RODENT! A-MURINAE-NEOTOMA OCCIDENTALIS. 
407 
however, not appreciably shorter, the second claw reaching to the middle of the third; the 
fifth a little beyond the base of the fourth ; palms naked, with large tubercles or pads. The 
first toe short, its claw reaching to about the middle of the second, exclusive of its claw ; the 
third longest; the second and fourth equal and but little shorter ; the fifth claw reaching a 
little beyond the base of the fourth. The sole is densely hairy from the heel to the first pad, 
or for about one-third the length of the under part of the foot; from this point it is naked, with 
very large pads. All the claws are concealed by long hairs springing from their bases. The 
fur is rather harsh, not conspicuously softer than that of M. decumanus would be with longer 
hairs. The tail is longer than the body, exclusive of the head; thick, and densely clothed 
throughout with long hairs, more than an inch long, with a coarse crumpled fur between their 
bases ; it is cylindrical at the base, but towards the end is depressed and widens a little. 
The prevailing color of the upper parts is a very dark brown, nearly black, with a slight 
lining of yellowish brown, much overlaid by the former color ; with this there is a mixture of 
plumbeous, caused by the exposed bases of the hai-rs ; on the sides there is a tint of yellowish 
brown mixed with the black hairs, but becoming purer and clearer towards the belly. The 
outside of the limbs to the carpus and tarsus is much like the back ; the upper surface of the 
feet and under parts generally are dirty bluish white, mostly plumbeous at base. Interspersed 
everywhere over the back and upper part of the sides are black hairs, longer than the rest of 
the fur. The tail is white beneath. Above, it is like the back towards the base, but towards 
the tip it becomes of a more uniform brownish plumbeous. Viewed from above, the white of 
the lower surface is not distinctly visible. The hairs above at their bases, with the coarse wool 
intermixed, are grayish plumbeous. 
In a series of specimens collected both in winter and in summer there is no appreciable differ¬ 
ence in color, nor is there any closer resemblance to the true N. drummondii {N. cinerea ) than is 
described above. There is, however, an appreciable variation in the size of the ear. The tail, 
appears to be less bushy in summer, and the soles less densely hairy. 
Measurements. 
572 
• 8 
462. S 
463. Q 
Inches. 
Lines. 
Inches. 
Lines. 
Inches. 
Lines. 
Nose to occiput_ 
2 
5 
eve_____ 
1 
2 
ear_-____ 
2 
3 
root of tail_......___ 
10 
10 
8 
Tail, from root to end of vertebras_ 
8 
5 
8 
6 
5 
hairs_ 
9 
8 
9 
3 
7 
6 
Ears, height posteriorly_ 
11 
internally above notch_ 
1 
1 
Arm, fore foot to end of claws_ 
1 
101 
longest claw___ 
2 
If 
Leg, hind foot from heel to end of claws_ 
1 
8 
1 
H 
1 
7 
longest claw. ____ 
2#. 
H 
63 L 
