MAMMALIA. 121 
riorly are marked with some scarcely perceptible perpendicular grooves, and have a somewhat 
irregular and rather oblique cutting edge; the lower incisors are twice the length of the 
‘upper ones, narrower, slightly curved, and rounded anteriorly. Nose thick and obtuse. 
Whiskers black ; scarcely of the length of the head. yes small, much concealed by the 
fur. Ears moderately large, oval, rounded at the tip, covered on the outside with fur similar 
to that on the neighbouring parts, and on that account not easily distinguishable until the fur 
is blown aside. Body more slender posteriorly, the hind-legs not being so far apart as the 
fore ones. Tail about the length of the head, somewhat flat horizontally, tapering, and thinly 
covered with short hairs, which at the end form a small pencil-like point. Fore-legs short ; 
feet rather small, with four, slender, well-separated toes, and the rudiment of a thumb, which is 
armed with a minute nail. Claws small, white, compressed, and pointed. The third toe 
nearly equals the middle one, which is the longest; the first is shorter than these two, and the 
outer one, which is the shortest of all, is half the length of the middle one. The hairs of the 
toes project over the claws, but do not conceal them. The toes of the hind-feet are longer 
than those of the fore ones, and their claws are also somewhat longer. The inner one is the 
shortest, the second is longer than the third, and the third than the fourth; but the difference 
between the three is but just perceptible. The first and fifth are considerably shorter than 
the others, and are situated further back. The first, or inner one, which is the smallest, from 
its shortness and position, resembles a thumb. The hind toes are turned a little inwards, as 
is usual in the meadow-mice; but there is no provision either of webs or the atrangement of 
the hairs to give them much power in swimming. 
The fur on the back is about eight lines long, but not so soft and fine as in some others of 
the genus: it is nearly as long on the crown of the head and cheeks; but it is shorter and 
thinner on the chest and belly. The specimen described was killed in summer ; in the winter 
perhaps the fur may be of a better quality. 
Colour—Incisors yellow. The whole dorsal aspect, including the shoulders and outside of 
the thighs, is of a dull, dusky, dark brown, proceeding from an intimate mixture of yellowish- 
brown and black. These colours are confined to the tips of the hairs, and are so mingled as 
to produce a nearly uniform shade of colour without lustre. From the roots to near the tips 
the fur has an uniform shining blackish-gray colour. The ventral aspect is bluish-gray. The 
margin of the upper lip, the chin and feet, are dull white. The tail is dark-brown above and 
whitish beneath, the two colours meeting by an even line. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. 
Length of head and body 
fe tail a : 2 
The depressed or flat tail may cause this animal to rank with the Mynomes of 
Rafinesque ; but it is certainly not the same with the Meadow Mouse figured in 
-Wilson’s Ornithology, plate 50, with which Desmarest (Mamm. p. 286) unites it. 
R 
