PROCEEDINGS OF THE Biological Society of Washington VOLUME XI 1897 WASHINGTON PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY 1897 COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS C. HART MERRIAM, Chairman T. S. PALMER F. H. KNOWLTON JUDD & DETWEILER, Printers CONTENTS Page Officers and committees for 1897 v Proceedings vii-xii Descriptions of the Species of Cycadeoidea or Fossil Cycadean Trunks from the Iron Ore Belt, Potomac Formation, of Mary land, by Lester F. Ward 1-17 Revision of the Coyotes or Prairie Wolves, by C. Hart Merriam. 19-33 Collomia mazama, a New Plant from Crater Lake, Oregon, by Frederick V. Coville 35-37 Delphinium viridescens and Sambucus leiosperma, Two New Plants from the Northwest Coast, by John B. Leiberg 39-41 Descriptions of Two New Marine Opossums from Mexico, by C. Hart Merriam 43-44 Phenacomys preblei, a New Vole from Colorado, by C. Hart Mer riam 45 Notes on the Lynxes of Eastern North America, with Descrip tions of New Forms, by Outram Bangs 47-51 Description of a New Red Fox from Nova Scotia, by Outram Bangs 53-55 The Itinerary of John Jeffrey, an Early Botanical Explorer of Western North America, by Frederick V. Coville 57-60 The Technical Name of the Camas Plant, by Frederick V. Coville. 61-65 Description of a New Vole from Oregon, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr.. 67-68 A Species of Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis Gould) New to the North American Fauna, by Jonathan Dwight, Jr 69-70 Descriptions of Two New Red-backed Mice (Evotomys) from Oregon, by C. Hart Merriam 71-72 The Voles of the Subgenus Chilotus, with Descriptions of New Species, by C. Hart Merriam 73-75 Synopsis of Voles of Genus Phenacomys, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. . 77-87 Synopsis of the American Sesarmse, with Description of a New Species, by Mary J. Rathbun 89-92 Synopsis of the American Species of Palicus Philippi, with De scriptions of Six New Species, by Mary J. Rathbun 93-99 Two New Moles from California and Oregon, by C. Hart Merriam . 101-102 Three New Jumping Mice (Zapus) from the Northwest, by C. Hart Merriam .' 103-104 Description of a New Species ofiSphtsroma, by Harriet Richardson . 105-107 Synopsis of the American Species of Ethusa, with Description of a New Species, by Mary J. Rathbun 109-110 Revision of the Genus Evotomys, by Vernon Bailey 113-138 Description of a New Bat from Margarita Island, Venezuela, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr 139 Description of a New Vole from Kashmir, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. 141 Description of a New Muskrat from the Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia, by C. Hart Merriam 143 Descriptions of a New Eagle from Alaska and a New Squirrel from Lower California, by C. H. Townsend 145-146 Lepus baileyi, a New Rabbit from Wyoming, by C. Hart Merriam . 147-148 The African Swimming Crabs of the Genus Callinectes, by Mary J. Rathbun 149-151 A Revision of the Nomenclature of the Brachyura, by Mary J. Rathbun 153-167 Two ISew Plants from Mount Mazama, Oregon, by Frederick V. Coville and John B. Leiberg 169-171 Notes on the Nomenclature of Four Genera of Tropical American Mammals, by T. S. Palmer 173-174 A New Fur-seal or Sea-bear (Arctocephalus townsendi) from Guada- lupe Island, off Lower California, by C. Hart Merriam 175-178, (Ui) iv Contents and Illustrations. Page A New Antrozous from California, by C. Hart Merriam 179-180 Description of a New Genus and Species of Sphseromidse from Alaskan Waters, by Harriet Richardson 181-183 Description of a New Bassariscus from Lower California, with Remarks on 'JBassaris raptor' Baird, by C. Hart Merriam 185-187 Notes on Chipmunks from the Western United States, with De scriptions of New Forms, by C. Hart Merriam 181>-21 2 Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers ( Thomomys), from Ore gon, California, and Nevada, by C. Hart Merriam 213-216 Ovis nelsoni, a New Mountain Sheep from the Desert Region of Southern California, by C. Hart Merriam 217-218 Descriptions of Two New Pumas from the Northwestern United States, by C. Hart Merriam 219-220 Descriptions of Five New Rodents from . the Coast Region of Alaska, by C. Hart Merriam 221-223 Description of a New Flying Squirrel from Ft. Klamath, Oregon, by C. Hart Merriam 225 Descriptions of Five New Shrews from Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia, by C. Hart Merriam 227-230 Diagnoses of New Fishes from Bering Sea, by Theo. Gill and Chas. H. Townsend 231-234 Mammals from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador, by Outram Bangs 235-240 A List of the Generic and Family Names of Rodents, by T. S. Palmer ". ." 241-270 Cervus roosevelti, a New Elk from the Olympics, by C. Hart Mer riam ." 271-275 Nelsonia neotomodon, a New Genus and Species of Murine Rodent from Mexico, by C. Hart Merriam 277-279 A New Pine Squirrel from California, by Outram Bangs 281-282 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES I. Collomia mazama Coville, A New Plant. II. Skulls of Lynxes. III. Skulls of Evotomys. IV. Color phases of Evotomys proteus Bangs. TEXT FIGURES Page Figure 1. Postpalatal region of Lynx 48 2. Postpalatal region of Cervaria 48 3. Dorsal view of Sphteroma destructor 105 4. Mandibular appendage of Sphseroma destructor 106 5. Legs of Sphxroma destructor 3 06 6. Teeth of Callinectes latimanus 151 7. Abdomen of Callinectes latimanus 151 8. Chela of Callinectes latimanus 151 9. Tecticeps alascensis 181 10. Antennae of Tecticeps alascensis. . . . 182 11. Mandible and appendage of Tecticeps alascensis 182 12. Legs of Tecticeps alascensis 183 13. Molars of Microtns pennsylvanicus and M. enixus 239 14. Molars of Nelsonia neotomodon and Neotoma desertorum . . . 278 15. Skull of Nelsonia neotomodon 279 OFFICERS AND COUNCIL OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON For 1897 (ELECTED DECEMBER 19, 1896) OFFICERS President L. 0. HOWARD Vice- Presidents RICHARD RATHBUN B. E. FERNOW C. D. WALCOTT F. V. COVILLE Recording Secretary CHARLES L. POLLARD Corresponding Secretary F. A. LUCAS Treasurer F. H. KNOWLTON COUNCIL WM. H. ASHMEAD GEORGE M. STERNBERG* WILLIAM H. DALL* CH. WARDELL STILES THEODORE GILL* FREDERICK W. TRUE EDWARD L. GREENE M. B. WAITE C. HART MERRIAM* LESTER F. WARD* CHARLES A. WHITE* STANDING COMMITTEES 1897 Committee on Communications B. E. FERNOW, Chairman WM. H. ASHMEAD E. A. DE SCHWEINITZ F. V. COVILLE M. B. WAITE Committee on Publications C. HART MERRIAM, Chairman T. S. PALMER F. H. KNOWLTON Delegate to the Joint Commission L. O. HOWARD * Ex-Presidents of the Society. (V) VOL. XI, PP. VII-XM DECEMBER 30, 1897 PROCEEDINGS BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PROCEEDINGS. The Society meets in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club on alternate Saturdays at 8 p. m. Brief notices of the meetings, with abstracts of the papers, are published in Science. January 2, 1897 269th Meeting. The President in the chair and 45 persons present. F. A. Lucas exhibited skulls of the fur-seal showing deform ities of the jaw-bones. The following communications were presented : E. W. Nelson : New Birds from Mexico.* F. A. Lucas : On the Natural Mortality among Fur-seals. January 16, 1897 270th Meeting. The President in the chair and 36 persons present. Theo. Holm exhibited a copy of Fuchs' ' Histoire des Plantes,' published in 1549 ; also the first and last volumes of the ' Flora Danica.' He then exhibited a specimen of Draba hyperborea, calling attention to its monopodial development. W. T v Swingle exhibited some algse from the Bay of Naples, remarkable for the size of their special cells. V. K. Chesnut showed specimens of Oicuta vagans and Nerium oleander, discussing their poisonous properties. The following communications were presented : David White : Unity or Plurality of Type Specimens in Paleontology. *The Auk, XIV, pp. 42-76, Jan., 1897. (vii) viii The Biological Society of Washington. David White : A New Lycopodineous Cone from the Coal Measures of Missouri.* Edward L. Greene: The Development of the Idea of a Genus. M. A. Carleton : The Ontogenetic Separation of Puccinia gra- minis avenas from P. graminis tritici. January 30, 1897 271st Meeting. The President in the chair and 45 persons present. The following communications were presented : C. Hart Merriam : The Pribilof Island Hair Seal. C. H. Townsend : The Origin of the Alaskan Live Mammoth Story.f Frank Benton : The Giant Bee of India. L. 0. Howard : Parasites of Shade Tree Insects in Washing ton. J February 27, 1897 272d Meeting. The President in the chair and 28 persons present. The following communications were presented : C. H. Townsend : The Distribution and Migration of the Northern Fur-seal. Charles L. Pollard : What Constitutes a Type in Botany ? Lester F. Ward : Descriptions of Seven Species of Cycadeoidea from the Iron Ore Deposits of Maryland. || March 13, 1897 273d Meeting. The President in the chair and 30 persons present. The following communications were presented : T. W. Vaughan and R. T. Hill : The Lower Cretaceous Gry- pheas of the Texas Region. Charles F. Dawson : The Dissemination of Infectious Diseases by Insects.^]" *To be published in Monographs U. S. Geol. Survey. fThe Alaska Live Mammoth Story. 0. Ct/cas sp. Tyson, First Report State Agric. Chem. Maryland, p. 42. 1870. Bennettites sp. Carruthers, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, vol. XXVI, p. 708. 1879. Cycadeoidea sp. Fontaine, Am. Journ. Sci., 3d ser. , vol. XVII, p. ' 157. 1889. Tysonia Marylandica Fontaine, Potomac or Younger Mesozoic Flora, Monogr. (l. S. Geol. Survey, vol. XV, p. 193, pi. clxxiv-clxxx. 1892. Cycadeoidea Marylandica (Font.) Cap. and Solms, Mem. Real. Accad. Sci. 1st Bologna, ser. V, torn. II, pp. 179, 180, 186. Trunks of medium or rather large size, almost always more or less later ally compressed so as to be elliptical in cross section, conical in shape or slightly narrowed near the base with a terminal bud set in a slight de pression at the summit, simple, or in one specimen, apparently having one branch ; mineral constitution very variable according to mode of preservation, but usually not hard, flinty, or heavy and compact ; reddish, pinkish, drab, or ash colored ; 25 to 45 centimeters high, 24 to 40 centi- 2 HIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 10 \V(n'd Species of Cycadeoideafrom Munjloml. meters in longer and 12 to 26 centimeters in shorter diameter, with a girth of from 70 centimeters to one meter; organs constituting the armor pro ceeding at a right angle to the axis except above, where they are ascending, and near the base, where they are sometimes slightly descending ; leaf scars arranged in two series of spiral rows crossing each other usually at a different angle to the axis of the trunk, the angle varying from 30 to 75; scars usually subrhombic, i. e., with the lateral angles nearly equal and the vertical ones unequal, the lower more acute than the upper, the latter often reduced to a mere groove or wanting entirely and the two upper sides together forming an arch, the whole scar simulating a drawn bow and bowstring, but sometimes triangular, the upper sides joined along a horizontal line, or more irregular in shape, occasional!} 7 with four curved sides and four acute angles; the width as represented by a line joining the two lateral angles varying from 15 to 25 millimeters, and the height as represented by a line joining the two vertical angles (which would rarely be parallel to the axis of the trunk) varying from 6 to 15 milli meters ; remains of the petioles usually present in the scars at differ ent distances from the summit, often bearing evidence of having been disarticulated at a natural joint, sometimes indicating the existence of two such joints at different depths in the scars, and showing that these joints consist of a diaphragm across the petiole which may remain after the substance of the petiole has partly decayed below it leaving a hollow space, portions of the outermost diaphragms also sometimes adhering to the sides of the scars in the form of a ridge surrounding them ; vascular bundles rarely visible under an ordinary lens, but occasionally seen in the form of a row near the outer margin all round the leaf base with a few near the center; ramentum walls usually rather thick, but vary ing from less than L millimeter to 9 millimeters, ordinarily with a more or less distinct line marking the junction of the parts belonging to ad jacent petioles (commissure), sometimes with a distinct plate or layer of less compact tissue between these, occasionally but rarely affected with pits or small bract scars especially in the angles; reproductive organs usually abundant, often solid and protruding, generally more or less dis tinctly marked in the center by the remains of the essential organs and surrounded by bract scars in several concentric rows, but often decayed in various degrees, leaving corresponding funnel-shaped cavities, com monly elliptical in cross-section, wider than high, very variable in size, the major axis 15 to 40 millimeters and the minor 10 to 30 millimeters ; armor thin, 2 to 5 centimeters, usually joined to the internal parts by a clear line, but without measurable thickness, but sometimes very irregu larly so joined and occasionally showing a thin libro-cambium layer; woody zone 3 to 10 centimeters thick, usually with two or three more or less distinct rings, the outer or parenchymatous zone thicker and firmer than the inner or fibrovascular zone ; medulla usually homogeneous in structure, elliptical, the major axis 8 to 17 centimeters, the minor 3 to 9 centimeters. Eighteen specimens are referred to this species. The type specimens are of course the originals of Tyson, of which the one photographed by Species of Cycadeoidea from Maryland. 11 him should stand at the head. I shall refer to it as No. 1 of the speci mens at the Johns Hopkins University, although Professor Fontaine calls it No. 2. It is the largest and most perfect of the trunks belonging to this species. The other nearly perfect trunk of the original lot, which Professor Fontaine calls No. 1, will be referred to as "Johns Hopkins Cycads No. 2." The other two specimens described by Professor Fon taine were fragments, and were called by him " fragment No. 1" and "fragment No. 2." The first of these belongs to another species, as will be seen below. His " fragment No. 2" probably belongs to this species,' but is somewhat anomalous. It will be referred to as " Johns Hopkins Cycads No. 3." A few years ago Professor Clark informed me that an other specimen had been found about the University buildings, but he could give no further account of it. With his permission I have exam ined and described it and have had photographs made not only of this, but also of the other two fragments, which had not hitherto been illus trated. The newly found specimen, although not an entire trunk, is much more complete than either of the other fragments. It clearly be longs to this species, and will be referred to as " Johns Hopkins Cycads No. 5." The largest specimen in the Museum of the Maryland Academy of Sciences also belongs to this species, although it has suffered much from wear and many of the characters are obscured. It will be referred to as "Maryland Academy Cycads No. 1." The remaining thirteen specimens belong to the Woman's College and embrace the following numbers of the museum of that college: 1192, 1428, 1481, 1486, 1656, 1657, 3050, 3051, 3056, 3057, 3324, 3328, 3341. Many of these are fine specimens, consisting of nearly complete trunks, and of the specific identity of such there is no doubt, but there are several small and im perfect fragments, which scarcely show characters enough to render their specific assignment safe. In these and all similar cases I reserve the right to alter the assignment in case further study or future discovery shall seem to require it. The most important of these specimens is No. 1481 , because, besides being a nearly perfect trunk, showing all the typ ical characters, it is the only one of Mr. Bibbins' specimens whose exact stratigraphical position is definitely determined. Cycadeoidea Tysoniana n. sp. Trunk medium sized or large, more or less compressed laterally ; leaves slightly ascending; leaf scars arranged in spiral rows, 9 millimeters high, 22 millimeters wide, subrhombic, empty to some depth, petioles persistent at base, the vascular bundles arranged in one row near the exterior and a group near the center, often persisting after the decay of the remaining substance ; ramentum walls thin, often with a layer of spongy substance in the middle, wrinkled on the edges ; reproductive organs few and small ; armor 5 centimeters thick ; libro-cambium zone sometimes distinct, 3 millimeters thick; woody zone 6 to 8 centimeters thick, consisting of a broad outer parenchymatous layer 4 to 6 centimeters thick, and a narrow inner vascular zone 1 centimeter thick, the latter usually between open 12 11 u I'd *Sy)(T/r-s o/ Oycdd&yidcQ. fi'om Mo/rylcLnd. tissue without and within, its inner wall strongly marked with longi tudinal grooves ; medulla distinct and homogeneous, light and porous. This species is represented only by a single specimen, No. 1472 of the Woman's College. It approaches C. Marylandica in some respects, but differs in the larger leaf scars, thinner walls, thicker armor, and the great paucity of reproductive organs. It is to be regretted that Professor Fon taine did not name the original species with which Mr. Tyson's name will always be so intimately connected in his honor instead of the genus, ' which must fall before the laws of nomenclature. I have endeavored in the above name to supply the defect in some small degree. Cycadeoidea McGeeana n. sp. Trunks low and flat, with ample diameter, sometimes three times as thick as high, yellowish, brown, or nearly black, more or less porous and spongy, and of low specific gravity ; leaves and spadices set nearly at right angles to the axis ; leaf scars arranged somewhat definitely in quincunx order and disposed in spiral rows around the trunk, small and uniform in shape, subrhombic with the vertical angles obtuse, the lateral ones acute, narrow-elongate, 6 to 10 millimeters in vertical by 16 to 20 millimeters in lateral dimensions, averaging 8 by 20 millimeters, usually empty by the disappearance of the leaf bases, at least to a considerable depth ; ramen- tum walls thin, often less than one millimeter, with or without evident commissure, and with occasional punctations ; axes of inflorescence few and scattering, sometimes projecting and filled with the substance of the spadix, sometimes cavitous from the decay of the essential organs, sur rounded by obtusely triangular or somewhat crescent-shaped bract scars ; armor 4 to 5 centimeters thick ; liber and cambium sometimes distin guishable; woody zone usually divided into two or three rings; medulla large, porous. A very distinct species of low and squat trunks, some of them having almost the form of a car wheel, only a very small part of which can be due to vertical compression. The external organs, however, closely re semble those of C. Tysonicma. It embraces seven specimens, all belong ing to the Woman's College, as follows: Nos. 1471, 1659 and 1659, which belong together, 3055, 3068, 3323, 3325, and 3349. The most complete specimen is No. 1471, which is taken as the type and which has been cut through vertically and the surfaces polished. The specimen consisting of the two complementary fragments 1659 and 1659 is also very interest ing, though representing only about two-thirds of the whole trunk. The other specimens are all fragments. I have named the species for Mr. W J McGee, by whom the Potomac formation was named and whose extensive studies in that formation are well known. As stated above, it was largely through his efforts that in terest in the cycads of the formation was revived, and he it was who caused the photographs to be taken that were used to illustrate Professor Fontaine's monograph of the flora. Species of Cycadeo idea from Maryland. 