660 



APPENDIX. 



[No. V. 



Bay Company, and even more are annually killed and carried into Canada. They 

 destroy each other frequently, and the loss in severe winters from this cause is greater 

 than what arises by the spears of the hunters. They are, however, very prolific. A 

 variety with black fur is occasionally met with. 



Fiber Zibethicus — albus. White Musk Rat. 



A specimen of a singular variety of the Musk Rat accompanied that just described. 

 It was killed near Cumberland-House, and presented by Mr. Holmes, chief of that 

 station, to the travellers. Except in size and colour of its hair, it differs in no respect 

 from the common Musk Rat ; its teeth, which are correspondent to its proportional 

 smaller dimension, are not those of a young animal. The body is eleven inches long 

 only, and the tail six inches. The hair both above and below is an uniform dingy 

 white. 



Jrvicola Xanthognatha. Hudson's Bay Campagnol. 



A mouse, belonging to the division of the Linnaean genus Mus, now separated, and 

 called Arvicola and Campagnol by M. Cuvier, is abundant in the settlements round 

 Hudson's Bay. It shows a strong inclination to domesticate itself, by frequenting the 

 houses. These animals are preyed upon by the Ermine, and form its chief support. 

 They steal fat, and make hoards of it in the manner of the Economic Mouse of Pallas, 

 to which they are allied. Specimens were sent home from Hudson's Bay, but were 

 not found among the collection. The following description has been supplied by 

 Dr; Richardson: — " In general shape and appearance it strongly resembles the 

 European Domestic Mouse ; but it is a little larger, and has a broader back. The 

 colour of the fur . on the back is light chestnut-brown, with a few black tips to the 

 hairs ; the sides are pale yellowish brown, and the belly ash-grey ; the fur in winter 

 is long, and when blown aside exhibits a shining blackish-grey colour towards its 

 roots; the ears are large, but having nearly an orbicular form, do not stand high; 

 they are thinly covered with hairs, and have a membranous appearance ; the eyes 

 situated about half way between the ear and the tip of the nose, are small ; the 

 vibrissas on the cheek are longer than the head ; the upper lip is but slightly cleft, 

 and the nose projects but little beyond the mouth ; within the mouth, on each side, is 

 a small orbicular tuft of hairs seated over a collection of glands which lie beneath the 

 cuticle ; the tail is round and hairy, about one inch long, its upper surface corresponds 

 in colour with the back, its under one with the belly; the posterior extremities are 

 longer than the anterior ones, but the difference is not remarkable ; the broadness and 

 fleshiness of the body almost conceal the legs ; there are five toes on the hind-foot, the 

 three middle ones are nearly equal in length, the extreme arises higher up ; the nails 

 are curved, pointed, and canaliculate below, and each of them is inserted into the 

 callous tuberculated extremity of the toe ; there are six similar tubercles on the sole, 



