ZOOLOGY MAMMALS. 83 



only its nose above water. He shot it, and on getting it into the canoe it proved to be a very 

 large one, extremely fat. We soon after landed, skinned, and cooked it, the Indians con- 

 sidering it a great delicacy, but, though hungry, I thought it barely eatable. A fishy flavor 

 pervaded every part of it, and it v?as very tough. The Indians were much disappointed at my 

 keeping the tail with the skin, as they are very fond of it ; but the taste that can fancy such a 

 compound of gristle and fish oil must be acquired by long trials. 



Dimensions of specimen. Head and body, 3 feet long. Tail, one foot long, 4f inches wide, 

 3A inches round at root. Eye black. Skull preserved. Female. 



In California I saw a much larger skull of a beaver from the San Joaquin, but resembling 

 this exactly in other respects. It is in the collection of the California Academy of Sciences. 



JACULUS HUDSONIUS. 



Jumping Mouse. 



Dtpus hudsonuis, Zimmermann, Geograpliische Geschichte, 1780, 358, (based on Pennant's long-legged mouse of 



Hudson's Bay.) 

 Meriones kiidsoniics, AuD. & Bach. N. Am. Quad. II, 1851, 251. 

 Jacidus hudsonius, Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 430. 



Sp. Ch. — Above, light yellowish brown, lined finely with black ; entire sides yellowish rusty, sharply defined against the 

 colors of the back and belly. Beneath, pure white ; feet and under surface of tail, whitish. Body measuring 2.75 to 3 50 

 inches ; tail, 4..50 to G. GO inches ; hind feet, 1.10 to 1.30 inches. 



A single specimen of this species was collected in Washington Territory. 



HESPEEOMYS GAMBELII, Baird. 

 -i 



Western Deer mouse. 



Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 464. 



Sp. Ch. — Very similar to H. leucopus in size and proportions. Ears larger, feet shorter. Tail generally a little less than 

 head and body. Above, yellowish brown, much mixed with dusky, but without a distinct broad wash of darker on the back. 

 Entire exterior of fore leg below the shoulder, white. 



This wood mouse is common in the forest regions. Near the coast, where the common mouse 

 has not been introduced, it takes up its residence in houses, and is quite as mischievous as the 

 latter. It has, however, one habit not observed in that species — that of making stores of provi- 

 sions in any place it finds suitable, though with little apparent foresight. It is not uncommon 

 in the morning to find a handful of rice, &c., in your boots, and often it has been brought a 

 considerable distance during the night, showing that several mice must have been industriously 

 employed in collecting it. They will also make a storehouse of your bed while you are asleep, 

 piling the grain about your feet, but never biting or awaking you. It is strange that though 

 you may empty out their stores every day, they are sure to make another deposit each night 

 for weeks. 



HESPEROMYS AUSTERUS, Baird. 



Black Mouse. 



Hesjicromt/s austerus, Baird, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. VII, April, 1855, 336.— Ib. Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 466. 



Sp. Ch — Fur full and soft; rather smaller than H. leucopus; feet larger in proportion. 



Young, dirk slaty plumbeous. Adult, dirk sooty brown, slightly pervaded by yellowish brown on the cheeks and lower part 

 of the sides, the dusky of the sides extending even in the adult to the wrist ; both feet above, and under parts, white ; tail well 

 haired, as long as head and body, lower half white. 



I obtained a specimen of this mouse at the camp August 11, on top of the Cascade mountains. 