13 Cycadeoidea Fontaineana n. sp. Trunks small and low, usually much compressed or flattened vertically, light brown to whitish in color, often spongy or porous and of low specific gravity ; leaves and spadices set nearly at right angles to the axis ; leaf scars not obviously arranged in spiral rows or imperfectly so arranged, variable and irregular in shape, usually with four angles and four curved sides, often in the form of a cross, rarely subrhombic, small, 8 to 12 milli meters in vertical and 14 to 25 millimeters in lateral measurement, averag ing 10 by 19 millimeters ; ramentum walls thick, 4 to 10 millimeters, usually without commissure or punctations ; leaf bases rarely present, when so, spongy or porous without visible bundles; terminal bud (present in one specimen) 6 centimeters high, 65 millimeters broad at the down wardly convex base, definitely bounded below, symmetrically conical above, consisting of a mass of densely matted bracts imbricated along a central axis ; reproductive organs few and imperfectly defined, usually cavitous in the center and sometimes surrounded by irregular-shaped bract scars ; armor rather thin, 2 to 4 centimeters ; liber and cambium obscure ; woody axis divided into several rings, sometimes consisting of a loose, open structure separated by thin, firm plates, the inner face next the medulla definitely marked by the remains of vessels and medullary rays ; medulla large, marked on the external surface by thin longitudinal ridges or lamellse varying from 1 to 3 centimeters in length, the ends over lapping adjacent ones (Cycadeomyelon Saporta), internal parts coarse and porous or somewhat chambered. This species resembles C. McGeeana in the general form of the trunks, but the external organs are very different. It embraces fifteen specimens, all but two of which belong to Mr. Bibbins' collection. The two smaller specimens in Museum of the Maryland Academy of Sciences have been somewhat doubtfully referred to this species. They are fragments, and show so few characters that their specific relations are obscure. The other specimens bear the following numbers of the Museum of the Woman's College of Baltimore: 1467, 1470, 1473, 1485, 1488, 1658, 3046, 3122, 3326, 3327, 3346, 3347, 3350. No. 1467 has been taken as the type of the species, although it does not show quite all the characters. It has the most per fect terminal bud in the entire collection, and a vertical section of the specimen has been made which passes through the center of the bud. There are two other specimens of special interest ; one of these is No. 1470, which consists of a fine piece of the medulla, with its characteristic ex ternal mar-kings (Cycadeomyelon of Saporta), to which is attached a por tion of the armor and connecting tissues in such a manner as to show their relations. The other is No. 3046, called the "chicken trough" because so used by its owner at the time of its discovery. The large decayed cavity at the summit affords an excellent view of the structure of the in ternal parts. The remaining specimens are fragments of greater or less completeness. In naming this species I have wished to commemorate the pioneer in vestigator of the deposits from which the cycads are derived and to whom 14 ]\'urd fyw.ies of Oycadeoidea, from Maryland. science is indebted for the greater part of all that is known of the flora of these deposits. Cycadeoidea Goucheriana n. sp. Trunk large, cylindrico-conical with elliptical cross section, 30 to 50 centimeters high, 25 to 50 centimeters in diameter, light colored and of low specific gravity, somewhat chalky and friable; lower leaves some what deflexed, upper ones ascending, the line between the two definite and encircling the trunk near the middle ; leaf scars arranged in two sets of spiral rows, both having nearly the same angle to the axis, 45 or greater; scars variable in size and shape, chiefly subrhombic to nearly triangular with curved or fluted sides, inner wall of the tubes marked by a raised line around it; scars averaging 11 millimeters in vertical and 23 millimeters in lateral measurement; leaf bases usually absent or only adhering to the bottom of the scars ; ramentum walls thick, more or less divided into irregular laminae or scales with fissures between them, their outer edges ragged ; reproductive organs numerous, well marked, irregu larly scattered over the surface, most abundant at the narrower sides, usually cavitous in the center, sometimes solid and protruding, surrounded by concentrically arranged crescent-shaped bract scars, sometimes well exposed and clearly distinguishable into spadix and involucre, the scales of the latter imbricated, the entire organ conical with the apex toward the axis of the trunk : armor 3 to 5 centimeters thick, separated from the wood by a definite line ; woody zone 4 centimeters thick, consisting of an outer parenchymatous ring 3 centimeters thick, a thin ring of loose open structure, and two thin plates separated by another ring of coarse cells divided by radial partitions, the inner walls of both plates marked with the scars of the medullary rays, the pattern different in the two cases, the scars on the inner plate 13 millimeters long, those on the outer longer and tapering upward; medulla large, elliptical, tapering upward, of a coarse, homogeneous structure. Only one specimen referable to this species has thus far been brought to light, but this is one of the most perfect and also one of the most beau tiful of all that have been discovered in the Iron Ore beds. It is further of special interest from the circumstance that its exact stratigraphical and local position when found is so thoroughly vouched for that there is little room for doubt in the matter. It is with great pleasure that I name it in honor of Dr. John F. Goucher, president of the Woman's College of Balti more, to whose liberal and munificent policy the entire collection is due. Cycadeoidea Uhleri n. sp. Trunks small, 28 centimeters high, 20 centimeters in diameter, 50 to 60 centimeters in girth at the thickest part, circular, or only slightly ellip tical in cross section, conical or somewhat cylindrical-conical in shape, contracted at the base, silicified, but porous and light, reddish or gray in color ; leaf scars definitely arranged in quincunx order and spiral rows Species of Cycadeoidea from Maryland. 15 around the trunk, one of these sets of rows ascending at an angle of 45 to the axis, the other at a much greater angle ; subtriangular, the upper side arched and sometimes slightly grooved, lateral angles acute, inferior angle obtuse or rounded; scars uniform in size, 18 millimeters wide and 9 millimeters high ; ramentum walls 4 to 5 millimeters thick, commissure distinct, the whole punctured with minute rhombic, triangular, or ellip tical bract scars, deeply penetrating the structures ; leaf bases usually wanting, but sometimes nearly filling the cavities ; vascular bundles few, arranged in a row near the upper side of the petiole and others scattered over other parts; petioles all reflexed or pointing downward at a strong angle; reproductive organs numerous, situated directly over the leaf scars, i. e., axillary, ellipical in outline, 15 millimeters wide, 10 milli meters high, the center occupied by the remains of the essential organs or by a circular cavity where these have disappeared ; bract scars small and numerous, somewhat curved and arranged concentrically around the spadix, also passing out into the ramentum walls ; armor 3 to 5 centi meters thick ; woody zone 15 to 35 millimeters thick, divided into two or three rings ; medulla about 5 centimeters in diameter, cylindrical or elliptical according to the shape of the trunk, heterogeneous in composi tion, being traversed by dike-like plates of a hard substance dividing it into chambers, often wanting, leaving a hollow cente'r to the trunk. Only two specimens are referable to this species, both of which agree almost exactly and show the distinct specific characters which so clearly separate it from all the others. The most perfect of these specimens was kindly sent me by Professor Uhler for comparison with the one in Mr. Bibbins' collection, which bears the number 1429 of the Museum of the Woman's College. This latter is a fragment freshly broken from a larger piece, which has not yet been recovered, although considerable is known of its history. It must have been taller than the perfect trunk and per haps more cylindrical in shape. The other and almost complete conical trunk also has a history which I have not as yet sufficient data to record, but this much seems clear, that both these specimens were originally found at nearly the same spot. No one has taken greater interest in the fossil cycads of Maryland than Professor P. R. Uhler, so long president of the Maryland Academy of Sciences and now Provost of the Peabody Institute of Baltimore, and it is fitting that this species should bear his name. Cycadeoidea Bibbinsi n. sp. Trunks large, 40 to 60 centimeters high, laterally compressed, girth of largest specimen 1 meter, of next in size 88 centimeters, shorter axis of cross section one half to two thirds of longer axis, contracted to ward the summit, terminating in a conical bud 30 centimeters high, or, where this is wanting, in a concave depression, thoroughly silicified throughout, heavy and solid, of a dark color ; all the organs of the armor nearly at right angles to the axis of the trunk ; leaf scars arranged spirally around the trunk in imperfect quincuncial order, subrhombic, 16 Ward Species of Oycadeoidea from JI2; tail vertebra, 304; hind foot, 195. Cranial measurements. Adult tf from Cerro San Felipe: basal length, 164 ; basilar length of Hensel, 160 ; zygomatic breadth, 98 ; palatal length, 84; mastoid breadth, 59; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 21. Canis peninsulas sp. nov. Type locality. Santa Anita, Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. Type No. 74245, (5* adult, U. S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. Collected May 15, 1895, by J. E. McLellan. General characters. Similar to C. ochropus in size, large ears, and rich coloration, but colors darker and redder, underside of tail blacker ; belly marked with black-tipped hairs ; rostrum much broader. Color. Muzzle cinnamon rufous, the cheeks abundantly mixed with black hairs, almost forming a black patch under eyes ; top of head griz zled grayish fulvous, mixed with black hairs between and above eyes ; ears rich fulvous ; upper parts buffy-ochraceous profusely mixed with black (under fur pale fulvous) ; under parts strongly washed with buffy- ochraceous or even pale fulvous, with numerous black-tipped hairs be- Revision of the Coyotes. 29' tween fore legs and along middle of belly ; long hairs of throat forming a strongly marked collar, tinged with buffy and conspicuously mixed with black-tipped hairs ; fore and hind legs and feet fulvous ; underside of tail fulvous, whitish basally ; distal half with long hairs conspicuously tipped with black, forming a black veil over the fulvous. Cranial and dental characters. The skull which Cams peninsalx resem bles most closely is an adult male from the Cerro San Felipe, State of Oaxaca, Mexico, assumed to belong to the species named cagottis by Hamilton Smith. The skull of the type specimen of peninsulse agrees with the Cerro San Felipe skull essentially in size and general characters, but the rostrum is not so short and broad (in the Cerro San Felipe skull it is remarkably broad posteriorly), and the lateral teeth, though large, are uniformly smaller and less swollen. The difference is most marked in the lower jaw. Compared with C. frustror from Texas, the skull of pen'msulce is shorter, the frontal shield lessel evated posteriorly, and the lateral teeth larger. Compared with its neighbor from the interior of California, C. ochropus, the rostrum is very much broader, the whole skull heavier and more massive, the horizontal ramus of the mandible deeper and more * bellied,' and the lateral teeth larger and thicker. Cranial measurements. Type skull, $ adult : basal length, 169; basilar length of Hensel, 167 ; zygomatic breadth, 99 ; palatal length, 90 ; mastoid breadth, 57; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 20.5. Canis microdon sp. nov. Type locality. Mier, on Rio Grande River, State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. No. 39654> cT adult, U. S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. Collected April 28, 1891 , by William Lloyd. Original No. 478. Characters. Size small; coloration rather dark ; upper surface of hind foot whitish ; belly sprinkled with black-tipped hairs ; carnassial and molar teeth very small. Color. Muzzle pure cinnamon rufous ; top of head grizzled grayish and ochraceous ; ears fulvous ; rest of upper parts buffy-ochraceous, profusely mixed with black hairs (under fur buffy or buffy-ochraceous^ ; under parts whitish between fore legs and between thighs; middle of belly buffy, with black-tipped hairs extending all the way across and also reaching forward along median line to long hairs of throat, which latter are strongly marked with black-tipped hairs ; fore legs and feet fulvous, becoming whitish on inner side of leg; upper side of forearm strongly mixed with black ; hind legs and feet pale fulvous on outer side, chang ing to white on inner side of leg and upper surface of foot ; under side of tail pale buffy fulvous, whitish at base, and with hairs of distal half broadly tipped with black. Cranial and dental characters. Skull short and broad ; muzzle and palate exceedingly short and broad ; teeth small, particularly the carnassial and first upper molar. Remarks. Canis microdon does not require close comparison with any known wolf. From its nearest relative, C. mearnvi, it differs in shorter evision of ilic ( rostrum, smaller upper carnassial, and more emarginate first upper molar. Externally it differs from mearnsi conspicuously, the upper parts being darker and the fulvous tints deeper, duller, and less extensive. In mefi>*i the whole of the legs and feet are bright orange-fulvous. In microdon the white of the under parts reaches down on the inner side of the legs all the way to the wrists and ankles, and the upper surface of the hind feet is white. Canis microdon is distantly related to C. rigilis, of the south west coast of Mexico, but it differs from rigilis in numerous and important characters. The palate is shorter and broader, and the carnassial and molar teeth of the male are about the size of those of the female rig-Ufa. The external differences are even more marked. The sides of the face lack the con spicuous black hairs of rigilis ; the under fur of the back is buffy or pale buffy-ochraceous instead of fulvous; the belly is white and buffy, abun dantly mixed with black-tipped hairs instead of everywhere saturated with fulvous; the fulvous of the fore and hind legs is pale and less ex tensive ; the black of the forearm less extensive ; the color of the hind legs and feet entirely different : the outer side only of the hind leg is ful vous, the inner side being white and the upper surface of the hind foot white or whitish. In vigilis the hind legs and feet are deep fulvous all round. The hairs of the distal half of the tail are broadly tipped with black, while in rigilis they are fulvous throughout. Measurements. Type specimen, $ adult: total length, 1070; tail ver tebrae, 320; hind foot, 186; weight, 28 pounds. Cranial measurements. Basal length, 161 ; basilar length of Hensel, 158; zygornatic breadth, 93.5 ; palatal length, 84 ; mastoid breadth, 57 ; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 16.5. Type locality. Quitobaquita, Pima County, Arizona. No. 59899, tf young adult, U. S. National Museum. Collected February 5, 1894, by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns. Original No. 2925. ClmriM'lt'i'x. Size small; ears medium ; coloration rich and bright, the fulvous tints exceedingly bright and covering the whole of the fore and hind legs and feet. Skull and teeth small. Color. Muzzle cinnamon rufous ; space between eyes grizzled grayish and fulvous; top of head, nape, and ears rather light fulvous; rest of upper parts buffy-ochraceous bountifully mixed with black-tipped hairs (under fur bright buffy-ochraceous) ; under parts in pectoral and inguinal regions whitish, middle part of belly suffused all the way across with buffy-ochraceous; throat huffy, the long hairs black-tipped; fore and hind legs and feet bright orange-fulvous all round ; upper side of fore * Named in honor of Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, U. S. A., whose name will always be associated with the mammals of the Mexican boundary, and through whose courtesy I am indebted for the opportunity of describing the species. Revision of the Coyotes. 