[42.] 8. A rvicola (G eorychus) Hudsonius. Hudson’s Bay Lemming.
Mus Hudsonius. F orster, Phil.. Trans., Mi. p. 379. Pallas, Glir., p. 208. Lin . Gmel., 137.
Hudson’s rat. P ennant, Quadr., vol. ii. p. 201. Arctic Zoology, vol. i. p. 132.
Hare-tailed Mouse. Hearne, Joum., p. 387-
Lemmus Hudsonius. Captain Sabine, Parry's First Voy., Suppl., p. clxxxv. Mr. Sabine, Franklin's
Joum., p. 661. Diet, des Sciences Nat., tom. viii. p. 666. Harlan, Fauna, p. 146.
Arvicola Hudsonia. Richardson, Parry's Second Voy., App., p.-308.
Hudson’s .Bay Lemming. G o d m a n , Nat. Hist., vol. ii. p. 73.
Spec. 107 a. Br it ish Museum.
A. Georychus (Hudsonius) exauriculatus, unguibus duolus anticis intermediis maximis compressis ii-mucronatis,
(mucrone uno super alterum).
Hudson’s Bay Lemming, earless, with two middle claws of the fore-feet unusually large, compressed, their very blunt
extremity being rendered double by a deep transverse notch.
This curious animal was first described by Forster, from a mutilated specimen,
and afterwards more fully by Pallas, who received a number of its skins from
Labrador, one of which he sent to Pennant. A specimen, preserved in the
Museum du Roi, at Paris, is described in the Diet, des Sciences, and there is an
excellent specimen in the British Museum.
We did not meet with this lemming in the interior of America, and I believe it
has hitherto been found only near the sea. It inhabits Labrador, Hudson’s Straits,
and the coast from Churchill to the extremity of Melville Peninsula, as well as the
islands of the Polar sea, visited by Captain Parry. Its habits are still imperfectly
known. In summer, according to Hearne, it burrows under stones, in dry ridges,
and Captain Sabine informs us that in winter it resides in a nest of moss on the
surface of the ground, rarely going abroad. The former author likewise acquaints
us that it is very inoffensive, and so easily tamed, that if taken even when full
grown, it will in a day or two be perfectly reconciled, very fond of being handled,
and will creep of its own accord into its master’s neck or bosom.
' DESCRIPTION.
The body is thick, the head short and rounded, nose obtuse, eyes very small, and there are
no exterior ears. The legs are short, and the tail is so short, that only the stiff hairs of its end
project beyond the fur of the hips. The upper incisors are whitish, curved, flat anteriorly,
and have even cutting edges. The lower ones are a little longer and more slender. The fu r
is remarkably fine and pretty long, blackish-gray from the roots to the tips, which are on the
dorsal aspect white, dark brown and. black. The result is a beautiful mottling of these
colours, in which the dark brown predominates on the crown of the head and dorsal line:
there is more white towards the sides. On the under parts of the cheeks, on the chest,
about the ears, and on the sides, a bright rust colour prevails. The ventral aspect is grayish-
white, more or less tinged with the rust colour. The extremely short tail is closely covered
with stiff white , hairs that converge to a point at its end.
The feet are clothed with long white hairs. On the fore-feet there are four toes, with a
minute rudiment of a thumb, not armed with any nail whatever. The two middle toes are
of equal length, and are each furnished with a disproportionately large claw, which is compressed,
deep, very blunt at th e ' extremity, and is there separated into two layers by a
transverse furrow. The upper layer is thinner, thé lower one has a blunt rounded
outline. The latter has been described as an enlargement of; fie callus which exists beneath
the roots of the claws of the lemmings and' meadow-mice ; it appears to me, however, to be
of the same substance with the superior portion of the nail. Thé outer and inner toes have
curved, sharp, pointed claws. The hind-feet have five toes, armed with slender^ curved claws,
like those of the other lemmings. The two middle claws, however, in full-grown individuals,
shew some approach to the peculiar form of those on the fore-feet.
: In the females and young, the subjacent production of themlaws is less conspicuous. The
description is drawn up from a summer specimen. In the winter, the tips of the hairs are
white, but Hearne says the white colour'of their fur never' appears so pure as that of the
ermine.
D im e n s io n s .
Inches. Lines. '' • Inches. Lines*
Length of body and hëad . . . 5 4 I Length of tail . • • * 9 - 5 (
" , bead . . . . . 1 4 | ,, middle fore-claw . . 0 4£