91 



1842. Scalops argentatus, var. argentatm, Aud. and Bach., Journal Acad. 

 Nat. Sci., Phila., viii, 1842, 292 ; N. A. Quad., iii, 1653, 252, pi. 

 cl., f. 4. — Wagner, Suppl. Schreb., v, 1855, 573. — Kennicott, 

 Pat. Of. Rep. Agric. 1857, 97. (Description and habits.) 



Specific Characters. — Average length from nose to root of tail 4| inches; 

 of tail to end of vertebrae .95 inch; hand .85 inch ; foot .75 inch; width 

 of palm exceeds its length, and varies from .60 to .90 inch as the extremes. 

 Eyes and ears excessively minute ; the eyes not covered with integu- 

 ment, a minute orbital opening being apparent. Muzzle long and de- 

 pressed; snout truncate at an angle of about 45° ; on this surface are the 

 antero-superior nostrils ; the flexible snout extends nearly three-eighths 

 of an inch beyond the upper jaw. The tail is nearly naked. Color dark 

 plumbeous, with occasionally a brownish tinge; feet, tail, nails, and 

 snout are of a light flesh-color. The hind feet are rather slender and 

 weak, but this is made up by the great size of the spade-like hands, 

 nearly an inch in breadth, attached by short, strong arms to robust 

 shoulders. Feet not under the body, but standing out at the sides edge- 

 wise with the palm. In short, the whole form — the set of the limbs, 

 great shoulders, short arms, broad hands and fossorial claws, united with 

 the extraordinary muscular strength of the animal — adapt it to its 

 method of ploughing through the soil, where it seems to travel as easily 

 as on the surface. The earth seems scarcely less dense when one of 

 these animated little ditchers is seen gliding along, not over, but literally 

 through, the meadows, leaving his well-arched viaduct behind him, than 

 does the water in the adjacent streams before the thrust of some sharp- 

 nosed and large-finned darter or sun-fish. 



Variety argentatus. — Thisform was established by Audubon and Bachman, 

 " after some hesitation and doubt " (Quad. N. A., iii, p. 253), and admitted by 

 Baird, who, however, questions "whether the two can, with entire pro- 

 priety, be separated." Dr. Coaes, as already stated, regards it as no more 

 than a geographical race of S. aquaticus, and states that "none of the 

 ascribed characters are diagnostic." Among the assigned characters of 

 this form are the greater size, slenderer head, more elevated nostrils, 

 eyes entirely covered by the integument, proportionally larger ears, and 

 especially the soft, dense, and glossy silvery grey fur, which reflects, in 

 difierent lights, " tints of silver, purple, and bronze." — Kennicott. Both 

 forms are to be found in Ohio, as I am informed by Mr. Langdon. Prof. 

 Baird gives the habital of argentatus as from Detroit west. 



History and Habits. — The most noticeable feature of this animal is its 

 fore feet, short legs, and robust shoulders, adapting it to plough through 

 the soil. 



