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Show 254 EXPLORATION OF THE CANONS OF THE COLORADO. The longer claws are much compressed, moderately curved, acute, falcate, or sharp-edged underneath, except at the end, where the sides separate with a slight excavation. The back of the hand is moderately pilous, with short, soft hairs; the toes being fringed with rather longer and more bristly ones. The perfectly smooth and naked palm ends behind in an immense protuberance (as elsewhere in the family), which consists, in effect, of an exterior and an interior callosity, united by a slightly-constricted isthmus. This wrist-bulb is overhung by a special tuft of short, bristly hairs. The sole is naked like the palm, but much narrower and longer (the equality in total length of hand and foot being brought about by the length of the fore claws) ; it contracts regularly from before behind, ending in a prominent but narrow calcaneum. The upper surface of the foot is hairy like the back of the hand. The 3d digit is longest; the 2d and 4th are subequal to each other, and the tips of their claws reach about to the base of the middle claw. The 1st and 5th are again about equal to each other, but abruptly much shorter than the others ; the tips of their claws hardly or not attaining the base of the 2d and 4th digits. The hind claws are of the same character as those of the hand, but very much shorter. The tail, as in other species of the family, is surrounded at base by a conical enlargement-a prolongation of the body, haired like the rest of the frame, which, in the rutting-season, becomes highly tumid underneath, rendering it still more difficult to say where the tail actually begins. Measured from its true base, as well as this can be ascertained without dissection (from the true base as far as external form is concerned), the tail is more than one-third, but decidedly less than one-half, of the length of head and body together- say about two-fifths. In an average specimen, 7 inches long, the tail may be about 2.75. Measured from where the long hair of the body ceases, or from its apparent base, the tail is about one-third of the length of head and body. This member is somewhat quadrangular, the flattening being especially noticeable underneath ; it gradually tapers to an obtuse tip, and is pilous throughout, being clothed with short, soft hairs like those covering the hands and feet. In the male as well as in the female, the genital aperture is immediately in front of the anus. In the rutting-season, the enlargement of the parts is chiefly post-anal; there being a great swelling behind the anus, which carries the anus away from the apparent base of the tail. The os penis is a slender, |
