3 1 1 Ne ir Spec ies of . lplodo n t ia . 



the animal iu question must be a species of Aplodontia, and I 

 urged Mr. Allen to exert himself to the utmost to secure speci- 

 mens of it. This he was not able to do in the locality above 

 alluded to, which was near the coast in Marin County. 



Later in the season, at my request, he made a special trip 

 about 150 miles to the eastward of the former locality, and spent 

 two weeks collecting in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Moun- 

 tains of Central California, in Placer County. Here his efforts 

 were rewarded by the capture of no less than eight specimens of 

 the so-called 'Mountain Beaver,' representing both sexes and 

 various ages. Their carefully prepared skins and skulls, with 

 four skeletons, reached me in December last, and but a glance 

 was necessary to show that they were distinct from the only pre- 

 viously described species. Hence the following facts, contribu- 

 ted by Mr. Allen, are of much interest. 



The length of the adults in the flesh was 16 inches, and their 

 weight four pounds. The tail was "about an inch long and all 

 fur." The eyes were very small. 



''The animals live in small colonies and inhabit wet ground 

 where there is plenty of running water. None were found away 

 from water. They are very compact and strong, with a head 

 which resembles that of a 'pug' dog. They are very shy, timid 

 animals. On first seeing a human being, they try to hide away, 

 but on being aroused are savage enough. They bite fearfully. 

 1 gave one a stick to take hold of. and by that means pulled him 

 out of his hole. One got hold of my hunting-shoe and broke off 

 one of the teeth in his under jaw against the big nails in the 

 sole. I was trying to get him out of the trap to bring home 

 alive, but he was so ugly and bit everything so ferociously that 

 I was obliged to kill him. 



"I find that they come out of their burrows about sundown 

 to get their food, and again at daylight in the morning. I do 

 not think they move about during the day, as I watched about 

 one of their places several hours, but could not see or hear a 

 movement. 



"The Sewellel's food is in large part composed of aquatic 

 plants. They are very fond of a species of lily that grows along 

 the margins of the small streams ; — I do not know that they dive 

 down and get the roots, but the stems and leaves they cut off 



