MUllID^— AKVICOLlNiE— CUNICULU8 TOUQUATUS. 



247 



ga/tts, plei unique slrigd nigrd npinali, et inlerdum torque nuchuli pallida; subtus 

 ex albido ferrugineus; hyemali ex toto niveiis. Long. tot. 4-() po/l^atpitia \\, 

 caudte nuda J, caudee comatcB 1, manus cum ungue longissimo ^, unguis longis- 

 siini hyemalis i^, pedis §. 



Had. — Arctic America, Greenland, and corresponding latitudes in the 

 Old World. 



With the form, &c., typical of the genus as above fully described. 



Summer. — Taking an average specimen, the upper parts present an inti- 

 mate dapple of chestnut or rusty-red, black, gray, and luteous, producing a 

 variegation known as "watered". On the fore back and shoulders, the rufous 

 color prevails ; on the lower back, rump, and haunches, the black and gray 

 grizzle predominates. In general, there is a pretty distinct black line along 

 the middle of the back from the muzzle to the tail; i)ut this, though usually 

 recognizable even when not sharp, is often dissipated in the general variega- 

 tion of the upper parts. Very often, there is a recognizable grayish-white or 

 luteous-white collar across the nape, rendered a little more evident by being 

 bordered both before and behind by rufous more intense than elsewhere. But 

 this collar is frequently obscure or altogether indistinguishable. When thus 

 not recognizable, an incomplete rufous band is still frequently present, arising 

 from the imperfect confluence across the occiput of two rufous spots that 

 mark the suuation of the ears. Underneath, the ground-color is grayish-plum- 

 beous, as usual ; next to this comes a grayish-white, and over this is washed 

 a strong shade of rusty or rufous. The chin and throat are the grayest or 

 palest ; next usually comes the lower belly, where the rusty wash is uniformly 

 laid on ; then tiie breast and epigastrium are more heavily rusty or rufous. 

 The feet and tail appear to be uniformly white or wiiitish at all seasons. 

 Even in summer, all the feet are always densely clothed, the entire palms and 

 soles being furry like a rabbit's, and on top the long hairs reaching beyond 

 (sometimes half an inch beyond) the ends of the claws. 



Independently of the regular seasonal changfs, the particular hue of the 

 upper parts varies in a way that defies descri{*tion. Taking, however, two 

 extremes, of rich dark coloring and pale blen<led shades, we find that in the 

 former case the upper parts are dappled with uniform deep mahogany color 

 and glossy black, these then speckled all over with nearly pure white, the 

 spinal f,tripe intense black; and the under ])arts are correspondingly sharp. In 

 the other extreme, there is no such sliurp hue, the animal above being a nearly 



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