THE MUSQUASH. 165 



upper part of the far being rich., dark brown, and the 

 lower part a bright, golden yellow. It is in conse- 

 quence of this colouring that the animal has received 

 the specific name of Chrysogaster, or " golden-belly." 

 The generic title of Hydromys signifies " water- 



THE MUSQUASH (Fiber zibethicus). 



This is another of the many animals that are popu- 

 larly called by the name of musk rat. The animal, 

 however, to which that title ought to be restricted is the 

 Sondeli, or Musk Rat of India (Sorex murinus), which, 

 however, as its generic name imports, is not a rodent, 

 but one of the shrew tribe, and closely related to the 

 water-shrews, which have already been mentioned. 

 None of the other animals which are called musk rats 

 possess an odour nearly so powerful as that of the 

 sondeli, which, if it should find its way into a cellar, 

 will render the wine undrinkable whenever it passes 

 over a bottle. 



The Musquash is a native of North America. It is 

 about two feet in length, exclusive of the tail, which 

 is about ten inches long. As in the coypu, the fore 

 feet are small, and but little used in swimming, this 

 task being entrusted to the hind feet, which are very 

 long, and so broadly webbed that persons who are 

 not acquainted with the animal, and who see its foot- 

 prints on the muddy banks of the river in which it is 

 accustomed to disport itself, are nearly sure to mistake 

 the traces for those of some duck. 



The animal is one of the partial trespassers, and is 

 beautifully adapted to the semi-aquatic life which it 



