348 
U. S. P. R. R. UXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
monax, No. 854,) the head and body measure 14 inches, and the hind foot 3.14. The tail, with 
the hairs, measures *1 inches. 
The most important point, however, is in the character of the thumb. Cynomys , as already 
explained, differs from Ardomys in having the thumb moderately developed, and armed with a 
distinct daw, nearly as long as the fifth, the soles hairy ; while in Ardomys, the thumb is more 
rudimentary and armed only with a broad flat nail, very different in character from the promi¬ 
nent claw of the other. The soles also are perfectly smooth. Now, Audubon & Bachman 
expressly mention that the “ thumbs, instead of being remarkably short and equipped with 
blunt nails, have long nails nearly the length of those on the other toes.” Nothing is said of 
the character of the soles. 
The next question that remains to be discussed is the relationship of the species to the bur¬ 
rowing squirrel of the Columbia, of Lewis and Clark.—See article under Cynomys gunnisonii, 
page 336. 
It is quite possible, judging from the descriptions, that the Ardomys lewisii may be the same 
animal as Lewis and Clark described from afresh specimen 12£ inches long, which might easily 
he stretched to 16. The dimensions of the tail are almost precisely the same. The flat dis¬ 
tichous tail of a living animal might easily become rounded in a skin, especially if the caudal 
vertebrae were removed. The discrepancies in the descriptions of the feet are more apparent 
than real, especially if, in speaking of the u two inner thumbs of the fore feet,” they meant only 
one thumb to each foot, as is most probable. Nor do our authors make any special reference to 
the claws ; they merely say that the thumbs are remarkably short, and equipped with blunt 
nails, the remaining toes being long. Now, in Ardomys, the thumbs and their nails or claws 
would probably not be mentioned at all by unscientific authors, as they are so minute and 
inconspicuous as scarcely to attract attention. In color of body and tail the descriptions agree 
almost precisely. 
The fact that Lewis and Clark refer to their animal as a squirrel does not militate against it 
being a Cynomys, as they call the common prairie dog, the harking squirrel of the Missouri. 
For the above reasons I am inclined to consider the Ardomys lewisii rather as a Cynomys , 
and quite possibly the same with the burrowing squirrel of Lewis and Clark, called Ardomys 
columbianus, by Ord, and Anisonyx brachyura, by Rafinesquo. 