31 legs moderately mixed with black ; underside of tail pale fulvous, whitish at very base, hairs of distal half black-tipped ; extreme end of tail black, usually with a few white hairs. Cranial and dental characters. Skull and teeth small and light as in C. estor ; a little larger than in C. microdon from Mier, Tamaulipas. Remarks. Canis mearnsi is the handsomest of the Coyotes. It differs from C. microdon of the Lower Rio Grande region in slightly larger size and in the greater extent and much brighter tints of the fulvous parts. The fore and hind legs and feet are bright orange-fulvous all round ; in C. microdon the fulvous is deeper and duller and the white of the inguinal region reaches down on the inner side of the hind leg to the ankle and covers the upper surface of the foot, and in the fore leg a white stripe reaches all the way down the posterior aspect of the leg to the wrist. Compared with microdon, the throat and middle part of the belly are more ochraceous and have fewer black-tipped hairs the belly practically none. The skull and teeth of mearnsi are almost exactly like those of estor, but in coloration the two animals differ so widely as to require no comparison. Nevertheless, specimens collected by Dr. Mearns at Tinajas Altas, Arizona, are so much paler than typical mearnsi as to suggest intergradation. Measurements. Female adult from type locality: total length, 1100; tail vertebrae, 330; hind foot, 180 (measured in flesh by Dr. Mearns). Cranial measurements. Type specimen, $ young adult, not fully grown : basal length, 163; basilar length of Hensel, 160; zygomatic breadth, 83; palatal length, 88 ; mastoid breadth, 56.5 ; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 19. Canis estor sp. nov. Type locality. Noland's ranch, San Juan River, Utah. No. 57141, 9 adult, U. S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. Collected November 20, 1893, by J. Alden Loring. Original No. 1379. Characters. Size small; coloration pale, but not quite so pale as in pallidus; carnassial and molar teeth small. Color. Muzzle exceedingly pale fulvous; top of head grizzled grayish and ochraceous buffy ; ears and nape ochraceous buff; upper parts huffy, sparingly mixed with black hairs ; under parts whitish ; long hairs of throat conspicuously black-tipped ; some black-tipped hairs along median line of breast; outer side of fore legs bright buff, pale on inner side and on fore feet ; outer side of hind legs and feet buffy-ochraceous ; inner side of hind leg and upper surface of hind foot white or whitish ; under side of tail ochraceous, becoming white basally, the hairs of distal half con spicuously tipped with black ; black tip short. Cranial and dental characters. Skull and teeth similar to those of C. mearnsi, but lateral teeth slightly larger. Compared with typical ochropus, the rostrum is somewhat more swollen in the females and conspicuously more in the males. Remarks. Canis estor bears the same relation to C. mearnsi th&t pallidus does to latrans. Both are pale desert forms, slightly smaller than the 32 species from which they have been derived. The collection of the Biologi cal Survey contains specimens of C. estor from the Mohave Desert, Death Valley, the Panarnint and Inyo ranges, Owens Valley, the San Juan in south east Utah, Flowing Springs and Humboldt Wells, Nevada, and Playa Maria Bay, Lower California. The latter are not typical. Measurements. Type specimen, $ adult: total length, 1052; tail verte brae, 300; hind foot, 179. Measurements of an adult male from Granite Well (base of Pilot Knob), Mohave Desert: tail vertebrae, 340; hind foot, 195. Cranial measurements. Type skull, 9 ' basal length, 159; basilar length of Hensel, 155; zygomatic breadth, 89; mastoid breadth, 57; palatal length, 84 ; length of upper carnassial, 17.2 Canis ochropus Eschscholtz. Canis ochropus Eschscholtz, Zool. Atlas, IIF, pp. 1-2, pi. 11, 1829. Type locality. 'California.' (Specimens from Tracy, San Joaquin County, California, assumed to be typical.) Characters. Externally similar to C. latrans and lestes, but smaller, darker, and much more highly colored, with very much larger ears, and very much smaller skull and teeth. Color. Muzzle dull grizzled cinnamon rufous ; top of head grizzled grayish fulvous ; ears rich fulvous ; nape sometimes fulvous ; rest of upper parts buffy-ochraceous, profusely mixed with black hairs ; under parts usually whitish, with a soiled yellowish wash across middle of belly, but sometimes suffused with pale fulvous ; long hairs of throat strongly grix- zled with black-tipped hairs, forming a conspicuous ' ruff,' the black- tipped hairs sometimes following the median line over the breast; fore and hind legs and feet dull fulvous all round, but paler on inner side and most intense on outer side of hind leg; upper side of forearm strongly marked with black ; outer side of thighs strongly grizzled with black- tipped hairs; underside of tail pale fulvous, white basally, and tipped and edged with black ; hairs of terminal third of under side of tail usually black tipped ; extreme tip often white. Cranial and dental characters. The skull of Canis ochropus is dispropor- tionally large for the size of the teeth, and the rostrum is long and slender. Compared with C. estor, probably its nearest relative, the skull is slightly larger, the rostrum decidedly longer and more slender, and the teeth very slightly larger. Compared with its neighbor, C. lestes, with which the skull agrees essentially in length, the entire cranium is narrower, par ticularly the rostrum, and the lateral teeth are so much smaller as to need no comparison. Measurements. Average of four females from Tracy, California: total length, 1110; tail vertebse, 295; hind foot, 180. Cranial measurements. tf adult, Tracy, California: basal length, 177; basilar length of Hensel, 174 ; zygomatic breadth, 94 ; palatal length, 98 ; mastoid breadth, 62 ; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 19. An Revision of tJte Coyotes. 33 adult female from same place measures : basal length, 171 ; basilar length of Hensel, 107; zygomatic breadth, 94; palatal length, 90; mastoid breadth, 59; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, IS. Canis vigilis sp. nov. Type locality. Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. Type No. Hill, 9 young adult, U. S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. Collected February 6, 1892, by E. W. Nelson. Original No. 1840. Characters. Similar to C. peninsulse, but darker and more highly col ored, with more black on forearm and no black on under side of tail ex cept at tip ; upper carnassial and first molar much smaller. Color. Muzzle dull cinnamon rufous; top of head grizzled buffy ful vous and black; ears fulvous, upper parts buffy-ochraceous, profusely mixed with black (under fur fulvous) ; under parts strongly suffused with pale fulvous; throat collar with black tips strongly marked; fore and hind legs fulvous, as in ochropus, but deeper, especially on fore feet ; black on upper side of forearm more extensive ; outer side of thigh and leg strongly intermixed with black-tipped hairs, which reach down to or below knee ; under side of tail dull pale fulvous, whitish basally, and tipped with black (hairs of under side anterior to black tip not tipped with black). Cranial and dental characters. The skull of the type specimen of Canis vigilis, a young adult female, agrees in general characters with an adult female pemnsuLr, from Cape St. Lucas, but is somewhat larger, with slightly broader rostrum and longer and more slender mandible. The upper carnassial and molar teeth, however, are very much smaller and show that the two animals belong to different sections of the group. Com pared with Canis mearnsi, its nearest neighbor on the north, C. vigilis has a larger skull and very much smaller teeth, particularly the upper car nassial and first molar. The first upper molar is decidedly smaller than in any known form except C. microdon, from which it differs in being deeply notched posteriorly. Measurements. Type specimen, 9 young adult: total length, 1155; tail vertebrae, 335 ; hind foot, 190. Cranial measurements. Type specimen : basal length, 166 ; basilar length of Hensel, 163; zygomatic breadth, 87; palatal length, 85; mastoid breadth, 59; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 17.5. VOL. XI, PP. 35-37 MARCH 13, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON COLLOMIA MAZAMA, A NEW PLANT FROM THE VICINITY OF CRATER LAKE, OREGON. BY FREDERICK V. COVILLE. In August, 1896, while engaged with Mr. John B. Leiberg in an examination of the flora of Crater Lake and vicinity, in the state of Oregon, a violet-flowered Collomia was discovered. It was at once recognized as a probably new species, and a descrip tion was drawn in the field from the fresh specimens. In the transmission of our season's collection to the National Herba rium at Washington, however, the specimens of this plant, with several other species from the same vicinity, were lost, and even after a most careful search could not be traced. Fortunately a single complete set of the numbers collected had been withheld from the main shipment and stored at a remote and, for a por tion of the winter, snowbound point in Idaho. The two sheets of specimens in this set finally reached Washington late in February and now make possible the publication of the species. Collomia mazama sp. nov. Plant perennial, few to many-stemmed from a slender tap-root, 15 to 30 centimeters high, below the inflorescence glabrous or with a few arachnoid viscid hairs on the stem and leaf-margins ; stems terete, commonly 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, simple up to the inflorescence ; leaves oblong- lanceolate to lanceolate, commonly 3 to 6 centimeters in length, acute at apex and base, acutely and somewhat laciniately 3 to 5-toothed above, the uppermost entire and sessile, the lower often oblanceolate and tapering into a short narrowly margined petiole ; inflorescence subcapitately cymose, sometimes with additional short-pedunculate clusters of flowers from one or two of the upper axils, glandular-hairy and strong-scented bracts similar to the uppermost leaves, entire, the lower usually 2 to 3 cen- 6 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (35) 36 ( 1 or!lfc Collomia n timeters long and slightly exceeding the flower-cluster ; eal yx commonly 7 to 9 millimeters long, with the plicate sinuses characteristic of the genus, the lobes equaling the tube, triangular-lanceolate, acuminate, in fruit reach ing a length of 5 or G millimeters ; corolla about 15 millimeters long, deep blue to violet-purple, above the calyx expanding into a funnel-shaped throat, the narrowly oblong-obovate obtuse moderately divergent lobes about 5 millimeters in length ; stamens slightly exserted, the anthers white, the filaments of somewhat unequal length, but inserted almost equally about halfway from the sinuses to the base of the tube; ovule single in each cell of the ovary ; style also exserted, the stigma 3-lobed ; capsule about half as long as the fruiting calyx, narrowly obovate, truncate or de pressed at the three-lobed summit, loculicidal in dehiscence, the 3 valves partially breaking away from the axis; seed about 3 millimeters long, olive-brown at maturity, linear-oblong, obtuse at both ends, sulcate on the axial face and attached to the placenta for almost its whole length, dull but without distinct markings, developing the characteristic spiracles of Collomia in water. Type specimen in the United States National Herbarium, collected Au gust 15, 1896, near Crater Lake, in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, at an altitude of 1.900 meters, by Frederick V. Coville and John B. Leiberg, No. 429. This showy arid beautiful Collomia is remarkable for its peren nial habit and the deep violet-blue color of its flowers. The glandular hairs of the calyx and peduncles give off the odor characteristic of most of the Collomias and some of the Phacelias. The only other blue-flowered, perennial species of the genus is Collomia <&&#& ( Wats.) Greene, a variable plant, first collected in southern Utah, later in western Montana, the Cascade Mountains, and the northern Sierra Nevada, one or more of its various forms probably susceptible of varietal or specific separation. The plant grows in abundance in slightly moist, open, spar ingly grassy places in the forest, in the vicinity of streams and wet meadows, about five kilometers west of the upper camping ground at Crater Lake, and continues southeastward at about the same altitude, at least as far as the lower camping ground, about two and a half kilometers south of the rim of the lake. For one starting from the junction of the Rogue River and Fort Klamath roads and traveling northward toward Crater Lake, the most convenient and probably the first place for finding the plant is on the flat ground where the road first crosses the stream on which the lower camping ground is situated. Specimens were seen here, but not in abundance. At the time of collect ing, the species was in full flower, and very few of the specimens had produced mature seeds. PROC. BIOL. SOC. WASH., XI, 1897 PL. I COLLOMIA MAZAMA Coville Collomia mazama. 37 Mazama was the aboriginal designation of the Rocky Mount ain goat, and was proposed also by Rafinesque as a generic name for the same animal. The name is now well known through the organization of mountain-climbers called the Mazamas, who, on August 21, 1896, with appropriate ceremonies, bestowed the name Mount Mazama upon the mountain within whose walls Crater Lake is enclosed. To this mountain and to the members of the organization itself this plant is. now dedicated. EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. Fig. a, Collomia mazama, flowering plant; b, flower; c, corolla, split down one side, showing the stamens and pistil within ; rf, fruiting calyx ; e, capsule, after dehiscence, showing the valves and central axis ; /, seed, viewed from the inner face. Figure a is two-thirds natural size, figures b to e enlarged two diameters, and figure / four diameters. VOL. XI, PP. 39-41 MARCH 13, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DELPHINIUM VIRIDESCENS AND SAMBUCUS LEW- SPERM A, TWO NEW PLANTS FROM THE NORTHWEST COAST. BY JOHN B. LEIBERG. In the collections of plants recently made by the United States Department of Agriculture in Oregon and Washington occur a red-berried elder which apparently should be separated from the other known species, and a remarkable larkspur with greenish- purple flowers, differing conspicuously in this respect from any other American member of the genus. Descriptions of these two plants are given herewith. Delphinium viridescens sp. nov. Stem 1 to 1.5 meters high from fascicled subfusiform roots, smooth below or sometimes minutely puberulent, the upper portion and the inflores cence densely pubescent with spreading yellow hairs from glandular flask-shaped bases ; basal and cauline leaves glabrous, thin in texture, semicircular in outline, 8 to 10 centimeters broad, on petioles 12 to 16 centimeters long, deeply 5-parted, the divisions 3 to 5-lobed or cleft ; upper cauline leaves pubescent, pinnately 3-parted, the divisions 3 to 7-cleft or broadly lobed, often stalked, diminishing upwards and becoming linear ; inflorescence a strict narrow raceme about 30 centimeters long, in very robust plants reaching a length of 1 meter ; flowers secund or sometimes subdistichous in the raceme, small for the size of the plant, on pedicels about 10 millimeters in length ; lower sepals ovate-acuminate, about 8 millimeters long and 5 millimeters wide, pilose when young, becoming nearly glabrous in age, brown tinged with dull purple ; spur straight, about 1 centimeter long ; laminae of lateral petals deeply cleft, densely pilose, about 5 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide, dull purple in color, the claws narrow and about 6 millimeters in length ; upper petals 7 Biou Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (39) 40 Leiberg Delp about 1.7 centimeters long, including the short spurs, bidentate at the apex ; follicles about 7 millimeters long and 2.5 millimeters wide, erect, pubescent ; seeds nearly cubical, about 2 millimeters long and of nearly the same width, narrowly scarious-winged at the angles. Collected near Peshastin, Okanogan County, Washington ; altitude, 500 meters ; No. 563, Sandberg and Leiberg, 1893. Type specimen in the United States National Herbarium. A well-marked species and in aspect very different from all our northwestern forms. By its technical characters it occupies an intermediate position between D. hesperium and D. distichum. From the former it differs in its fusiform roots and much larger, thinner, glabrous, less divided basal leaves ; from the latter spe cies it is separated by its conspicuously yellow-pilose inflores cence, its less dissected cauline leaves, shorter follicles, and more open raceme. By the small, inconspicuous brownish or green ish-purple flowers the plant may be separated at a glance from any of the described North American species of Delphinium. The plant is common in the wet meadows along the Wenatchee River, in the State of Washington. It is commonly a very robust species, sometimes reaching a height of 2 meters, the basal leaves often 20 centimeters broad. Sambucus leiosperma sp. iiov. Shrubby, 1.3 to 2 meters in height, forming with its spreading stems loose open clumps; pith of two-year-old shoots yellowish-brown ; leaflets 5 to 7, varying from oblong to lanceolate, 4.5 to 8 centimeters in length, 1.5 to 3 centimeters in width, acute or acuminate, subsessile or short- petioled, sharply serrate, the apices of the teeth usualh' inflexed, smooth, or with a scattered short pubescence, especially on the petioles and the lower surface of the leaves along the midrib; stipules present on the flowering shoots, subulate, about 1 centimeter long and 0.5 millimeter wide ; cyme oblong, somewhat flattened when in fruit, scabrous-puberu- lent, the branches membranaceously margined at the forks ; flowers yel lowish-white, drying the same color; berry scarlet, containing 3 to 5 seed-like nutlets, these very smooth, 2 to 3 millimeters long and about 1.5 millimeters wide. Collected at Crater Lake, Oregon ; altitude 2230 meters, No. 370, Co- ville and Leiberg, 1896. Type specimen in the United States National Herbarium. This is the red-fruited elder of the higher Cascades of Oregon and Washington. It extends northward also into Alaska, as in dicated by specimens in the National Herbarium, collected on Kadiak Island, in 1888, by Mr. C. H. Townsend, naturalist of the Delphinium viridescens and Sainbucus leiosperma. 