COLUMBIA POUCHED-RAT. 
25 
the fore-feet, and their claws are decidedly smaller ; soles of liind-feet, 
entirely naked, and without any conspicuous tubercles ; heel, naked, and 
narrow ; feet and toes, thickly clothed with hair extending to the nails. 
COLOUR. 
Incisors, dull orange ; whiskers, nearly all white ; upper surface of 
body, top of the head, and along the sides of the pouches, dusky-brown ; 
sides, reddish-brown ; edges of pouches, dark-brown ; under surface of 
body, feet, and tail, pale buff ; nails, yellowish-white. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Length of head and body, - 
“ head, 
“ tail (vertebrae), - 
From point of nose to eye, - 
“ “ “ auditory opening, - 
Between the eyes, 
From wrist joint to end of middle claw, 
HABITS. 
This species of Sand-Rat was first obtained by Mr. David Douglas, 
near the mouth of the Columbia river, since which, specimens have been 
sent to England by various collectors. According to Mr. Douglas, the 
animal, “ when in the act of emptying its pouches, sits on its hams like a 
Marmot or Squirrel, and squeezes its sacs against the breast with the chin 
and fore-paws.” 
“ These little Sand-Rats are numerous in the neighbourhood of Fort Van- 
couver, where they inhabit the declivities of low. hills, and burrow in the 
sandy soil. They feed on acorns, nuts ( Corylus rostrata), and grasses, and 
commit great havoc in the potato-fields adjoining to the fort, not only by 
eating the potatoes on the spot, but by carrying off large quantities of them 
in their pouches.” — Fauna Boreali Americana , p. 201. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
This species inhabits the valleys to the west of the Rocky Mountains, 
and seems to have been most frequently observed in about the latitude of 
the mouth of the Columbia River. Its probable range may extend as far 
vol. hi. — 4 
Inches Lines 
- 6 6 
- 1 10 
- 2 10 
11 
- 1 8 
7 
- 1 
