298 The Rodentia. 



THE MUSKRAT. 



The Muskrat or Musquash (Fiber-zibethicus), which 

 owes its name to its musky odor, is a stout, thick-set ani- 

 mal with a body from eight to fifteen inches long, and 

 an eight to ten inch scaly tail that is ''compressed 

 in the horizontal plane so as to present an upper and 

 under edge and two broad sides." The compressed form 

 of the tail is accentuated by a line of hairs on both the 

 upper and lower edge. The unusually wide head is not 

 separated from the body by any clearly defined neck, and 

 the eyes and ears are small, the latter scarcely project- 

 ing above the fur; with the exception of a small line 

 directly around the nostrils the muzzle is completely 

 covered with fur. The front feet, on which the first of 

 the five toes is rudimentary, are small, but the hind feet, 

 on which all of the five toes are fully developed, are large 

 and stout, with the toes partially webbed, and so attached 

 to the leg that they are well fitted for swimming; but 

 like the Beaver, the ]\Iuskrat depends principally upon 

 the skulling movement of its large compressed tail to 

 propel it through the water. The pelage consists of an 

 under coat of soft dense grey fur, protected on the back 

 and sides by long shiny smooth dark brown hairs, making 

 the general color grey beneath, and a deep brown above, 

 darkest on the middle of the back. In some of the animals 

 the hair coat is black, and in this variety the under fur is 

 also darker. 



While resembling the Beaver in the character of its fur, 

 scaly tail and aquatic habits, the Muskrat, or Ondontra, 

 is so closely allied to the insect eating Desman, and In- 

 dian ]\Iusk-shrew or Mongourou, that those animals are 

 respectively known as the European and Indian Musk- 

 rats. Its actual relationships are Avith the Lemmings, 

 and the Water Vole, or Water Rat, of England and 

 France, whose skins, although it is a fur-bearing animal, 

 are not used for fur purposes. The Vole and the Musk- 

 rat are similar in general appearance and habits, and in 

 the construction of the skull and molar teeth, but the 

 tail of the Vole is considerably shorter and round. 