41 'Albatross.' S. pubens Michx., S. melanocarpa Gray, and S. leio sperma form a group wherein the specific distinctions lie almost wholly in the color of the mature fruit and the character of the surface of the nutlet. To these three species should be added a fourth, the S. callicarpa of Greene (as restricted). The character of the hard covering of the nutlets in the latter species is still a mat ter of uncertainty, as the descriptions contain no reference to this point. Assuming, however, that certain specimens of red-fruited elder in the National Herbarium collected in central and south ern California correctly represent that species, we can arrange the group as follows : Mature fruit scarlet. Surface of nutlets transversely rugose S. pubens. Surface of nutlets puncticulate S. callicarpa. Surface of nutlets smooth S. leiosperma. Mature fruit black. Surface of nutlets transversely rugose S. melanocarpa. VOL. XI, PP. 43-44 MARCH 16, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW MURINE OPOSSUMS FROM MEXICO. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Two very different types of pigmy opossums are known from Mexico the 'red' or rufous Marmosa murina (Linn.) and the pale ashy gray M. canescens (Allen). Mr. Nelson obtained rep resentatives of M. murina at Chicharras and Huehuetan, Chiapas, and Juquila, Oaxaca, and of M. canescens at Santo Domingo de Guzman, Isthmus of Tehuantepec (the type locality); Puerto Angel, Tlapancingo, and Oaxaca, Oaxaca; Amolac, Puebla; Tlapa, Lochi, and Acapulco, Guerrero, and Hacienda Magda- lena, Colima. The specimens of the M. murina type are paler rufous than the typical form and have the middle of the face abruptly lighter, so that it is necessary to recognize them as a geographic race or subspecies. The Oaxaca specimens of the canescens type are markedly darker than typical canescens and differ in other re spects. The form is here described as distinct under the name M. oaxacte. Marmosa oaxacae sp. nov. Type from City of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico. No. 68240, 9 adult, U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey collection. Collected August 14, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 6571. Geographic distribution. Sonoran fauna of highlands of Oaxaca; limits of range unknown. General characters. Size small, smaller than a half-grown rat; similar to M. canescens (Allen), but very much darker, and with the dark of upper parts reaching wrists and ankles; feet and ears smaller. 8 Bior, Soc. WASH., Voi,. XI, 1897 (43) 44 Mcrriam Two New Marine ()]><>xxiimsfrom Mexico. Color. Upper parts from just behind eyes to base of tail dark sepia brown (almost dusky in fresh pelage) ; under parts buffy yellow, much deeper than in canescens ; median face patch (from nose to behind eyes) pale buffy brown ; orbital rings large and black, connected posteriorly by dark top of head ; dark color of upper parts reaching wrists and ankles ; tail bicolor, dark above, whitish beneath. Cranial characters. Skull and teeth similar to those of D. canescens, but frontal plate a little broader. Measurements of skull of type specimen : basal length, 29; zygomatic breadth, 18.5; palatal length, 17; interor- bital breadth, 4.8; greatest breadth of frontals, 8. Remarks. Marmosa oaxacse is an upland or Sonoran representative of the tropical M. canescens of J. A. Allen. The type of canescens came from Santo Domingo de Guzman, on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Specimens collected by Mr. Nelson extend its range northwesterly over the arid tropical hills and lowlands of the States of Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Micho- acan to the Hacienda Magdalena, in Colima. A specimen was obtained as far inland as Amolac, Puebla. Marmosa oaxacse, on the other hand, inhabits the Sonoran highlands of Oaxaca, at the extreme southern end of the tableland of Mexico a very different fauna. The two forms may be found to intergrade where the Sonoran fauna passes into the tropical, but no evidences of intergradation are to be seen in the eleven specimens of canescens obtained by Nelson and CJoldman. The new species rests on two specimens the type, an old female, and an immature male both from Oaxaca Measurements (of type specimen in flesh ). Total length, 263 ; tail, 144 ; hind foot, 18. Marmosa murina mexicana subsp. nov. Type from Juquila, Oaxaca. No. 71526, $ im., U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey collection. Collected February 28, 1895, by E. W. Nel son and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 7571. Geographic distribution. Southern Mexico, in States of Oaxaca and Chiapas. General c-Jiaracters. Similar to M. murina, but rufous of upper parts de cidedly paler, and middle of face from between eyes to nose abruptly buffy [in true murina the rufous reaches forward to nose] ; ears smaller. Color. Upper parts from between eyes posteriorly to base of tail cin namon rufous, gradually fading on sides to ochraceous buffy on belly ; orbital ring black and reaching anteriorly to whiskers ; middle of face fro:n end of nose to between centers of eyes buffy, in marked contrast to rufous of top of head. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of M. murina, but interparietal broader and shorter. Measurements. Type specimen (not full grown) : total length, 274 ; tail, 162; hind foot, 20. An adult male from Chicharras, Chiapas: total length, 330; tail, 186; hind foot, 24. VOL. XI, P. 45 MARCH 16, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PHENACOMYS PREBLEI, A NEW VOLE FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO. BY C. HART MERRIAM. During the past few years the field parties of the Biological Survey have collected numerous specimens of Phenacomys in the mountains of Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. All of these speci mens belong to the species described by me in 1891 under the name P. orophilus (N. Am. Fauna, No. 5, p. 66, August, 1891), the type of which came from the Salmon River Mountains, in Idaho. In August, 1895, one of my assistants, Mr. Edward A. Preble, trapped a new species on the side of ' Twin ' or ; Lilies ' Peak, near Longs Peak, Colorado, at an altitude of about 2,700 meters (approximately 9,000 feet). " The locality was perfectly dry and had been covered by a forest, most of which had fallen." The species may be described as follows: Phenacomys preblei sp. nov. Type from Longs Peak, Colorado. No. 74513, $ adult, U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey collection. Collected August 12, 1895, by Ed ward A. Preble. Original No. 647. General characters. Size rather small ; color very pale and decidedly ochraceous. Color. Upper parts clay color, suffused with ochraceous buff and heavily lined on the back with black-tipped hairs ; feet soiled whitish ; under parts white, with a yellowish tinge, the plumbeous under color showing through. Cranial and dental characters. Skull similar to that of P. orophilus, but somewhat smaller, with posterior ends of ascending branches of premax- illse more broadly expanded ; interorbital ridges more strongly developed ; jugal decidedly narrower and hardly, if at all, mortised into maxillary arm of zygoma ; end of pterygoids swollen where they articulate with audital bullee. Measurements (type specimen). Total length, 130; tail vertebrae, 30; hind foot, 17. 9 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (45) VOL. XI, PP. 47-51 MARCH 16, 1897 PROCEEDINGS. OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON THE LYNXES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES. BY OUTRAM BANGS. The genus Lynx, constituting a well marked group of cats with many species in both North America and Eurasia, was divided by Gray, in 1867,* into two subgenera, Lynx and Cervaria. The division was made on wholly inadequate external characters, but the great differences, both cranial and external, which are now known to exist, fully warrant the recognition of Gray's two groups. Mr. F. W. True, in 1887,t pointed out for the first time, I believe, the more important cranial characters that separate the members of the subgenera Lynx and Cervaria. Some Euro pean authorities, however, lump together as mere races the very different species of these two groups and will not even recognize the genus Lynx itself as more than subgenerically distinct from Felis. American mammalogists, on the other hand, agree in considering Lynx quite worthy of full generic distinction. Genus LYNX Rafinesque. q_O I 1 22 1 1 Dental formula i *, c T , pm , m = 28. Legs and arms long o o 11 Z'Z 11 and powerful ; body short ; whole build dog-like ; tail very short ; pelage full ; a ruff of long hairs around throat ; ear with decided pencil of long *P. Z. S., 1867, p. 267. (The genus was called Lynchus by Gray.) |Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1887, p. 8. 10 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (47) 48 Bangs JVofr'x ///uv-.v o/ Eastern ^oii/t hairs ; skull short and round ; audital bulhe small, flat and broad ; nasals, taken together, cone shaped (the nasals of Fells, taken together, are broadly truncate posteriorly) ; no distinct lobe on inner side of smaller upper premolar. Subgenus LYNX Rafinesque. Feet and hands very large, the pads small ; tail very short ; pelage long and loose ; ear with long pencil of hairs (even in the very young kittens) ; skull broad ; rostrum wide ; audital bullse very small and flat ; palatal exposure of presphenoid broadly flask shaped (Fig. 1) ; anterior FIG. i. Postpalatal region FIG. 2. Postpalatal region of Lvn.v. of Cetvaria. condyloid foramen not confluent with foramen lacerum postering ; maxilla separated from nasals by the meeting (or nearly meeting) of the descend ing arm of frontal and ascending arm of premaxilla ; canine teeth slender ; lower molar tooth very large. Subgenus CERVARIA Gray. Feet and hands small (in floridanm} to medium (in nift'it*} the pads large ; pelage full but close ; tail medium (longer than in Lynx] ; ear with a short pencil of hairs ; skull narrow ; rostrum narrow and ' nipped in ' from sides ; audital bullse deep and long ; palatal exposure of presphenoid strap shaped or slightly triangular (Fig. 2) ; anterior condyloid foramen confluent with foramen lacerum posterius; maxilla touching nasals for some distance (much as in genus Felis) ; canine teeth strong ; lower molar tooth small. In North America the subgenus Lynx contains the northern species and the subgenus Cervaria the southern species. The same is probably true of the Eurasian members of the genus Lynx, although I have been unable to find a description of the skull of any of the more southern species. Mr. True examined some skulls of the Swedish Lynx and found that it belongs in the restricted subgenus Lynx. The subgenus Lynx is represented in eastern North America by two forms : 1. Lynx canadensis (Geoff.) occupying the whole of Boreal North America from Maine and northern New York to Alaska, but now very rare and apparently becoming extirpated in the east. Notes on Lynxes of Eastern North America. 49 2. Li/nx subsolanus sp. nov., an island form, confined to Newfoundland. The subgenus Cervaria is represented in eastern North America by three forms : 1. Lynx ruffus ruffus (Guldenstadt) ranging over the whole central re gion from about northern Georgia north to the coast of Maine. 2. Lynx ruffus floridanus (Raf.) occupying the whole of Florida, and extending west along the Gulf coast to Louisiana and north on the At lantic coast certainly to southern Georgia. L. floridanus is so strongly marked a form that I think it will prove a distinct species when speci mens are procured at points where it meets the range of ruffus. It is large, but lightly built, with very small feet and hands, and darker than ruffus, from which it differs in color pattern also, being much spotted and having black waved streaks on the back. The skull (pi. i, fig. 4) presents the extreme of slenderness and ' nipping in ' of the rostrum. 3. Lynx gigas (sp. nov.) confined to the Province of Nova Scotia, where it is apparently insulated. It is a much larger and more powerful animal than L. ruffus, of a brighter and deeper color, with a larger skull, flatter audital bnllse and much heavier dentition. DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. Lynx subsolanus sp nov. (PI. II, Fig. 2.) Type from Codroy, Newfoundland. cT old adult, No. 1190, collection of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected by Ernest Doane June 13, 1894. General characters. Size and proportions as in L. canadcnsis, from which it differs in much darker and richer color. Color. Type (in summer pelage) : Under fur on sides cinnamon rufous throughout, on back black basally and hazel terminally ; long hairs (much longer than those of under fur) of three kinds: (1) wholly black ; (2) wholly dull hazel, and (3) banded with hazel, yellowish gray, and black ; predominating color of whole upper parts black and hazel irregu larity varied ; face dull yellowish gray, upper surface of ear black, with a large triangular spot of dark gray, pencil black; legs and arms dull yellowish hazel, faintly spotted with darker; tail very short, dull hazel above, dirty white belo\v, black at tip; belly wood brown with irregular spots of black, the long hairs dirty white. Kitten about one-third grown (No. 5754 from Bay St. George, New foundland). Whole upper parts (including legs and arms) yellowish cinnamon, somewhat spotted and 'lined' with blackish; ears with long pencil, as in the adult ; tail cinnamon with black tip ; under parts vary ing from soiled white to wood brown and faintly spotted with black. Cranial characters. The skull of L. subsolanus (pi. i, fig. 2) is similar in all its characters to that of L. canadensis. 50 Bangs Notes on Lynxes of Eastern North America. Size of an old adult <$ skull from Bay St. George, Newfoundland.* (No. 3798, collection of E. A. and O. Bangs) : basilar length, 112.2 ; occipi- tonasal length, 125.4; last upper molar to foramen magnum, 70.6; zygo- matic breadth, 95 ; mastoid breadth, 58.2 ; breadth across roots of canines, 37.6 ; greatest length of single half of mandible, 93.2. Size. Type ($ old adult) : total length, 919 ; tail vertebrae, 109 ; hind foot, 219; ear from notch, 80. Lynx gigas sp. nov. (PI. II, Fig. 1.) Type from fifteen miles back of Bear River, Nova Scotia, tf old adult, No. 4951 , collection of E. A. and O. Bangs. Taken by a trapper Decem ber 11, 1895 (measured, skinned, and sexed by O. Bangs). General characters. Very stout and powerfully built ; size very large ; colors rich with much black on upper parts ; triangular spot of gray on ear very small ; skull large and strong; audital bullse broader and flatter than in L. ruffas; dentition, especially canine teeth, very much heavier than in L. ruffus. Type (in winter pelage) : Under fur cinnamon rufous, paling off on sides and becoming more intense on back and on inner sides of flanks ; long hairs, cinnamon and black, the black irregularly mixed in spots and streaks which are most conspicuous along middle of back ; ears with short pencil of black hairs ; upper surface of ear black, with small triangular spot of dark gray ; tail above dull cinnamon, somewhat mixed with black, below white, tip black ; under parts dull white, spotted with black, a pectoral collar of cinnamon; under surfaces of feet and hands black. Cranial characters. Skull (pi. i, fig. 1) very large and massive ; audital bullie broad and flat ; basioccipital wide ; distance across roots of canine teeth great ; mandible very heavy. Size of the type skull (tf old adult) : basilar length, 117.2 ; occipitonasal length, 132.2; last upper molar to foramen magnum, 72.6; zygomatic breadth, 98.4 ; mastoid breadth, 60 ; breadth across roots of canines, 39.2 ; greatest length of mandible, 92. A skull of Lynx raffias raffias from East Hartford, Connecticut f ($ old adult), measures: basilar length, 111 ; occipitonasal length, 124.8 ; last upper molar to foramen magnum, 70.2; zygomatic breadth, 94; mastoid breadth, 55.8 ; breadth across roots of canines, 34.4 ; greatest length of single half of mandible, 86.2. Size. The type (J* old adult) : total length, 1001 ; tail vertebrae, 177 ; hind foot, 200. *The skull of the type is somewhat injured by a rifle bullet which passed through it lengthwise, t No. 1405, collection of Charles F. Batchelder, Cambridge, Mass. VOL. XI, PP. 53-55 MARCH 16, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW RED FOX FROM NOVA SCOTIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. For some years I have known of the existence in Nova Scotia * of a large red fox, much larger and of a deeper color than the small yellowish red Vulpes pennsylvanica typica (Bodd.) of the Central States. I have had some difficulty in getting specimens of this fox, but now have a series of five skins and six skulls from Digby, Bear River, and Annapolis, Nova Scotia. Unfortunately my specimens are mostly females or young. I have no skin and only one skull of a very old male. The old males are often of great size. My friend, H. A. P. Smith, Esq., of Digby, who has killed very many, has several times taken them weighing close to twenty pounds. The Nova Scotia fox presents all the color phases known as ' cur,' ' cross,' ' silver gray,' and ' black ' foxes. One of my specimens is a fine ' cross.' The new fox in its normal red pel age is a very beautiful animal, and the fur is well known to dealers, who pay much higher prices for it than for the fur of the southern red fox. The new form may be known as : Vulpes pennsylvanica vafra subsp. nov. Type from Digby, Nova Scotia, No. 116, female, old adult. Collection of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected November 3, 1893, by O. Bangs. General characters. Size considerably larger than Valpes pennsylvanica *This large form probably ranges throughout Boreal Eastern North America generally. 