293 
ARVICOLA C ALIFORNIC A.— Peale 
Californian Arvicola. 
A. Subvariegatus rufescenti-fusco et nigro. Corpore brevi et robusto, 
pilis speciem hirsutici habentibus revera tamen mollibus et levibus. Auri- 
bus sub-magnis, pene sub pilis occultis. Cauda supra fusca, subtus fusco- 
cinerea. 
CHAEACTEES. 
Body short and thick ; hair long and shining , at the roots plumbeous black, 
above and on the sides tipped with reddish brown and black ; ears rather large, 
nearly concealed by the fur ; tail brown above , brownish grey beneath. 
SYNONYMES. 
Arvicola California. — Peale, Zool. Explo. Exped., Mammalia, 46. 
Californicus. — Le Conte, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Phila., Oct., 1853, 
p. 408. 
DESCEIPTION. 
Body short and thick ; hair rather long, and shining : head blunt ; ears 
large but almost concealed in the fur, hairy on both surfaces ; feet clothed 
with short, glossy hair ; tubercle of the thumb furnished with a com- 
pressed, blunt nail. Tail round ; whiskers numerous, but slender. 
COLODE. 
Hair of the body plumbeous black at the roots, above and on the sides 
tipped' 1 with reddish brown and black, in such a manner as to give it a hir- 
sute appearance ; feet greyish brown ; whiskers black and white. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines 
Length, 5 
of head, ------- 1 3 
“ fore leg, 2 
“ “ hind “ l 
“ “ tail, 2 
5 
