they are blackish at the roots, then yellowish-brown for a short space, then brownish-black
for more than half their length ; and, lastly, tipped with pale brownish-white.
Extremities.—There is a tuft of four or five longer hairs on the posterior part of the
fore-leg. The toes are well separated, and are covered above with short adpressed hairs.
They are naked beneath, and have a callous enlargement at the roots of the claws. The
palms are also naked, and have similar callous eminences to those mentioned in the
description of A. Richardsonii. The very small thumb is protected and almost entirely
covered by a short, convex, rounded nail, and is situated on-the inner side of a large
tubercle at the posterior part of the palm. The toes and claws have the same relative
length to each other as those of the A. Richardsonii, but the claws are larger in proportion.
The hind-feet are also similar in form to those of the animal just-mentioned. About half
an inch of the sole, next the heel, is well clothed with hair, the remainder is naked.
Dimensions.
Length of head and body , 12 to 14 0
,, head . » . 3 0
„ tail (vertebras) » 3 0
i ,, tail including fur . 4 6
,, from the orbit to end of the nose 1 0
„ orbit . , 0 5
In ch e s. L in e s .
Length of the palm and middle fore-toe . 1 4
,, the middle fore-claw • . 0 7
i from heel to point of middle hinddaw
. « . . 2 2
„ the middle hind-daw . . 0 4
A r c t o m y s P a r r y i , var. /3, e r y t h r o g l u t e i a .
This variety, procured by Mr. Drummond on the Rocky Mountains, near the
sources of the Elk River, in latitude 57% differs from the preceding merely in
being of somewhat smaller size, with a proportionally shorter head, longer tail,
smaller claws, and an ear about as high again, and of a more ovate form. There
is an obscure brownish streak down the centre of the back, the black hairs predominate
on the upper part of the neck, and the space between the ear and eye is
occupied by an intimate intermixture of black and white hairs. The feet and
posterior surface of the hips and thighs are of a bright brownish-red colour. In all
other respects the resemblance to var. a, is very close.
Dimensions of- var. 0.
Length of head and body .. •
Inches..
ir 0
head . . • . 2 4
tail (vertebrae) 3 6
„ tail, fur included- . 5 3
,, palm and middle fore-claw 1 2
In c h e s. L in e s.
Length, of middle fore, claw . »■' ® ■
from heel to end of middle hindclaw'
. . . . 1 9
middle hind claw . . . 0 4
A r c t o m y s P a r r y i , var. y , p i i .e o g n a t h a .
There is a specimen of a third variety in the Museum of the Zoological Society,
which was also brought from Hudson’s Bay, but the particular district not
mentioned. It is characterized chiefly by a well-defined, deep, chestnut-coloured
mark under the eye.