418 



VEKTEBRATA. 



Genus APLODON TlA : Aplodontia. — Of this there is a sinijlc species, the Sewellel of Lewis 

 and Clark — the Arctomys rufa of (JriflithV Cuvier — A. teporina, digging burrows and living in 

 small societies in the neighborhood of the ( 'olumbia River, and abundant near the Great Falls. 

 It is about the size of the gray rabbit, being fourteen inches long, with a tail half an inch long 

 It is of a reddish-brown color, and has no cheek-pouches; the eye is small, and the fur thick and 

 soft, resembling thai of the musquash. The skins are much used by the Indians for robes. It 

 feeds on vegetables, and is said occasionally to climb trees, bnl only for a short distance, as is the 

 case with the woodchuck. It produces four to five young at a birth. 



The preceding genera belong to the Saccophoriens ; the following to the Saccomyens. 



Genus SACCOMYS: Saccomys.—Of this there is a single species, the S. anthophilus, found 

 in South America. It is of the size of a common rat, and of a brownish-fawn color; feeds chiefly 

 on flowers, and has large sacks opening externally at the sides of tin 1 mouth. 



Genus HETER< >MYS: Heteromys, including two species. — Thomson's Heteromys, the Mus 

 anomalus of some authors, which is of a brownish chestnut-color, has weak spines mingled with 

 its hair, and a very long, scaly, black tail. It is of the size of the common rat, and is found in 

 the Island of Trinidad, West Indies. Desmarest's Heteromys is four inches long, with a tail 

 a trifle shorter. It is of a nut-brown color, has rough hair, and moderate-sized cheek-pouches 5 . 

 It is found in Colombia. 



► '* * .:■' 







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PEDETIEXS OK SOUTHERN AFIUCA. — (See p. 421.) 



Genus DIPODOMYS : Dipodomys. — This term is from the Greek dipom, two-footed, and mut 

 a mouse, and alludes to the fact that the animals to which it is applied move on two feet. The] 

 are in fact a kind of Pouched Jerboa-mouse, having long hind-legs, on which they move like th< 



