a new genus of the order Rodentia. 337 



That on the back has a shining greyish black colour from the roots to 

 the brownish tips. 



Dimensions of a full-grown male specimen. 

 Length of head and body .... 1 4 inches, 

 tail [vertebra) .... ^ 



fore-claws ^ 



The female is nearly of the same size. 



I had originally drawn up the characters of this interesting little ani- 

 mal, from a specimen contained in the collection of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company. I have since been indebted to the kindness of Joseph Sabine, 

 Esq., Secretary to the Horticultural Society, for the opportunity of more 

 accurately examining the species, and completing the generic characters, 

 from specimens in the collection of that Society, brought home by Mr. 

 David Douglas. To this gentleman also I have to acknowledge my obli- 

 gations for the whole of the information which has been given of the 

 habits and manners of the animal. And here I cannot avoid adding my 

 tribute of praise to Mr. Douglas, for the zeal and intelligence with 

 which he has pursued his scientific researches in North America, and 

 the unusual liberality with which he has communicated his knowledge to 

 the friends of science. 



I have to add that on examining the specimens brought home by Mr. 

 Douglas, I find one smaller than the others, and with a less brown and 

 more hoary fur, which exhibits a considerable diff^erence in the form of 

 its skull, particularly in the distance between the orbits. It is probable, 

 therefore, that a second species may exist nearly resembling the one 

 described above; but the specimen is unfortunately too much injured to 

 enable me to draw up its characters. 



