yo4 



MONOGUAPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



Ml 



cunsitlei'iiig tlic latter as probably referable "to some species of Spcmiopiiilc — 

 probably Sjientwpliiluit fownxendi". Tliey were led to this belief by iiiuliiig 

 that Lewis aiwl Clarke "refer to an animal whose whole contour rcscml)les 

 that of the S(|uirrel, the thumbs being remarkably short un<l equipped with 

 blunt nails, and the hair of the tail thickly inserted on the sides only, which 

 gives it a flat a])peurancc, whereas the animal of this article [Arctomys ieicisi] 

 <loc8 not resemble a squirrel in its whole contour ; its thumbs, instead of being 

 remarkably short and equipped with blunt nails, have long nails nearly the 

 length of those on the other toes, and the tail, instead of being flat with the 

 hairs inserted on tiie sides, is quite round. It differs also so widely in sevend 

 other particulars that wc deem it unnecessary to institute a more minute com- 

 parison."* Amlubon ttn«l Uachman were, however, misled in regard to the 

 character of the tail, which is not "quite round", but has "a flat appcamnce, 

 and a long oval form", as described by Lewis and Clarke. They liave, in 

 other particulars, evidently placed a forced construction uj^n Lewis and 

 Clarke's description. 



As the whole synonymy of the species turns u|H)n Lewis and Clarke's 

 description, I quote it in full. "There is also a epecies of squirrel", say these 

 authors, "evidently distinct [from those they had just described], which we 

 have denominated the burmwing squirrel. He inhabits these plains [of the 

 Columbia], and somewhat resembles those found on the Missouri;! he meas- 

 ures one foot and five inches in length, of which the tail comprises two and a 

 half inches only : the neck and logs are short ; the ears are likewise short, 

 obtusely pointed, and lie close to the head, and the aperture larger than will 

 generally be found among burrowing animals. The eyes are of a moderate 

 size, the pupil black, and the iris of a dark sooty brown : the whiskers arc 

 full, long, and black : the teeth, and, indeed, the whole contour, resemble 

 those of the squirrel : each foot has five toes ; the two inner ones of the fore 

 feet [meaning, evidently, the inner toe of each foot] are remarkably short, and 

 are equipped with blunt nails: the remaining toes on the front feet are long, 

 black, slightly curved, and sharply (Mjinted : the hair of the tail is thickly 

 inserted on the sides only, which gives it a flat appearance, and a long oval 

 form : the tii)8 of the hair forming the outer edges of the tail are white, the 

 other extremity of a fox red: the under part of the tail resembles an iron 



• Quad. N. Amur, hi, p. 34. 



t Their " Barlting 8<iuirrel", = Cf»omf liulovieUmu*. 



