252 
■TTIMPIKG MOUSE. 
Gkrbillb Dtr Canada. Desm. Mammal., p. 133. 
“ “ Fr. Cuvier in Diet, des Sc. Nat., 18. p. 464. 
Meriones Labradobius. Sabine, Franklin’s Jouni., p. 1.56 and 157. 
G. Canadensis et Labradobius. Harlan, Fauna, p. 155 and 157. 
“ “ Godman, vol. 2. p. 94 and 97. 
Meriones Labradorius. Richardson, Fan. Bore. Am., p. 144. 
“ Americanus. De Kay. Nat. Hist. N. Y., p. 71. pi. XXIV., fig. 2d. 
DESCEIPTIONi 
Head, narrow and conical. Nose, tolerably sharp, with an obtuse tip 
projecting a little beyond the incisors. Nostrils small, facing sideways 
and protected anteriorly by a slight ventricose arching of their naked 
inner margins. The mouth is small and far back. Whiskers, long, 
extending to the shoulder ; eyes, small ; ears, semi-oval, rounded at 
the tips, clothed on both surfaces with short hair. Fore feet small, nail in 
place of a thumb ; hind legs long and slender ; there are live hind-toes', 
each with a long slender tarsal bone ; the toes, when expanded, resembling 
those of some species of birds. The soles are naked to the heels ; upper 
surface of hind-feet covered with short adpressed hairs ; tail, long, scaly, 
has a velvety appearance, soft to the touch, is thinly covered with such 
soft short hairs, that without a close examination it would appear naked. 
The hair on the body is of moderate fineness, and lies smooth and 
compact. 
COLOUR. 
Upper surface of nose, forehead, neck, ears, and a broad line on the 
back, dark-brown ; the hairs being plumbeous at their roots, tipped with 
yellowish-brown and black ; under the nose, along the sides of the face^ 
outer surface of the legs, and along the sides, yellowish ; lips, chin, and 
all the under surface white ; as is also the under surface of the tail in some 
.specimens, though in others brownish-white. The colours between the 
back and sides, as well as between the sides and belly, are in most speci- 
mens separated by a distinct line of demarcation. This species is subject 
to considerable variations in colour. We have seen some young ani- 
mals, in which the dark reddish-brown stripe along the back was wholly 
wanting ; others where the line of demarcation between the colours was 
very indistinct ; nearly all are pure white on the under surface ; but we 
possess two specimens that are tinged on those parts with a yellowish 
hue. 
