any of various small short-tailed rodents of the northern hemisphere having soft fur gray above and white below with well-furred tails and large ears; some are hosts for Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis (Lyme disease ticks)

• 北半球的各种短尾小型啮齿动物，身体上部为灰色软毛，下部为白色，尾部多毛，耳朵大；一些身上寄生有太平洋硬蜱或肩胛