MAMMALS. 



45 



*• It sometimes inhabits the vicinity of water courses, seeking the tufts of grass uFUaMy growing here as a place of retreat. 

 It also burrows into river bluffs and banks of ravines; its burrows, however, are more i roperly t^orre sun-cracked crevice or 



water-«^ashed hole, which is npparenty selected at times with reference to some adjacent rank vegetation. Sticks, feathers, 



and other fureli^n matter are collected ubout its habitation, which is other'vise marked by clean and well beaten paths, sornelimes 



forming a sort of tunnel through leaver and fallen weeds and grass. Like the Norway rat, it seems to be omnivorous, and U a 



day as well as a night feeder. The specimens obtained were shot as they skipped from one cover to another," — (J. H. CJark.) 

 '* This species was quite common at Los Nogales, but we did not observe it in any other locality. It lived in the ground, in 

 the immediate valley of the stream where the soil was of a soft alhivlal character. It frequented the places occupied by the 

 cooks, and its depredations often amounted to annoyances. It was not entirely nocturnal in its habits, but frequently made its 

 appearance during the day time, and was not very shy." — (Dr, Kcnnerly.) 



55. FIBER ZIBETHTCUS, Cuv. (p. 561.)— Musk Rat, 



No specimens of this species were collected by any member of the commission. 



** During my whole journey along the boundary line I only saw onp specimen of this interesting genus. It was killed in the 

 low marshes of the Gila, near Fort Yuma. The ball had taken off the animal's head entirely. 



** To conclude from the number of tracks we saw on the Giia and Colorado, and also on the Rio Bravo^ the Ondatra cannot 



by any means be rare. 



*'In one nest which wc accidentally opened in the bottom of the Colorado, and supposed to be the habitation of a musk rat, 



We found a large store of screw beans, on which the animal seems to feed in winter lime." — (A. Schott.) 



* 



56. LEPUS CALLOTIS, Wagler (p. 590.)— Jackass Rabbit ; Texas Hare. 



Sp. Ch. — Size large ; limbs very long. Ears much longer than the head. Fur variable ; fuller in winter and on high table 

 lands, thinner in summer. The dorsal region mixed reddish yellow or light cinnamon and black; the hairs grayish white nt 

 the base ; sides and fo-e part of chest and throat pnler, with much less black ; buttocks, sides of the rump, and external surface 

 of hind legs ash gray, finely and faintly lined with dark brown, which, on the buttocks, appears arranged in lines B<jmcwhat 

 pardllel to the outline of the longer fur of the back ; upper surface of the tail, with a line on the rump, black ; rest of the tail 

 ash gray ; beneath, smoked white. Ears, with the posterior edge^ white ; this color also visible on the interior face of the ear, 

 exc'pt the external band, which, with the internal, is grizzled pale cinnamon yellow and brown ; end of the ear with a brown 

 edge correspondinor to a dark terminal patch on the dorsal surface. Nape and neck above either black or grayish ; in the former 

 case the base of the ear behind is dark brown 5 in the latter it is white. 



No. 252. — Body long and slender; limbs very long, ears very long, much longer than the 

 head ; tail of moderate length ; legs slender, the fur compact and short ; claws very long and 

 sharp, nearly straight, projecting beyond the pads. 



General color of the back a light brownish yellow, with a slight shade of cinnamon varied 

 with black ; somewhat similar on the sides, but paler, with less admixture of black. The nape 

 is dark sooty brown. The upper chest and throat are dull brownish yellow ; the sides of the rump 

 and buttocks, the tibial region all round, and the outer surfaces of the fore legfl, light ashy or 

 bluish gray, finely and faintly marked with parallel lines of black, caused by the black tips of inter- 

 spersed hairs. The tail is ashy white beneath and on the sides ; black above, the color running 

 up on the rump for two inches. Inferior surface of the body, anterior face of the hind feet, 

 posterior edge of the fore legs, and the inferior surface of the head, white, with a tinge of 

 smoky ; most decided exteriorly and on the inside of the thighs ; a whitish spot on the top 

 of the head ; the pads of the feet light dull brownish yellow. The internal and external bands 

 of the ear are pale brownish yellow and black, finely mixed; the external fringe and the 

 remaining portion of the outer surface of the ear, or its concavity, is unicolored brownish yellow, 

 darker towards the fop. The posterior edge is yellowish, or creamy white, except for about 

 half an inch from the tip, which is dark brown. On the posterior surface or convexity the ear 

 is sooty brown for half an inch from the tip (not on the external band) and at the base, the 