11 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (53) 54 Bangs A Tr/r 7ipc*' locality. 1\ htfeniH'iHiis Merriam I ............ Kamloops, British Columbia. P. orophilas Merriam ................ Salmon River Mountains, Idaho. P. preblet Merriam .................. Longs Peak, Colorado. P. latimanus Merriam .............. Fort Chimo, Ungava, Labrador. P. ungava Merriam .................. Fort Chimo, Ungava, Labrador. P. longicaudm True. . . . ............. Marshfield, Coos County, Oregon. These fall naturally into three groups, each of which occupies a different geographic region. The ungava group, containing two well-marked yellow-faced species, ungava and latimanus, ranges from Quebec and Labrador west at least as far as the north shore of Lake Superior. The intermedius group, with three slightly differentiated uniformly grayish or ochraceous species, intermedius, orophilas. and preblei, occupies the moun tains of British Columbia, Alberta, and the northwestern United States. The third or longicaudus group is represented by one species only, the very aberrant P. longicaudus of the humid coast district of Oregon. The species of Phenacomys are voles of medium or small size. With the exception of P. longicaudus, which is remarkable for its very long tail, there is nothing in the external appearance of any to distinguish them from small species of Microtus. They gen erally inhabit dry, grassy plains and mountain parks, but P. longicaudus appears to be strictly arboreal. At present all the species definitely known are American. The determination of the European fossil remains is open to question. f *The specimens examined in the present connection are distributed as follows : U. S. National Museum, 64, including the types of P. longicaudus, P. orophilus, P. truei, and P. preblei (all but two of these are in the Bio logical Survey collection) ; Museum of the Canadian Geological and Nat ural History Survey, 1 (type of P. intennedius] ; Merriam collection, !> (types of P. celatus, P. ungava, and P. latimanas) ; Bangs collection, 16 P. ungava from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador; Miller collection, 7 P. latl- titanuis from the north shore of Lake Superior, and 4 P. orophihi* from Mount Baker, British Columbia (topotypes of P. ommonii*). fSee North American Fauna, No. 12, p. 40. Synopsis of tJte Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. 79 Genus PHENACOMYS Merriam. Phenacomys Merriam, North American Fauna, No. 2, p. 28, October 30, 1889. Type species. Phenacomys intermedium Merriam. Geographic distribution. Boreal North America from Atlantic to Pacific, south to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the north shore of Lake Superior, the coast of Oregon, and in the Rocky Mountains to Colorado. Generic characters. Skull and teeth in general as in Microtus, but molars distinctly two-rooted in the adult, and root of lower incisor never reach ing level of dental foramen. Reentrant angles on inner side of lower molars very much deeper than those of outer side, not approximately equal to outer angles as in Microtus and Evotomys. Remarks. Phenacomys combines the palate, heavily built angular skull, and strong sharply angled teeth of Microtus with the rooted molars and short lower incisors of Evotomys. It differs from both Microtus and Evotomys in the relatively great depth of the inner reentrant angles of the mandibular molars. KEY TO THE SPECIES OP PHENACOMYS. Tail about 40 percent of total length . .longicaudus. Tail about 25 percent of total length. Face and muzzle reddish or yellowish in strong contrast with rest of head. Skull of adult with deep frontal sulcus ungava. Skull of adult without frontal sulcus latimanus. Face and muzzle essentially same color as rest of head. Ascending branches of premaxillae broad intermedius. Ascending branches of premaxillse narrow. Color decidedly ochraceous preblei. Color gray ... orophilus. Phenacomys intermedius Merriam. Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, North American Fauna, No. 2, p. 32, October 30, 1889. Type locality. Basaltic plateau about 20 miles NNW. of Kamloops, British Columbia. Altitude 5,500 feet. Type No. 780, Mus. Geol. and Nat Hist. Surv. Canada. Collected by Dr. Geo. M. Dawson. Geographic distribution. Phenacomys intermedius is known from the type locality only. General characters. Size small; general color pale; feet light brown; skull with interorbital region and ascending branches of premaxillse very broad ; front lower molar with five well developed salient angles on outer side. Color. Back grizzled grayish brown with a yellowish tinge, everywhere sprinkled with black-tipped hairs which are most numerous on middle of 80 Miller Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. back and over lumbar region ; belly grayish white, the deep plumbeous bases of the hairs showing through ; tail sharply bicolor, nearly black above, white beneath ; feet light brownish ; whiskers mixed blackish and silvery gray. Skull. The skull of the type and only known specimen of Phenacomys intermedius is so badly broken that many of its characters cannot be ascer tained. Enough remains to show two peculiarities which are not shared by any of the numerous skulls of P. orophilus with which I have com pared it. These are the great breadth of the interorbital region (4 mm. at narrowest part of constriction) and the expanded terminations of the ascending branches of the premaxillre. The latter character is approached in the type specimen of P. preblei. The rostrum appears slightly shorter and deeper than in P. orophilus, but this is probably only an optical effect due to the imperfect condition of the nasal bones. Teeth. The enamel pattern is essentially the same as that of P. orophilus, except that the anterior loop of the front lower molar is so deeply cut by reentrant angles that a third outer triangle is wholly isolated and a fourth inner triangle is nearly cut off. Asa result the transverse loop is reduced to a narrow crescent placed obliquely with the convexity directed for ward and outward. Measurements. "Total length, about 118; tail vertebra, 28; hind foot, 18 ; ear from anterior root, 13 (from dry skin) " Merriam. General remarks. The type specimen of Phenacomys intermedius, although imperfect, shows too many differences from any of the other described forms to be united with them. The breadth of the interorbital region is a character of trifling importance, and one which might easily disappear with increasing age, but the great expansion of the ascending branches of the premaxillse is scarcely to be explained in this way. The peculi arities of the front lower molar are not of a kind likely to be the result of immaturity, and if they are purely individual they represent a degree of variability far in excess of that presented by other known species of the genus. As the skin is now sealed between two glass plates, it is not pos sible to determine with certainty the character of the fur, but it appears to be less dense and woolly than in P. orophilus. In color the type shows no distinct differences from P. orophilus, except that the feet are light brown instead of white. Phenacomys orophilus Merriam. Phenacomys orophilus Merriam, North American Fauna, No. 5, p. 65, July 30, 1891. Phenacomys truei Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VI, p. 331, November Phenacomys oramontis Ehoads, American Naturalist, XXIX, p. 94] , Octo ber, 1895. Type locality. Salmon River Mountains, Idaho (near head of Timber Creek ; altitude, 10,500 feet). Type in U. S. National Museum (9 adult, No. ffttf ). Geographic distribution. Hudsonian zone and parts of Canadian zone, Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. 81 in the mountains of Alberta, British Columbia, and the western United States south to southern Wyoming, central Idaho, and south central Oregon. General characters. Size small ; fur dense and woolly ; general color light gray, somewhat tinged with yellowish; feet nearly white; inter- orbital region of skull narrow and smooth ; ascending branches of pre- maxillae narrow. Color. Back grizzled grayish brown, with a yellowish tinge, which is most distinct in spring and summer specimens, the fur every where thickly sprinkled with blackish hairs, which, however, do not form a distinct dark dorsal area ; face with very few blackish hairs, but not yellower than back; belly dirty white; feet silvery whitish; tail sharply bicolor, pure white below, mixed brown and white above ; under fur dark plumbeous, this color showing through irregularly on belly and throat. The young are clearer gray than the adults, but otherwise similar. Skull. The skull of Phenacomys orophilus is of medium size, that of the type measuring 23.1 mm. in basilar length and 14.2 mm. in zygomatic breadth. The interorbital constriction is narrow, and the frontal ridges, even in very old skulls, are too slightly developed to form a frontal sulcus ; ascending branches of premaxillaries narrow and scarcely expanded posteriorly ; jugal broadly expanded and mortised into zygomatic process of maxillary. Teeth. The enamel pattern shows no distinctive characters as corn- pared with the species of the ungava group. The anterior loop of the front lower molar is unusually variable in form, but in the majority of specimens is similar to that of P. latimanus. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 146; tail vertebrae. 38 ; hind foot, 19; average of eight adults from Bear Tooth Mountains, Mon tana: total length, 146.5; tail vertebrae, 31.8; hind foot, 17.7; average of ten adults from St. Marys Lake, Montana: total length, 141.7 ; tail verte brae, 34.5; hind foot, 17.7; average of three adults from type locality of P. oramontis: total length, 144.6; tail vertebrae, 37.5; hind foot, 19.3. Specimens examined. Total number, 56. Wyoming: Near Laramie, 1 (type of P. truei) ; Tower Falls, Yellowstone Park, 1. Montana: Bear Tooth Mountains, 23; Big Snowy Mountains, 1; Mid- vale, 1 ; St. Marys Lake, 12; Summit, 1. Idaho : Salmon River Mountains, 4 ; Sawtooth City, 2. Oregon: Blue Mountains (10 miles north of Harney), 1 ; Crater Lake, 2 ; Diamond Lake, 1 ; Mount Hood, 1. British Columbia: Mount Baker Range, 4 (topotypes of P. orophilus). Alberta: Ninety miles north of Jasper House, 1. General remarks. Phenacomys orophilus is distinguishable from all other species except P. intermedius by its combination of short tail, gray face, and pale color. From P. intermedius it differs in cranial and dental characters. The range of this species is not continuous, but is interrupted wherever the mountains are not high enough to be capped by a Hudsonian area of 82 Miller Synopsis of flic Voles of tlic Gains Plienacomys. sufficient extent. As might be expected, members of the various colonies differ from each other. These differences are, however, too slight to be worthy of recognition by name. The most northerly specimen that I have seen, a female collected at Fishing Lake, Alberta, on September 17, 1896 (No. 81477, U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey collection), has the fur much less thick and woolly than in typical orophilus. The feet are brownish as in P. intermedium, but in all other characters it agrees per fectly with orophilus. Specimens from St. Marys Lake, Montana, aver age a trifle smaller than those from the type locality. Since Pfienacomys orophilus was first described it has received two ad ditional names. The first of these, P. truei Allen, was based on the dis torted skin and fragmentary skull of a young animal supposed to have been taken in the Black Hills of South Dakota, a region so isolated that if inhabited by the genus it would be expected to furnish a species differ ent from those occurring farther west. The type specimen is, however, exactly like immature orophilus in color and in enamel pattern. In size it agrees perfectly except that the tail, in its present condition (a few of the proximal vertebrae removed, the rest dried in the skin), is about 7 millimeters shorter than in fresh specimens of the same age. No weight can be attached to this one difference in the absence of all others. Further more, it is practically certain that the type was not collected in the Black Hills of South Dakota, but in the Black Hills of Wyoming, now known as the Laramie Mountains. It was taken on August 10, 1857, by Dr. Hammond, a member of the expedition commanded by Lieut. F. T. Bryan. I have not been able to find any account of the Bryan expedi tion of 1857 further than the statement, on page 91 of the eleventh volume of the Pacific Railroad Reports, that "the wagon-road expedition under Lieutenant Bryan this year [1857] was confined to routes which he had previously mapped and explored." The map of Bryan's routes shows that he never entered the region now known as the Black Hills, but that his course followed up the Platte River and Lodge Pole Creek through the Laramie Mountains. It is therefore almost beyond doubt that the type of Phenacomys truei was collected in Albany County or Laramie County, Wyoming, a few miles northeast of the present town of Laramie. This region is almost continuous with the mountains included in the known range of orophilus. Phenacomys oramontis Rhoads was based on a speci men from the Mount Baker range in British Columbia, just north of the United States boundary. Four topotypes in rny collection are indistin guishable from P. orophilus. Phenacomys preblei Merriam. Phena corny sjjreblei Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, X, p. 45, March Type locality. Longs Peak, Colorado. Type in U. S. National Museum (c? adult, No. 74513), Biological Survey collection. Geographic distribution. Phenacomys preblei is at present known from the type locality only. Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. 83 General characters. Most like P. orophilus, but color much more ochra- ceous and ascending branches of premaxillse more expanded terminally. Color. Dorsal surface clay color suffused with ochraceous, the back thickly sprinkled with black-tipped hairs ; feet dirty white ; belly yellow ish white, the plumbeous under fur showing through irregularly; tail in distinctly bicolor, brownish above, whitish below. Skull The skull is similar to that of P. orophilus, but the interorbital ridges are slightly more developed (though not enough to form a median sulcus), the terminal portion of the ascending branch of the premaxilla is broader and the jugal is scarcely mortised into the zygomatic arm of the maxillary. Teeth. Not appreciably different from those of P. orophilus. Specimens examined. One, the type. General remarks. Phenacomys preblei is closely related to P. orophilus, from which it differs in yellower color and some slight cranial characters. In one of the latter it approaches P. intermedias. Phenacomys latimanus Merriam. Phenacomys latimanus Merriam, North American Fauna No. 2, p. 34, October 30, 1889. Type locality. Fort Chimo, Ungava, Labrador. Geographic distribution. Arctic and Hudsonian zones from northwest ern Labrador to the north shore of Lake Superior. Limits of range not known. General characters. Size small ; skull never developing sharply denned interorbital ridges, even in extreme old age ; muzzle and face conspicu ously yellower than rest of head. Color. Dorsal surface pale yellowish cinnamon-brown, clearer and more tinged with reddish on muzzle and face ; region from eyes to base of tail strongly shaded with blackish hairs ; feet and whole ventral sur face whitish gray, the throat and belly somewhat darkened by the plumbeous bases of the hairs; no distinct line of demarkation on sides, but color of belly shading abruptly into that of back ; tail sharply bicolor, dark brown above, whitish below; ears concolor with surrounding parts, but region immediately behind ear generally paler. Skull. The skulls of adult specimens vary in basal length from 20 to 22 mm., and in zygomatic breadth from 13 to 14 mm. ; rostrum moderate (nasals contained about three and one-half times in occipi to-nasal length) rather more lightly built than in P. ungava, and with profile usually more deflected from dorsal outline of frontals ; interorbital region faintly con cave, never distinctly sulcate. Teeth. The enamel pattern of this species calls for no special remark. The anterior loop of the front lower molar is usually cut on the inner side by a deep reentrant angle, which is so much deeper than that on the outer side as to destroy the bilateral symmetry of the loop. This char acter occurs in other species, notably P. oropli'dus, but it appears to be more constant in P. latimanus than any other. 84 Miller Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. Measurements. Type specimen " (from alcoholic before skinning) : total length, 116; tail vertebra?, 28; hind foot, 18" (Merriam) ; seven adults from Peninsula Harbor, Ontario (north shore of Lake Superior), average : total length, 134; tail vertebrae, 29.9; hind foot, 18.1 ; maximum: total length, 150 ; tail vertebra, 38 ; hind foot, 19. General remarks. Phenacomys latimanm is recognizable as a member of the ungava group by its distinctly fulvous face. From P. ungava it differs in its smaller size and smooth interorbital region. Phenacomys ungava Merriam.* Phenacomys celatus Merriam, North American Fauna, No. 2, p. 33, October 30, 1889. Godbout, Province of Quebec, Canada (based on old skull, with subquadrate interparietal). Phenacomys ungava Merriam, North American Fauna, No. 2, p. 35, Octo ber 30, 1889. Fort Chimo, Ungava, Labrador (based on young adult skull, with transversely lengthened interparietal). Type locality. Fort Chimo, Ungava, Labrador. Type in Merriam col lection (c? adult, No. Mf!)