SECRETARY'S REPORT. 177 



and between the legs, rufous, tipped occasionally with white ; feet black. 

 Specimens vary from this description, but it is the common dress. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length of head, 3 J inches. 



Greatest width of head, 3 inches. 



Length of head and body, 15h inches. 



Length of tail, not including the hairs at the tip, 5 inches. 



Length of tail, including the hairs at the tip, Gl inches. 



Length of fore-foot, 2^ inches. 



Length of hind-foot, 3i inches. 



Family: Murid^. — (Rat Family.) 



CJiaracteristics. — Incisors, two in each jaw, the lower ones compressed 

 and pointed ; some genera with cheek pouches ; molars, usually six in 

 each jaw, sometimes eight in the upper and six in the lower, and some- 

 times four in each jaw ; these are rooted or rootless ; body usually robust ; 

 limbs moderately short, clavicle, strong, and fully developed ; tibia and 

 fibula united below; the anterior feet almost always four-toed, with a 

 tubercle supplying the place of the thumb ; posterior feet five-toed ; tail 

 cylindrical, covered sparsely with short hairs. This family is much the 

 most extensive of the order Rodentia ; it includes the mice and rats, 

 which, although never attaining any considerable size, are, in consequence 

 of their great multiplication, and the injury which they do, worthy of 

 serious notice and careful attention. 



This family is divided into several sub-families, of which the follow- 

 ing are represented in this State : Dipodince, MurincB, (introduced ?) 

 Arvicolince. 



Sub-Family — Dipodin.e. 



Characteristics. — Body slender ; posterior limbs greatly elongated, 

 adapted to leaping ; anterior limbs shortened ; tail longer than the body, 

 clothed thinly with short hairs. 



Genus : Jacidus. — (Wagner.) 

 Characteristics. — Body slender ; head rather large ; nose sharpened ; 

 " incisors grooved longitudinally on their anterior faces ;" molars, eight 

 in the upper jaw, the posterior one much the largest, and six in the lower 

 jaw, the anterior one the largest ; all the molars tuberculated ; anterior 

 limbs short, furnished with four toes, and a tubercle supplying the place 

 of a thumb ; posterior limbs long, adapted to leaping ; feet perfectly naked 

 beneath ; all the toes have thin, sharp, slightly curved claws ; tail very 

 long, with thin, short hairs springing between the scales, with which it is 

 covered. 



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