THE CAMAS RAT. 
199 
ears ; incisors, yellow ; claws, white ; tail, above, grayish, tinged 
with yellow. 
DIMENSIONS. 
From nose to root of tail, - 
Tail, 
Tarsus and claws, 
Central claw of fore-foot, - 
Nose to ear, 
Inches. Lines. 
7 6 
2 
1 
1 
The above description was made from three specimens of this pouched 
Sand-rat, obtained by the late Mr. Townsend, on the Columbia river, two 
of which appeared to be in summer pelage, and the third in its autumnal 
coat. 
Description of another specimen sent by Mr. Townsend, marked in 
Richardson’s MSS. as Geomys Townsendii : 
Form and size of the animal, nearly the same as in the specimens just 
described, with the exception of the tail, which is considerably longer. 
General colour, very pale gray above, with a faint yellowish wash ; end 
of nose, dusky gray ; under parts, grayish-white ; chin, pure white ; tail 
and feet, white, the former grayish above. Hairs of the back, very pale 
gray at the roots, pale yellow near the tips, the extreme points cinereous. 
Teeth, yellowish-white; upper incisors, with a faint groove near the 
internal margin. Claws and fore-feet, moderate white. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines. 
From nose to tail, 
Tail, - 
Tarsus, 
Central claw of fore-foot, 
Nose to ear, 
7 6 
2 
1 
9 
84 
5 
1 
5 
HABITS. 
The Camas Rat derives its name, according to Richardson, from its 
fondness for the bulbous root of the quamash or camas plant ( Scilla 
esculenta). 
Like all the pouched Rats of America, it feeds upon nuts, roots, seeds, 
