1863.] MR. J. K. LORD ON TWO NEW MAMMALS. 97 



evidently for their winter sleep, and perhaps store-house. I should 

 have made much more extensive observations, had not the prospect 

 of coming snow driven me down. 



This Lagomys, which is much larger, and which I believe to be 

 the same as the one described and figured by Sir J. Richardson (pi. 1 9) 

 as Lepus {Lagomys) princeps, I first saw at Chilukweyuk Lake, a 

 large lake on the west side of the Cascades, close to the boundary-line, 

 and next on the trail leading from Fort Hope on the Fraser River 

 to Fort Colville on the Columbia, both fur-stations of the Hudson 

 Bay Company. The animals were in a narrow gorge, among large 

 heaps of loose stones that had rolled down from the high precipitous 

 sides of the gorge. I saw them busily feeding on grass, much after 

 the fashion of a rabbit, eating a few mouthfuls, then stopping and 

 sitting up and quietly taking a survey of things in general. At this 

 period, later in the year, about the same date on which in the year 

 preceding I had seen Lagomys minimus making its nest, not a trace 

 of a nest could I see, nor any evidence of an attempt to make one. 

 It was at the same period of tlie year, and about the same altitude, 

 that I saw this Lagomys at Chilukweyuk Lake ; but no nest, nor a 

 shadow of an attempt to construct one, was there to be seen. Early 

 in October I returned again by the trail I had used in going from 

 Fort Colville to Fort Hope ; the snow had fallen to about the depth 

 of 6 inches, completely covering up the rocks and stones. All the 

 little fellows had disappeared, and, although I searched most care- 

 fully, there was not a hole nor track in the snow to show they had 

 ever left their quarters. It was quite impossible a nest could have 

 been made in the interim ; hence I feel perfectly sure they hybernate 

 in deep holes without a nest, whereas Lagomys minimus, living at a 

 much greater altitude, makes a large nest of hay to pass his winter 

 sleep in. 



The two new animals may be described as follows : — 



Fiber osoyoosensis, Lord, sp. nov. 



Sp. char. — In total length S^ inches shorter than Fiber sibethi- 

 cus (Cuv.) ; in general size much smaller. General hue of back jet- 

 black ; but, the hair being of two kinds, if viewed from tail to head it 

 looks grey — the under fur being fine, silky, and light grey in colour ; 

 concealing this on the upper surface are long coarse black hairs ; the 

 belly and sides somewhat lighter ; head broad and depressed ; neck 

 indistinct ; ear small, upper margin rounded ; eye small and black ; 

 the feet, legs, and claws are so exactly like those of Fiber zibethicus 

 that it would be useless to describe them again ; whiskers long, and 

 composed of about an equal number of white and black hairs ; inci- 

 sors nearly straight, on the external surface orange-yellow. 



The skull differs from Fiber zibethicus in being much smaller, 

 2\ inches in length, 1^ inch in width, very much shorter from the 

 anterior molar to incisors ; nasal bones much more rounded at their 

 posterior ends, the superior outline less curved ; postorbital process 

 not nearly so much developed ; the cranial portion of the skull in 

 its upper outline is much less concave, and smoother ; superior ont- 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1863, No. VII. 



