89 



peromys includes a group of little animals very much like 

 them in appearance, called MEADOW MICE. The term 

 Hesperomys is made to indicate their nativity, meaning 

 western mouse. 



GROUP 34. — Family Spalacidm. Seventeen species of 

 most singular rat-like short-legged animals constitute this 

 family. Mole Rats is a good trivial name. (See the 

 figure in "Group of Rodents.") They are all Old World 

 forms. 



GROUP 35. — Family Geomyidce. This family includes 

 a number of strictly North American animals that bear 

 much resemblance to the preceding. They have on each 

 side of the mouth, fur-lined pouches, and are hence called 

 Pouched Rats. The four claws are enormously developed 

 to suit their habits of digging in the earth. 



The genus Geotnys includes five species, found in Mexico. 

 Thomomys two species, inhabiting the upper Missouri re- 

 gion. They are commonly call gopher, which term is also 

 used as a name for several other different kinds of mammals 

 as well as reptiles. 



GROUP 36.— Family Dipodidce. The JUMPING Mice, 

 JERBOAS, are members of this family, and natives of the 

 Mediterranean region. The Deer Mouse, Mer tones, is the 

 only member found in America, its range being from 

 Canada to California. Ten species, called variously POCKET 

 Mice, Kangaroo Rats, Pocket Ra ts, &c, inhabit from 

 the British Possessions to Mexico. 



GROUP 37. — Family Octodontidm. This family includes 

 a number of curious and obscure rat-like animals, mostly 

 confined to the mountains and open plains of South America, 

 but have a few stragglers in other parts of the world. Ben- 

 nett's Hahkocome {Habrocoma bcnnctti) is an example. 

 Capromys and Myopotamus, River Rats, are of the same. 



GROUP 38. — The Porcupines, Family ffystricida. 



