‖ ondatra
(ɒnˈdætrə)
[Native Canadian name: so in F. (Buffon). Adopted as a generic name in H. F. Link Beyträge zur Naturgeschichte (1795) I. ii. 52.]
The North American musk-rat, Ondatra zibethicus; = musk-rat 1.
| 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) I. 454 The Ondatra is a native of Canada. Ibid. (1776) IV. 78 The Ondatra..is about the size of a small rabbit, but has the hair, the colour, and the tail of a rat, except that it is flatted on the sides. 1867 Amer. Naturalist I. 400 The Musk-rat, or Ondatra (Fiber zibethicus), so extensively diffused over North America. |