- Geographic distribution. Labrador and eastern Quebec. Not known from any point south of the lower edge of the Hudsonian /one. General characters. Size large; skull of adult with high interorbital ridges limiting a deep frontal sulcus; muzzle and face conspicuously yellower than rest of head. Color. Essentially as in P. latimanus; young darker and more plumbe ous, at first without the cinnamon of the adult ; tail of young specimens nearly uniform dusky, only slightly paler below. Skull. The skulls of adult specimens vary in basilar length from 22 to 25 mm. and in zygomatic breadth from 14 to 16 mm. Rostrum rather more heavily built than in P. latimanus and with profile usually less deflected from dorsal outline of frontals ; interorbital region with two strongly developed ridges, between which lies a conspicuous trough which increases in depth and narrowness in old age Teeth. Except for their larger size, the teeth of P. ungava do not differ in any constant character from those of P. latimanus. The anterior loop of the front lower molar is, however, less frequently cut by a deep re entrant angle on the inner side. Measurements. Type of P. ungava " (from alcoholic specimen before *I am aware that in the original paper on the genus the specific name ungava is printed two pages beyond the name celatus. To assume, how ever, that of alternative names the one which stands first in a book has by virtue of mere position precedence over others is as unreasonable as to assume that the first species mentioned under a composite genus should, other things being equal, necessarily become the type. As priority dates from publication, and publication is distribution, it is impossible for one name to have priority over another issued with it; hence to displace the name ungava as here used it will be necessary to show that the animal has an older name, that is, one published prior to October 30, 1889. Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. 85 skinning): total length, 138 ; tail vertebrae, 31 ; hind foot, 19" (Merriam). Type of /'. celatus " (from alcoholic specimen before skinning) : total length about 130; tail vertebrae, 32; hind foot, 17.5" (Merriam). In adult male from Godbout, Quebec (topotype of celatus), in alcohol : total length, 137 ; tail vertebra?, 32 ; hind foot, 18. Ten adults from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador: average, total length, 151; tail vertebrae, 37; hind foot, 20; maximum, total length, 160; tail vertebrae, 44; hind foot, 21. Specimens examined. Total number, 19. Labrador: Fort Chimo, Ungava, 1 (type); Hamilton Inlet, 16; Gros- water Bay, 2 (skulls). Quebec: Godbout 4 (including type of celatus}. General remarks. Phenacomys ungava is distinguished from P. latimanus, the only other known species with yellowish face, by its larger size and strongly ridged interorbital region. The specimens from Hamilton Inlet average considerably larger than the type of P. ungava or the two adults from Godbout, Quebec, but as they agree in all other characters it seems unwise to separate them on the basis of the material now at hand. This series shows individual variation sufficient to cover the supposed differ ences betw r een P. ungava and P. celatus. Phenacomys longicaudus True. Phenacomys longicaudus True, Proc. U. S. National Museum, XIII, p. 303, November 15, 1890. Type locality. Marshfield, Coos County, Oregon. Type in U. S. National Museum (young adult No. MtH)- Geographic distribution. The species is at present known from two speci mens only, the type and one from Meadows, Lane County, Oregon. It probably ranges throughout the densely forested coast district of Oregon- General characters. Size large ; tail about 40 percent of total length ; color rusty brown or drab. Color. Type (taken in August, 1890) ; head, back, and sides rusty brown, slightly duller along middle of back, the fur everywhere dark plumbeous at base and sprinkled with long blackish hairs, which, how ever, are not noticeable except on close examination ; ventral surface rusty white, the plumbeous bases of the hairs showing through irregularly ; tail unicolor, dark brown both above and below ; feet dusky. The Lane County specimen ( 9 No. f I? , U. S. National Museum, Biological Sur vey collection), taken on April 13, 1891, is wholly unlike the type in color. Head, back, and sides pale yellowish drab, the fur light bluish plumbe ous at base and sprinkled with inconspicuous dark hairs ; belly grayish white, the bluish bases of the hairs showing through irregularly ; tail in distinctly bicolor, light slaty gray above and at tip, whitish mixed with gray below ; feet silvery white. Skull. The skull of the type is in fragments, and that of the Lane County specimen cannot now be found, hence the cranial characters of Phenacomys longicaudus are at present unknown. 19 HJOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 86 Miller Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys. Teeth. The teeth of Phenacomys longicaudus differ from those of the other species in the reduction in width of the inner triangles of the upper molars. This tendency is especially marked in the posterior inner tri angles of the first and second teeth. In these the anterior face of the prism is nearly parallel with the anterior side of the second external re entrant angle. The anterior transverse loop of the posterior upper molar is narrower than in other members of the genus and the terminal loop of the same tooth is considerably shortened. In the lower jaw the enamel pattern shows no characters beyond a general tendency to narrowness of all loops and triangles. Measurements. Type specimen "(from skin): total length, 148; tail vertebrae, 58; hind foot, 20.2" (True). Lane County specimen: total length, 165; tail vertebrae, 63; hind foot, 20.8 (from fresh specimen by the collector, A. Todd). General remarks. Phenacomys longicaudus differs so strikingly in propor tions and color from all other members of the genus that it cannot be compared with any. Its appearance is unique among the voles, though faintly suggested by some of the Asiatic species of Alticola. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE GENUS PHEXACOMYS. 1889. Merriam, C. Hart. Description of a New Genus (Phenacomys) and Four New Species of Arvicolinte. 0, Dec., 1888. Type locality. Roan Mountain, North Carolina; altitude 6000 feet [1830 meters]. Geographic distribution. Boreal parts of Alleghany Mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. General characters. Size large; hind foot, 20mm. or more ; tail long; color dark and rich; molars larger than in any other American species.* Color. Fall summer pelage: back dark chestnut, blending gradually with bistre of sides, face, and rump ; darkened everywhere above with numerous black hairs ; belly varying from white to buffy-ochraceous, the under fur showing through ; fur covering side glands of male forming an inconspicuous spot slightly darker than surrounding fur; ears dusky; feet grayish brown ; tail indistinctly bicolor, gray below, blackish above, and all round at tip. Winter pelage (February, March, and April speci mens) : paler and brighter ; back brighter ferruginous, belly averaging whiter; sides bufFy-ochraceous instead of bistre ; ears slightly rufous tipped. Young darker than adults. Cranial characters. Skull, compared with that of E. gapperi, larger, wider, and more angular, with audital bullse relatively smaller, flatter, and more elongated; basioccipital wider between bullse; molars larger and especially wider and heavier ; enamel surface of upper incisors darker yellow. Measurements. Average of 4 adults (2 <$ and 2 9) from type locality, measured in flesh by Dr. C. Hart Merriam : total length, 149 ; tail verte bra, 44 ; hind foot, 20. 2. Skull (a fully adult 9 , No. 73 1 15) : basal length, 23.5; nasals, 7.5; zygomatic breadth, 14.4; mastoid breadth, 12; alve olar length of upper molar series. 6. General remarks. Evotomys carolinensis is readily distinguished from all other eastern forms by its larger size and darker coloration. Specimens in the same pelage should be used for comparison, as the lightest phase of winter pelage in carolinensis matches the darkest summer phase of gapperi. Specimens examined. Total number, 87, from 3 localities. North Carolina: Roan Mountain, 47 ; Highlands, 2. West Virginia: Travellers Repose, Pocahontas County, 38. Evotomys ungava sp. nov. Type from Fort Chimo, Ungava. No. |f|-|, $ ad., Merriam Coll. Col lected by L. M. Turner, May 12, 1883. Original number, 317. General characters. Size about as in gapperi ; tail and feet slender ; ears very small, not projecting beyond fur; colors dull; tail bicolor; skull slender; rostrum not decurved. * Only exceeded in size by the molars of E. rufocanus of Europe. The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. 131 Color [type specimen skinned out of alcohol]. Dorsal area not sharply denned, dull brownish chestnut ; sides and face buffy gray, finely lined with blackish hairs ; belly dark plumbeous, heavily washed with buffy ; ears tipped with color of back ; feet dusky gray ; tail indistinctly bicolor, soiled buffy below, brownish above; sides of nose whitish ; a small white spot under lower lip. Cranial characters . Skull, compared with that of gapperi, long and slender ; brain case narrower ; zygomata less spreading ; rostrum longer and straighter ; audital bullse longer, natter, and less rounded ; both upper and lower incisors slenderer ; lateral bridges of palate incomplete ; molars as in gapperi, except the first upper, in which the edges of the first and second inner salient loops meet and coalesce, inclosing a dentine core. Measurements. Type specimen, measured from alcohol by Dr. C. Hart Merriam : total length, 134; tail vertebrae, 39; hind foot, 19. Skull: basal length, 22.8 ; nasals, 7 ; zygomatic breadth, 13.5 ; mastoid breadth, 1 L ; alveolar length of upper molar series, 5. General remarks. The type and only specimen was skinned and made up from alcohol, and doubtless the colors have changed somewhat ; but the small ears, slender feet and tail, and distinctive cranial characters mark the species as entirely distinct from any other known form. In geographic position it comes nearest to E. proteus Bangs, of Hamilton Inlet, Labrador, but in characters differs more widely from that species than from the more distant gapperi. In a letter to Dr. Merriam, Mr. Turner reported the species as abun dant at Fort Chimo. Evotomys idahoensis Merriam. Evotomi/s idahoensis Merriam, North American Fauna No-. 5, p. 66, July 30,' 1891. Type locality. Sawtooth or Alturus Lake, east foot of Sawtooth Moun tains, Idaho. Geographic range. Mountains of south central Idaho, between Snake River and the Salmon. General characters. Size medium, larger than gapperi; conspicuously different in color from any known species, the sides being clear gray ; tail longer than in gapperi or galei ; ears not tipped with rufous; skull narrow and smoothly rounded. Color. Dorsal stripe well defined, extending from in front of ears to rump, pale hazel, somewhat darkened with black-tipped hairs; face, sides, and rump clear ash gray ; belly washed with white or whitish ; ears sooty gray without rufous tips ; feet gray ; tail bicolor, gray below, blackish above. Side glands scarcely visible in the specimens at hand. Cranial characters. Skull long, narrow, and smooth, convex inter- orbitally; zygomatic arches very oblique ; rostrum long; posterior margin of palate straight ; pterygoids long and slender, longer, straighter, and 132 Bailey The Awci'lnm Voles of the Genus Evotovnys. farther apart than in E. saturatus ; andital bullae long and laterally ap- pressed ; basioccipital wide between bullse ; incisors pale yellow. Measurements. Type, measured in flesh by Dr. C. Hart Merriam : total length, 153; tail vertebrae, 48; hind foot, 20. Average of 4 adults from type locality measured by A. H. Ho well : 148 ; 44 ; 20.2. Skull of type : basal length, 23.5; nasals, 8; zygomatic breadth, 13.3; mastoid breadth, 11.6; alveolar length of upper molar series, 5.4. Remarks. Three specimens from the Salmon River Mts. differ slightly from the type, but the difference may be individual. Specimens of E. saturates from the Craig Mts., Idaho, and of E. galei from the Bear- tooth Mts., Montana, though geographically near, show no close affinity with E. idahoensis. Specimens examined. Total number, 15, from the two folio wing localities : Idaho: Sawtooth or Alturas Lake, 12; Salmon River Mts., 3. Evotomys mazama Merriam. Evotomys mazama Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., vol. XI, p. 71, April 21, 1897. Type locality. Crater Lake, Mt. Mazama, Oregon; altitude, 7000 feet [2130 meters]. Geographic distribution. Crest of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. General characters. Large, long tailed, and bright colored; ears not rufous; skull broad and angular; side glands conspicuous in all of the adult males. Color. Dorsal stripe extending from in front of ears to base of tail, cin namon rufous or hazel, shading gradually into buffy gray of sides and face ; belly washed with buffy white ; oval spot covering side glands slaty gray, more or less frosted with white-tipped hairs ; feet grayish white 5 tail sharply bicolor, whitish below, blackish above. Cranial characters. Skull angular, with unusually flat top, long, straight rostrum, and abruptly spreading zygomata ; audital bullre large ; pterygoids prominent, wide, and inflated at the tips ; palatines rounded anteriorly, with a median posterior projection ; enamel surface of incisors orange. Measurements. Average of 4 adult males from type locality measured by Dr. C. Hart Merriam: total length, 157; tail vertebrae, 52; hind foot, 18.7. Skull of type : basal length, 23.3; nasals, 7.2; zygomatic breadth , 14.2; mastoid breadth, 12.4; alveolar length of upper molar series, 5. Remarks. Evotomys mazama differs from E. saturatus in slightly larger size and longer tail ; in yellower, less sharply outlined dorsal stripe ; no tendency to white throat patch ; in more angular skull w : ith larger audital bullaa and pterygoids; in orange instead of pale yellowish enamel of upper incisors, and most conspicuously in form of palatine bones. From the dark colored coast species it differs conspicuously in color, but with E. obscurus it needs careful comparison. Specimens examined. Total number, 19, from 2 localities: Oregon : Crater Lake, 16 ; Mount Hood, 3. The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. 133 Evotomys obscurus Merriam. Evotomys obscurus Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., vol. XI, p. 72, April 21,' 1897. Type locality. Prospect, Upper Rogue River Valley, Oregon. Geographic distribution. West slope of the southern Cascade Range and northern Sierra Nevada in southern Oregon and northern California. General characters. A. rather large, grayish species, with small gray ears and indistinct markings ; side glands inconspicuous, but easily discovered on blowing apart the fur. The characters given are mainly those distin guishing the species from E. mazama. Color. Upper parts olive gray, with an ill defined dorsal area of cin namon rufous, obscured by black hairs ; lower part of sides and face clear gray ; belly washed with dull buff; ears dusky, not rufous tipped ; feet dusky gray ; tail distinctly bicolor in specimens from the type locality, more sharply bicolor in specimens from Carberry Ranch, California. Cranial characters. Skull less angular and abruptly spreading than that of E. mazama and with a more arched dorsal line ; rostrum short, de- curved, with lower outline well arched; incisive foramina short and wide ; palatines and audital bullae as in E. mazama. Measurements. Type specimen, measured in the flesh by E. A. Preble: total length, 155; tail vertebr&e, 47; hind foot, 17. Skull of type: basal length (basion to gnathion), 21.8; zygomatic breadth, 13.3; mastoid breadth, 11.5; alveolar length of molar series, 4.5. Remarks. The series of specimens includes both young and adult indi viduals collected in May, August, September, and December, but appar ently none in full winter pelage. In both geographic position and specific characters this species lies between E. mazama of the summit of the Cas cades and E. californicus of the coast region. On the side of Mount Mazama it almost or quite meets the range of E. mazama, with which none of the specimens show evidence of intergradation. Specimens from Carberry Ranch show a slight approach toward californicus, and future collections may prove obscurus to be a lighter-colored, interior form of that species. Specimens examined. Total number, 10, from 5 localities: Oregon : Prospect, 4 ; west side of Crater Lake, 1 : Grand Pass, 1 ; Siskiyou, 1. California: Carberry Ranch (near Montgomery Creek), Shasta County, 3. Evotomys californicus Merriam. Evotomys californicus Merriam, North American Fauna No. 4, p. 26, pi. ii, fig. 2, Oct. 8, 1890. Type locality. Eureka, Humboldt Co., California. Geographic distribution. Coast strip of Oregon and northern California. General characters. One of the largest, darkest, and longest-tailed species in North America. Dorsal area ill defined ; ears small, and in May and 134 Bailey The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. June specimens almost naked, not rufous ; lateral glands well defined in half of the specimens examined, conspicuous in the type and two other old males. Color. Upper parts dark bister or sepia, becoming dusky on rump and dull, dark chestnut on back ; dorsal area indistinct and shading gradually into color of sides; oval patches of dense fur covering side glands plum beous in slight contrast to surrounding fur; belly pale buffy or soiled whitish, darkened by the plumbeous under fur; tail sharply bicolor, blackish above and at tip all round, whitish beneath; feet whitish or but slightly dusky ; ears dusky, with no rufous or light-colored hairs. Cranial and dental characters. Skull thick and heavy, with short, stout decurved rostrum ; audital bulke and pterygoids both relatively and act ually larger than in any other species ; palatines usually triangular in outline instead of U-shaped, as in other species, and with a triple or single pointed posterior projection ; zygomatic arches bent well down and not abruptly spreading ; molars wide and heavy ; enamel folds crowded lon gitudinally and irregular ; posterior upper molar short, with terminal loop very small or, in 4 specimens out of 6, absent. Measurements. Type, measured in flesh by T. S. Palmer: total length, 161; tail vertebrae, 50; hind foot, 21. An adult $ from Yaquina Bay, Oregon, measured by B. J. Bretherton : total length, 163 ; tail vertebrae, 55 ; hind foot, 20. Skull: basal length, 22.8 ; nasals, 7.5; zygomatic breadth? 