90 NEW- YORK FAUNA. 



THE YELLOW-CHEEKED MEADOW-MOUSE. 



Ahvicola xanthoonathus. 



PLATE XXIII. FIG. 2. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Arvicola xanlhognathxis. Leach, Zoo!. Miscell. Vol. 1, p. 60, pi. 26. 

 Campagnol avx joues fauves, Desm. Mammalogie, p. 282. 

 The Meadow-mouse. GoDMAR, Am. Nat. Hist. Vol. 2, p. 65. 

 YeUme-cheeked Meadaw-mouae. Rich. F. B. A. Vol. 1, p. 122. 



Characteristics. Reddish brown above, greyish beneath ; cheeks fulvous. Tail not as long 

 as the head. Length 8 to 10 inches. 



Description, Body robust, cylindrical. Ears half an inch high in the largest individuals, 

 rounded, sparsely hairy within, well furred externally. Whiskers numerous, longer than the 

 head. Muzzle somewhat blunt. Fore legs covered with short adpressed hairs, a few extend- 

 ing beyond the nails ; four toes, and a vestige of thumb with a nail ; the other nails are 

 slightly curved and feeble. Hind feet five-toed, the three middle subequal. Tail slender, 

 slightly less at the tip, covered with numerous adpressed hairs, concealing the scales, and forming 

 a point 0-2 beyond the tip. Incisors above short, rounded in front. In the upper jaw the 

 posterior molar largest ; below, the largest is the anterior molar. Fur long and soft. 



Color. Above, reddish brown, intermixed with uniformly black hairs ; beneath, bluish ash. 

 Sides of the cheeks reddish, more or less distinct. Upper part of the feet and tail dark 

 reddish brown, ashen grey or whitish beneath. 



Length of head and body, 7-0. 



Ditto of tail, 1 • 3. 



This Meadow-mouse is found in various parts of the State. It varies much in size ; and 

 Godman, who assigns five inches for its length, probably described from a young individual. 

 It burrows in banks, and produces seven or eight at a litter. Its geographical range is exten- 

 sive. It occurs in the Western States, and extends to the Arctic regions. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 



A. pensylvanicus, Ord. (Richardson, p. 124. Wilson, Om. Vol. 6, pi. 50.) Brown above, beneath 

 nearly white ; snout obtuse. A blunt hairy tail, half the length of the body. Length 4 — 5 inches. 



A. borealis. (Richardson, Zool. Mag. 1828.) Above chesnut mixed with black, grey beneath; a 

 strong thumb nail ; ears concealed in the head. Tail as long as the head. Length 5^ inches. 

 Arctic Regions. 



A. noveboracensis. (Richardson, p. 126.) Above dark brown, beneath dark grey ; nose acute, slen- 

 der ; ears slightly beyond the fur. Tail scaly, sparsely hairy, more than half the length of the 

 head. Length 6 inches. Rocky Mountains. 



