbers, inhabiting the 

 banks of our larger streams. 



In its aijuatic and nocturnal habits, as 

 well as in its appearance and the mode of 

 constructing its dwelling, the Musk-rat is 

 closely allied to the beaver. Like the 

 beaver he is an excellent swimmer, dives 

 well and remains for a considerable time 

 under water. It is only in low swampy 

 situations that tlie Mask-rat resorts to tiie 

 construction of habitation.saliove ground. 

 Ft. I. G 



These are made principally of mud mixed 

 with grass, and in the form of a dome, with 

 a warm bed of leaves and grass within. 

 The only place of entrance is from beneath, 

 and from this there are usually' several 

 subterranean passages leading in different 

 directions. When ice forms over the sur- 

 face of the swamp, they make breathing 

 holes through it, which they sometimes 

 protect from frost by a covering of mud. 

 When disturbed in their dwellings, the 

 Musk-rats retreat through their subter- 

 ranean passages. They feed principally 

 upon the roots and bark of aquatic plants, 

 but do not, like the beaver, lay in a store 

 of provisions for the winter. 



During the winter several families of 

 Musk-rats usually reside together. But 

 when warm weather afiproaches, they de- 

 sert their house, and during the summer 

 live in pairs and rear their young, of which 

 they have from three to six at a litter. 

 They are very watchful and shy, seldom 

 venturing abroad during the daj' time, and 

 hence they are very seldom seen, even in 

 nighborhoods where they are known to 

 abound. They run badly upon the land, 

 but swim with facility and dive instantly 

 on perceiving the flash of a gun, usually 

 giving a smart blow upon the water, with 

 the tail, in the act of diving. They are 

 usually taken in steel-trai)s. The skins 

 are of little value, seldom bringino- more 

 than 17cts. and often less than 10 cents. 



Genus Arvicola. 

 Generic Characters. — Teeth 16 — Incis- 

 ors 2 rio canines, grinders 3.-3 The ormdera 

 are flat on the crowns, and marked with zigza<T 

 lines of enamel. Four toes and the rudiments of 

 a fifth on the fore feet ; on the hind feel five toes ; 

 toes furnished with weak nails, but neither palmi- 

 ted nor furnished vvith hairs on their borders ; ear.s 

 large ; tail round, hairy, and nearly as long as the 

 body. 



THE MEADOW MOUSE. 



Arvicola riparius. — Ord, 

 DEsciiiPTioN. — General color above 

 grayish brown, resulting from the fur, 

 being plumbeous at 'the base, and tip- 

 ped with gray and reddish brown -y- be- 

 neath light yellowish lead color ; head 

 rather large ; ears broad, short, and slight- 

 ly covered with hair on both sides to- 

 wards the margin, opening large and ap- 

 parent; eyes moderately large, black and 

 unconcealed ; whiskers few and blackish; 

 tail short and sparsely covered with 

 short stiff hairs ; legs and feet slender ; 

 toes, four, with a rudiment of a fifth on 

 the fore feet, the second toe longest and 

 the outer sliortest ; five toes behind, the 



