340 



UNITES STATES. 



These teeth are sharp at the points, and of a chesnut 

 brown colour. The upper jaw projects considerably 

 beyond the lower one. The nostrils are open. The 

 "whiskers are long. The ears are small, somewhat 

 oval and covered. The fore -feet, or rather arms, 

 are short, and are furnished with four toes or fingers, 

 the nails of which are long and very sharp. 



The head, the back, and the whole upper part of 

 the body, are of a reddish brown colour, somewhat 

 inclining to yellow. The back is marked by a dark- 

 er brown than the other parts. The whole under 

 side of the body is of a cream colour ; as are likewise 

 the in sides of the fore legs or arms, and the insides 

 of the hind legs. 



A yellow streak or band, beginning near the lower 

 part of the nostrils, on each side, runs along the 

 whole length of the head and neck, the upper and 

 under side of the fore legs, from thence all along the 

 body, terminating with the thighs, at the joint. 



The tail is considerably longer than the body, gra^- 

 dually tapers from its origin, and is finely ciliated, or 

 lightly covered with hair its whole length. It ends 

 in a fine pencil of hairs, 'the upper side is of a slate 

 brown colour, the under side is of a yellowish cream 

 colour. It is composed of a great number of joints. 



From the description which I have given of this 

 animal, it will appear that it is very closely allied to 

 the dipus Hudsonius of professor Zimmermann; or 

 the Labrador rat of Mr. Pennant. 



He frequents our corn fields, meadov/s, and 

 forests, and eats wheat, corn, clover, and acorns ; 

 it often gets in granaries, and proves very destruc- 

 tive*. Notwithstanding the great disproportion in the 