14; mastoid width, 12.3 ; alveolar length of upper molar series, 5.3. General remarks. In geographic position this species lies nearest to E. obscurus on the east and to E. occidentals on the north, and with these species only does it need comparison. The darker color, larger size, and longer tail distinguish it at a glance from E. obscurus without reference to the numerous cranial differences. Specimens from localities away from the coast (Willetts and Sherwoods, near the center of Mendocino Count} 7 , California) are somewhat smaller and lighter colored than the type, which suggests that the species may grade into E. obscurus, though at present no intermediate specimens are available. E. californicus is readily distin guished from its northern neighbor, E. occidentals, by light feet and belly, bicolor tail, larger size, and blacker coloration, in contradistinction to the sooty feet and belly, concolor tail, smaller size, and more rufous back of occidenlalis. Specimens examined. Total number, 9, from the 5 following localities : California: Eureka,]; Willetts, Mendocino County, 3 ; Sherwoods, 3. Oregon: Yaquina Bay, 1; Oregon City, 1. Evotomys occidentalis Merriam. Evotomys occidentalis Merriam, North American Fauna, No. 4, p. 25, pi. ii, fig." 1 , Oct. 8, 1890. Evotomys pygmseus Rhoads, Proc. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., p. 284, October, 1894. Type locality. Aberdeen, Washington. Geographic distribution. Coast and Puget Sound region of Washington and southern British Columbia. The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. 135 General characters. Size considerably less than californicus ; dorsal area indistinct; tail long and slender ; concolor ears nearly naked, not large, but conspicuous above the short summer fur ; tail and feet scantily haired in summer specimens ; lateral glands conspicuous in 2 out of 3 adults from Aberdeen. Color. August specimens from Aberdeen : dorsal area ill denned, some times indistinct, varying from dull burnt umber to dark chestnut, dark ened by numerous black-tipped hairs ; sides dusky gray with a buffy suffusion ; an oval patch of darker sooty gray covering side glands in the type and two other specimens ; tail almost concolor, blackish ; feet dusky or blackish ; belly salmon-buff, the dusky under fur showing through ; nose blackish. Cranial characters. Skull thin and light, without prominent angles and processes, relatively narrow and slender, with gently arching zygomata ; anterior part of palate from molars to incisors well arched ; audital bullse much inflated, crowding close together over basioccipital ; pterygoids flat, thin, and much perforated at base; palatines with a rounded or notched posterior projection ; molars normal ; anterior surface of upper incisors orange, in strong contrast to the pale yellowish of those of E. sataratus. Measurements. Type, measured in the flesh by T. S. Palmer, $ ad.: total length, 145; tail vertebrae, 45; hind foot, 18. Average of 3 adults from type locality : 146 ; 47 ; 18.3. Skull of type : basal length, 22 ; nasals, 7 ; zygomatic breadth, 12.5 ; mastoid breadth, 11 ; alveolar length of molar series, 4.7. Remarks. This species is peculiar to the low, moist coast and sound region the ' Webfoot country' where its dark color blends with the shadows of dense vegetation. In general the color is nearly as dark as that of E. californicus, but the rich brown on the back, the concolor, dusky tail, and dusky feet are the characters most sharply distinguishing it from neighboring species. There is a possibility of intergradation with E. californicus on the south, as well as with E. saturatus of the mountains farther east. Specimens from Port Moody, B. C., while agreeing closely with the type in all external characters, show a slight departure in cranial characters in the more angular skull, paler incisors, and smaller audital bullse. A half-grown specimen from the head of Cascade River is slightly lighter and brighter colored than specimens of the same age from the type locality. Evotomys pygmseus Rhoads, from the mouth of the Nisqually River, Washington, is based on small size, and was described as the smallest species of the genus, measuring 120; 34 ; 16. In a series of 9 specimens from Tenino (16 miles SW. of the mouth of Nisqualla River), adult speci mens, measured in the flesh by C. P. Streator, range from 136 ; 40 ; 18 to 155; 49; 18. Two not fully adult specimens from Steilacoom (8 miles NE. of the mouth of Nisqually River) measure 125; 36; 16.5 and 128; 39 ; 17. In brief, specimens from Tenino and Steilacooni localities close by and on both sides of the type locality of 'pygmseus' agree within the limits of individual and slight seasonal variation in size, color, and cranial characters with specimens from Aberdeen, the type locality of E. occiden- 136 Bailey The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. (alls. It is evident, therefore, that E. pygmxus Rhoads is the young of E. occidentalis. Specimen? examined. Total number, 19, from 5 localities. Washington: Aberdeen, 6; Tenino, 10; Steilacoom, 2; head of Cas cade River, 1 im. British Columbia : Port Moody, 1. Evotomys nivarius * sp. nov. Type from Olympic Mountains, Washington, at altitude of 4000 feet [1220 meters], on NW. slope of Mt. Ellinor. No. 66203, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 9, 1894, by C. P. Streator. Collector's number, 4025. Geographic distribution. Mt. Ellinor and probably other high peaks in the Olympic Mountains. General characters. Size and proportions about as in E. occidentalis, but color lighter and brighter, with skull more angular. Fur long and lax ; ears small and scantily haired ; tail and feet slender, well covered with short hair. Color. Dorsal stripe well defined, extending from anterior base of ears to base of tail, dull light chestnut; sides dark gray with little buffy suf fusion; belly thinly washed with soiled whitish, darkened by plumbeous under fur ; postauricular spots whitish ; ears dusky ; tail distinctly bicolor, soiled whitish below, dusky above ; feet dirty white. Cranial characters. Skull short, wide, angular, and flat; zygomatic process of maxilla projecting at right angles to axis of skull ; zygomatic process of squamosal spreading ; frontals deeply concave postorbitally ; lateral ridges of frontals and parietals prominent ; audital bullse as large as in E. occidentalis; pterygoids slender; palatines short, anterior edge truncate or rounded, posterior edge straight; tooth pattern different in each of the three specimens; incisors yellow like those of E. occidentalis. Measurements. Average of 3 adult females from type locality, measured in the flesh by C. P. Streator : total length, 150 ; tail vertebrae, 50 ; hind foot, 18. Skull of type : basal length, 21 ; zygomatic breadth, 13; nasals, 6.5 ; mastoid breadth, 11.5 ; alveolar length of upper molar series, 5. Remarks. The specimens from the type locality were caught on July 9, at the edge of an alpine lake, at about 4000 feet altitude. At that date Mr. Streator roports about one-third of the lake covered with ice and snow from the previous winter, while deep snow drifts lay on most of the neighboring slope. Ice formed over the water almost every night during his stay, from July 8 to 11. The snow banks do not entirely leave Mt. Ellinor during the summer. At this altitude the timber is smaller and more scattered and the undergrowth less dense than lower down. The species shows no close relationship with any other, except occi dentalis. The types of these two are widely different, but specimens from *The name nivarius seems appropriate to this alpine species, found in close proximity to snow banks that never melt. The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. 137 the vicinity of Lake Cushman, at the east base of the Olympic Moun tains, show either that the two species meet there or that intergrades occur. A more complete series of specimens is needed to prove inter- gradation, and until such a series is obtained E. nivarius may stand as a full species. Specimens examined. Total number, 6, from three localities. Washington : Mt. Ellinor, 3 ; Lake Cushman, 2 ; Skokomish River (10 miles above Lake Cushman), 1. [The account of the following species is contributed by Outram Bangs.] " Evotomys proteus sp. nov. " Type from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. No. 4081, 9 old adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected Aug. 27, 1895, by C. H. Goldthwaite. " General characters. Size largest of the northeastern forms; ear and hind foot large ; colors very variable ; usual coloring of adults yellowish or grayish, with a darker (often sooty) dorsal stripe. Red-backed indi viduals are in a small minority, and even these have the face gray ; feet and tail more hairy than in gapperi or ochraceus; skull large and angular, with deep interorbital constriction, behind which the brain case expands more squarely than in either gapperi or ochraceus, with more strongly marked spur-like process of squamosal. " Color. The color of this mouse varies enormously. The type (repre senting the color phase that seems to be most usual) : sides, flanks, cheeks, and face smoke gray, somewhat shaded with yellowish and drab, dark ening on back into a broad dorsal stripe of sepia, and paling off on under parts to light smoke gray ; feet and hands dull gray ; tail indistinctly bicolor, dusky above, dull gray below, hairy. No. 4088 has the whole upper parts, back, and sides dull yellowish, the dorsal stripe slightly darker. No. 4054 has the sides darker yellowish brown and the dorsal stripe bright chestnut, while No. 4139 is slaty all over, slightly paler below, and darker dorsally. Every degree of intermediate coloration can be found between these extremes. " Cranial characters. The skull is larger than that of either gapperi or ochraceus, the brain case more angular, the interorbital constriction deeper, and the forward spur-like process of squamosal much more strongly marked. The dentition does not appear to differ materially from that of either gapperi or ochraceus. " Measurements (taken in the flesh by collector). The type, 9 old adult : total length, 171 ; tail vertebrae, 53 ; hind foot, 21 ; ear from notch, 17. Average of the 20 largest adult specimens : total length, 161.8 ; tail verte bra, 48.83; hind foot, 20.47; ear from notch, 17.75." 30 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XT, IS:7 EXPLANATION OF PLATE III. FIG. 1. Evolomys rutilus (Pallas). ad., Syd Varanger, Finmark, Norway, No. 6555, Merriam Coll. 1, top of skull; la, palate region. 2. Evotomys daivsoni Merriam. cJ ad., Yakutat, Alaska, No. 73586, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. 2, top of skull; 2a, palate region. 3. Evotomys loringi subsp. nov. cT ad. (type), Portland, Traill Co., N. Dakota, No. 75795, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. 3, top of skull. 4. Evotomys nivarius sp. nov. 9 ad. (type), Mt. Ellinor, Olympic Mts., Washington, No. 66203, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. 4, top of skull. 5. Evotomys wrangeli sp. nov. 5. 9 ad. (type), Wrangel Island, Alaska, No. 74724, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. (5, same locality ; No. 74730.) 5, top of skull ; 5, palate region. 6. Evotomys mazama Merriam. 6. tf ad. (type), Crater Lake, Oregon, No. 79913, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. (Ga ^, same locality ; No. 79915.) 6, top of skull ; 6, palate region. (138) PROC. BIOL. SOC. WASH., XI, 1897 PL. Ill VOL. XI, P. 139 MAY 13, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE f BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW BAT FROM MARGARITA ISLAND, VENEZUELA. BY GERRIT S. MILLER, JR. Through the kindness of Mr. F. W. True, curator of mammals in the U. S. National Museum, I have been permitted to exam ine the bats collected by Lieut. Wirt Robinson on Margarita Island, Venezuela, in July, 1895. Among them is a specimen of Rhogeessa which differs considerably from any of the Mexican species of the genus, and without doubt represents an unde- scribed insular form. It may stand as : Rhogeessa mimitilla sp. nov. Vesperugo parrulus Robinson, Proc. U. S. National Museum, XVIII, p. 651, 189(5. Type from Margarita Island, Venezuela. No. 63216, ^ ad., U. S. National Museum. Collected July 8, 1895, by Lieut. Wirt Robinson. Collector's number, 463. General characters. Most like lilwgeessa tnmida H. Allen, but much smaller. Color. Fur everywhere light yellowish brown to base, the hairs on the back tipped with chestnut ; ears and membranes in dry specimen dark brown. Skull and teeth. The skull of Rhogeessa minutilla is smaller than that of R. tumida, and apparently has a narrower brain case ; but as it is injured, the cranial characters cannot be determined with certainty. Teeth essen tially as in R. tumida. Measurements. Total length, about 65; tail vertebrae, 25; tibia, 11; foot, 5; forearm, 25; thumb, 3.6; longest finger, 51; ear from meatus, 11.8; width of ear, 8; tragus, 6.4 ; greatest length of skull, 11.8; upper tooth row, 5; lower tooth row, 5.6; mandible, 9. 31 BIOT,. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (139) VOL. XI, p. 1 +1 MAY 13, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW VOLE FROM KASHMIR. BY GERRIT S. MILLER, JR. Mr. Oldfield Thomas, of the British Museum, has recently sent me for determination a vole collected by Dr. J. E. T. Aitchison, F. R. S., at Gulmerg, Kashmir. The specimen proves to be a Microtus of the subgenus Hypcracrius* It differs from Microtus ferlilis (True),f the only other known member of the subgenus, in several important characters, and evidently represents a new species, which may stand as : Microtus aitchisoni J sp. nov. Type from Gulmerg, Kashmir, altitude 9000 feet. Adult $ (in alcohol), British Museum collection (not registered). Collected by Dr. J. E. T. Aitchison. General characters. General appearance much as in Microtus fertilis (True), but size considerably larger and color apparently yellower. Color. Color on back bister slightly darkened with blackish and fad ing rapidly on sides into light yellowish wood brown of belly ; tail ob scurely bicolor, dark brown above, light yellowish brown below ; feet dusky ; whiskers scant and short, the longest reaching about to ears, mixed brown and silvery gray. Skull. The skull of the type is reduced to fragments, but these indicate that it was considerably larger than that of M. fertilis. Teeth. The teeth of Microtus aitchisoni are uniformly much larger than in M. fertilis, but the enamel pattern is essentially as in the latter. $ Measurements. Total length, 135; tail vertebrae, 33; hind foot, 19; front foot, 13 ; ear from meatus, 12 ; ear from crown, 7.4 (from specimen in alcohol) ; maxillary tooth row, 7 ; mandibular tooth row, 6.8. * See North American Fauna No. 12, p. 54. fProc. U. S. National Museum, XVII, p. 10, 1894. JAt Mr. Thomas' request, this vole is named after the collector of the type specimen. I For figure of enamel pattern of Microtus fertilis, see North American Fauna No. 12, p. 55. 32 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (141) VOL. XI, p. 143 MAY 13, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW MUSKRAT FROM THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP, VIRGINIA. BY DR. C. HART MERRIAM. Among the new mammals obtained at Lake Drummond, in the heart of the great Dismal Swamp, is a curious Muskrat. Jt is by far the handsomest of the three forms thus far recognized in the genus, and differs from them all in color and in the large size of the teeth. Fiber macrodon sp. nov. Type from Lake Drummond, Dismal Swamp, Va. No. 75940, 9 a( L, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct. 9, 1895, by Dr. A. K. Fisher. Original No. 1788. General characters. Similar to Fiber zebethicus, but color very much darker; incisor and molar teeth very much larger. Color. Entire upper parts, abdomen, and spot on chin blackish brown, darkest and richest on back ; throat, sides of face, anterior part of breast (to plane of fore legs), and inguinal region soiled whitish or very pale drab, more or less tinged with pale fulvous; long hairs of sides and belly tipped with pale dull fulvous. Cranial and dental characters. Skull similar to that of F. zebethicus, but braincase more elongated posteriorly ; squamosal root of zygoma more sloping (not standing out so squarely); incisors heavier (upper ones meas uring 7.5 mm. across cutting edges); molars much larger and heavier, the upper series measuring about 16 mm. on crowns. Remarks. The large teeth and remarkable color of the Lake Drum mond Muskrat suffice to distinguish it at a glance. Whether or not there is a seasonal color change cannot be determined from the material at hand. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 567; tail vertebrae, 244; hind foot, 80. 33 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 181)7 (U3) VOL. XI, PP. 145-146 JUNE 9, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF A NEW EAGLE FROM ALASKA AND A NEW SQUIRREL FROM LOWER CALIFORNIA. BY C. H. TOWNSEND. The following very distinct forms are among the collections contributed by the writer to the U. S. National Museum between 1889 and 1895: Haliaetus leucocephalus alascanus new subspecies. Subspecific characters. Differing from H. leucocephalus in size, being con siderably larger. Habitat. Alaska. Type. <$ (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 151,567). Unalaska, Aleutian Islands, May 22, 1895. C. H. Townsend. Dimensions of Type. Wing, 23.75; tail, 11.50; tarsus, 4 ; culmen, 2.60; depth of bill, 1.50; hind claw, 1.50. Co mparat ive Measure me nts. Locality. Averages. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. Claw of hind toe. Length. Depth. Florida 4 ad. c?s. 3 " $8. 4 " c?s. 2 " 9s. 21.12 22.75 23.81 24.62 10.43 11.31 11.56 12.00 3.40 3.42 4.18 3.75 2.43 2.45 2.50 2.62 1.27 1.32 1.40 1.50 1.50 1.60 1.62 1.75 Florida and Lou isiana Aleutian Islands . it a In forty specimens examined from localities between Florida and Alaska there is a regular increase in size northward. Eagles from north- 34 BIOL. Soc. WASH.. VOL. XI, 1897 (145) 146 Townsend A New Eagle and a New Squirrel. ern States are larger than those from Florida and Louisiana. In addi tion to the other differences in size, the bill of the Alaskan bird is wider, while the edging to the feathers, especially on the wing coverts, is both lighter and broader. The egg of the northern bird is distinctly larger, the average of sixteen specimens being 73.5 x 57.5 mm., while that of forty-five Florida specimens is 69 x 53.5 mm. Sciurus hudsonius mearnsi new subspecies. Sciurus hudsonius californicus Allen. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., III., 1890, pp. 165-167. This form is characterized by extreme pallor of coloration and by hav ing middle dorsal region tinged pale yellowish instead of reddish, as in specimens from central and northern California. A general hoariness pervades the entire upper surface; under surface pure white, without traces of annulation ; under fur light plumbeous throughout. These speci mens have a broad black lateral stripe. The ears are conspicuously tufted with long black hairs, while the top of the head is pale grayish instead of blackish, as in specimens from more northerly localities. Tail with lateral hairs very broadly tipped with white ; median area of under side whitish gray, of upper side yellowish gray ; terminal third black, fringed with white. Fore and hind feet yellowish white. One specimen (No. 18267, U. S. Nat. Mus.) has acquired the post-breeding pelage on the fore but not on the hind feet, the new hair being buff- yellow instead of soiled white. Specimens from the interior region of northern California are much darker, with distinctly more reddish upper tinge and less hoari ness, while the under fur is decidedly darker plumbeous. Specimens of S. hudsonius mogottonensis and S. hudsonius fremonli have a more general reddish suffusion of the upper parts, and in winter much dusky vermicu- lation of the under surfaces, while the feet are nearly black and the ear tufts less pronounced. S. hudsonius mogottonensis is considerably larger, the hind foot measuring 54 mm. in mogottonensis against 51 mm. in mearnsi; the skull 51 x 28.7 against 48.8 x 27.6. Type No. ||ff, U. S. Nat. Mus., from San Pedro Martir Mountains, Lower California (altitude about 7,000 feet). Collected in May, 1889, by C. H. Townsend. Named for Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, U. S. A., Naturalist of the Mexican Boundary Commission of 1892-'94. VOL. XI, PP. 147-148 JUNE 9, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON LEPUS BAILEYI, A NEW COTTONTAIL RABBIT FROM WYOMING. BY C. HART MERRIAM. In the summer and early autumn of 1893 my assistant, Mr. Vernon Bailey, and I made a biological reconnaissance of the middle part of the State of Wyoming, which we traversed from west to east. On entering the Wind River Basin a short distance south of the town of Lander, the first mammal to attract my attention was a large, pale Cottontail with ears even longer than those of the Arizona Jack Cottontail (Lepus arizonse. Allen). The species was new to me, but I became well acquainted with it during the remainder of the season, for throughout our course in the Wind River and Bighorn Basins one or more were seen every day, and not having been disturbed by man they were very tame, often permitting us to pass within 20 feet (7 meters) with out taking alarm. When started they usually ran only a short distance and squatted behind a sage brush or grease wood bush, or in the burrow of a prairie dog or badger, with their long ears laid back on the neck. By rushing suddenly toward them sev eral were driven into these burrows. They were most active at dusk, when their large white tails could be seen flashing in va rious directions. When at rest the tails are lowered and appar ently narrowed, so that the gray of the upper surface conceals the white, but the instant the animal starts the tail is raised and bent up on the rump. When partly erected it seems to curve to the left, but when fully up and pressed against the rump it was found to curve to the right (convexity to the left) in seven cases out of eight. In all of these respects it resembles the tail of the 35-BioL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (147) 148 Merriam A New Cottontail Rabbit from Wyoming. white-tailed ground squirrel of the southern deserts mophilus leucurus). The new Cottontail, which I take pleasure in naming Lepus baileyi, after my companion, Mr. Vernon Bailey, is a northern representative of the arizonx series, with which it agrees in the large size of the ears and audital bulke! It inhabits the Upper Sonoran and Transition Zones and ranges completely across the lower parts of the Owl Creek Mts., which mountains separate the Wind River Basin from the Bighorn Basin. On the north the species follows the Bighorn Basin into Montana, and on the east it was last killed by us on Crazy Woman Creek, a tributary of Powder River in northeastern Wyoming. Southeast of Powder River it was afterward obtained at Douglas by Mr. J. Alden Loring. In the Wind River Basin we found it in company with the short-eared Cottontail (Lepus nuttalli^ though the latter seemed to be closely confined to the willow thickets along the streams, while the long-eared species was found everywhere over the sage and sarcobatus plains and on the open deserts. Lepus baileyi sp. nov. Wyoming Cottontail. Type from Spring Creek, east side Bighorn Basin, Wyoming. No. 56016, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 17, 1893, by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey. Original No. 4372. General characters. Size large ; coloration pale ; ears and tail very long. Similar in general appearance to L. nuttalli, but paler, with much longer ears and tail. Color. Upper parts pale pinkish buff, sparingly lined with black hairs ; nuchal patch pale fulvous; rump narrowly grayish, lined with black hairs'; ears like back, but terminal fourth bordered by black ; outer sides of fore and hind legs pale fulvous ; fore and hind feet white or whitish, with basal fur on outer side of feet more or less suffused with pale ful vous ; pectoral collar (broad and full) and tuft on each side of inguinal region pale buffy fulvous ; under parts white ; tail white, except a grayish band on dorsal surface. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of L. arizonte, but larger and heavier, with decidedly larger teeth. Contrasted with L. nuttalli of the same region, the skull as a whole is larger ; the audital bullse very much larger ; the postorbital processes larger, broader, and more produced ante riorly. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 418; tail vertebrae, 50; hind foot, 100 ; ear from base, 94. Average of 8 specimens from the Wind River and Bighorn Basins: total length, 404; tail vertebrae, 55; hind foot, 96. VOL. XI, PP. 149-151 JUNE 9, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THR BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE AFRICAN SWIMMING CRABS OF THE GENUS CALLINECTES* BY MARY J. RATH BUN. This paper is supplementary to the one on ' The Genus Calli- since the publication of which the writer has examined the types of a number of species of doubtful position and has been able to correct the synonymy. J It becomes necessary to change the name of two species, larvatus to marginatus, tumidus to exasperatus, and advisable to consider the subspecies, tumidus gladiator, a species. One new species is added, C. latimanus. Callinectes marginatus (A. Milne Edwards). Neptanus marginatus A. Milne Edwards, Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, X, 318, pi. xxx, fig. 2, 1861. Gabon. Types examined (?> juv. 9). Callinectes larvatus Ordway, Boston Journ. Nat. Hist., VII, 573, 1863. Key West, Tortugas, Bahamas, Haiti. Callinectes larvatus A. Milne Edwards, Crust. Reg. Mex., 225, 1879 (variety of C. diacanthus). Callinectes africanus A. Milne Edwards, op. cil., 229, 1879 (variety of C. dia canthus). Cape Verde Islands. Types examined. Callinectes larvatus, var. africanus? Benedict, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVI, 1893, 537. Distribution. African coast: Cape Verde Islands (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 14880; Paris Mus.) ; Liberia (Paris Mus.) ; Beyah River, Elmina, Ashan- tee (U. 8. Nat. Mus., No. 14878) ; Gaboon (Paris Mus.) ; St. Paul deLoando (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 14877). American coast: Florida Keys to Bahia, Brazil. * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu tion. tProc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVItl, 1895, 349-375, pis. xii-xxviii, 1896. J C. nitidas A. Milne Edwards, 1879, is a synonym of C. arcuatus Ord way, 1863. 3G BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (149) 150 RatJibun The African Swimming Crabs. Callinectes gladiator Benedict. Callinectes fn.midn-s, var. gladiator Benedict, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., XVI. 1893, 537. Callinectes tumidim gladiator Ruthbun, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., XVIII. 1895, 360, 1896. This form should, I think, be considered a distinct species from C. ex- asperatus (Gerstaecker), 1856* (= 0. tumidus Ordway, 1863). Type specimen, (J. Carapace, exclusive of lateral spines, wider than in C. cxasperatus ; less convex, but more deeply areolated; the branchial region, besides the two distinct areolss at the inner angle, has outside these areolie a higher elevation on which the granules are most crowded. Granules scattered on the lateral regions. Intramedial region wider than in C. exasperatus, but posteriorly narrower than in C. marginatus. Median teeth of the front small, tuberculiform. Lateral teeth gradually increas ing in size from the second to the eighth, excepting that the fifth is slightly wider than the sixth ; rather long, and distinctly separated, as in C. marginatus. Lateral spine nearly three times the length of the pre ceding tooth. Abdomen most nearly related to that of 0. exasperatus. Additional material. To this species may be referred two small females, one in spirit, one dried, which are preserved in the British Museum. They were collected on the west coast of Africa by Mr. John Cranch of the Congo Expedition, 1816. One was labeled by Leach ' Lupa Smyth i- anusj but was not described, f In these specimens the lateral spine is more than three times as long as the preceding tooth ; the inner supraorbital fissure is open to the base ; the abdomen (of the female) is allied to that of C. marginatus, but the fifth segment is longer than the sixth. Specimens, also young, of both sexes, in the Berlin Museum, agree with the above. Dimensions. Type, immature <^ : Length to median sinus of front, 27.9 ; to tips of frontal teeth, 28.6; width to tips of spines, 67; to last sinus, 52.3 mm. Immature J\ Berlin Museum : Length to sinus, 23 ; to tips of frontal teeth, 23.5; width to tips of spines, 55.5 ; to last sinus, 42 mm. Type locality. Beyah River, Elmina, Ashantee; U. S. Eclipse Expedi tion, 1889 (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 14879). Distribution. Liberia (Berlin Mus., No. 2979) ; Chinchoxo, West Africa (Berlin Mus., No. 5568) ; West Africa, Congo Expedition (British Mus.). * Lupea exasperata Gerstsecker, Arch. f. Natur., XXII, pt. 1, 129, 1856. Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. Type examined. t In Appendix No. IV to ' Narrative of an Expedition to 'explore the River Zaire, usually called the Congo, in South Africa, in 1816, under the direction of Captain J. K. Tuckey, R. N.,' London, 1818, Leach says, under Lupa, "Of this genus three new species were discovered, all of which belong to that section in which the hinder lateral spine of the shell is very much elongated." The African Swimming Crabs. 151 Callinectes bocourti A. Milne Edwards. CaUlnct'les bocoitrti A. Milne Edwards, Crust. Reg. Mex., 226, 1879 (variety of C. diacavihua). Riviere de Mnllins, 20 miles south of Belize, Hon duras. Types examined. Callinectes cayennensis A. Milne Edwards, loc. tit. (variety of C. diacanlhus) . Cayenne. Types examined. CaUwectes ? bocourti Rath bun, op. cit., 360. Not C. africanus A. Milne Edwards. Specimens of C. bocourti from British Guiana in the British Museum are labeled " C. trispinosus Leach;" so also are specimens of C. exasperatus from Jamaica. Probably neither are types, as the locality of Lupa trispin- osa is not given by Leach. Distribution. West Africa: Senegal (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 18735) ; Libe ria (Berlin Mus., No. 3647) ; Chinchoxo (Berlin Mus., No. 5566). Ameri can coast: Honduras to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Callinectes latimanus Rathbun, new species. This species is so closely related to C. toxotes Ordway, from the west coast of America, that it may be described by comparison with that species. Cardiac and inner branchial areolets less elevated. Length of intra- medial area about equal to, but not exceeding, its posterior width. Four frontal teeth (fig. 6) less advanced, triangular and subacute instead of rounded or lobiform. Suborbital tooth broader yXyv/^/V toward the extremity. Antero-lateral teeth FlG 6 _ Calh -. shorter, that is, less projecting ; margins of nectes latima- second to fifth pairs, inclusive, considerably nus. Frontal shorter than their basal width. teeth - x ** In the abdomen of the male (fig. 7) the third or compound segment is shorter than in C. toxotes ; the penultimate seg ment is broader at its proximal end and much constricted FIG. -j.C. lad- at one _t],j r( | the distance from the proximal end. Sides of mantis. Abdo- * . men of male, terminal segment sinuous. Appendages reaching beyond X %. the tip of the abdomen. In the female the sixth segment is only slightly longer than the fifth. Meri of chelipeds three-spined on inner margin. Propodus of larger cheliped (fig. 8) with the lower margin very convex below the basal half of the pollex. The fingers are there fore more gaping, the pollex being no wider FlG - 8. c. latimanus. Larger than in C. toxotes. Dimensions. $, circle. ff The son of Sisyphus. Revision of the Nomenclature of the Brachyum. 165 Xanthias for Xanthodes * Dana, May, 1852. (Xanthodes Guenee, Spec. Gen. d. Lep., V.T, 209, Jan., 1852, Lepidoptera. Noticed in Bibliographic de la France, Jan. 10, 1852.) The following published names should be substituted for pre occupied names : Palicus^ Philippi, 1838, for Cymopolia Roux, 1828. (Cymopolia Lamouroux, Hist. Pol. Coral. Flex., 292, 1816.) Podohuenia Cano, 1889, for Ixion Paulson, 1875. (Ixion Reitter, Verh. Ver. Briinn, XT, 44, 1872, Coleoptera, ^de Zool. Rec., 1873.) Dilocardnus Milne-Edwards, 1853, for Orthostoma Randall, 1839, type 0. dentata Randall, 1839 = Dilocardnus multidentatus von Martens, 1869. ( Orthostoma Ehrenberg, Symbolse Physicse, Anim. Evert., Decas Prima, 1831, Verrnes.) Kaempferia suggested but not adopted by Miers, 1886, for Ma- crocheira de Haan, 1839, ' preoccupied.' (Macrochira Meigen, 111. Mag., 1803, Diptera. Macrocheirus Schonherr, Gen. et Spec. Cur- cul., 1838, Coleoptera, concerning which he says ' Macrocheira Nov. Gen. et Spec. Dom. de Haan in Litteris.') The following may be used for names preoccupied though with different gender terminations : Rhodia Bell, 1835, for Herbstia Milne Edwards, 1834. (Herb- stium Leach in Desmarest, Diet. Sci. Nat., XXVIII, 301, 1823, Macrura.) Grapsillus MacLeay, 1838, for Trapezia Latreille, 1825. (Trape zium Humphrey, Mus. Calonnianum, 1797, Mollusca.) Hypopeltarium $ Miers, 1886, for Peltarion Hombron and Jacquinot, 1852? (Peltarium G. Fischer de Waldheim, Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscou, XVII, part 1, 106, 1844, Coleoptera.) Eurypanopeus A. Milne Edwards, 1880, for Panopeus Milne Edwards, 1834. (Fanopea Menard, Ann. Mus., IX, 135, 1807, *Ortmann, Zool. Jahrb., Syst., VII, Heft 3, 443, 1893, unites Xanthodes with Xantho. f Since the publication of my 'Synopsis of the American Species of Palicus Philippi (= Cymopolia Roux),' pp. 93 to 9$ of these Proceedings, Professor Jeffrey Bell and Dr. Hilgendorf have kindly sent me copies of the original description of Palicus. Though brief, it agrees with Cymo polia. Dr. Philippi was doubtless soon convinced of the identity of his genus with the earlier one, as the complete description and figure which he promised to publish in Wiegmann's Archiv never appeared. J Hypopeltarium was substituted by Miers, 1883, for Peltarion (name preoccupied) and has been in use ever since. \ Admitting that Eurytium Stimpson, 1859, is a distinct genus. 166 Rathbun Revision of Nomenclature of the Brachyura. Mollusca.) Panopea is the name of one of the Nereids. Cancer Panope Herbst, from which the name Panopetis was derived, doubtless referred to the same character. Engonionotus* nov., for Cosmonotus Adams and White, 1847. (Cosmonota Dejean, Catal. Col., 3d ed., 1833. I have seen only the reprint of the 3d ed., 1837.) Charybdetta, nov., for Cronius Stimpson, 1860. (Cronia H. and A. Adams, Gen., I, 128, 1858, Mollusca.) Eaxanthopsis, nov., for Eaxanthas Dana, 1851 = Melissa Strahl, 1861. (Euxanthe Hubner, Verz., 39, 1816, Lepidoptera. Melissa Smith, 1854, Cat. Brit. Mus., II. 279, Hymenoptera.) Raphonotus^ nov.. for Fabia Dana, 1851. (Fabius Duncan, Foreign Butterflies, 167, 1837, teste Scudder.) .- Leucocarcinus,'l nov., for Leucisca MacLeay, 1838. (Lcaciscas ,Cuvier, Regne Animal, ed. 1, 194, 1817, Pisces.) . Zalasius, nov., for Trichia de Haan, 1841. ( Trichim Fabricius, Sys. Entom., 40, 1775, Coleoptera.) Those names which are spelled alike except for their termi nation and have different meanings are not considered the same, e. g., Achseus Leach, 1817, is not displaced by Achasa Hubner, 1816, both being proper names. The same is true of Nemausa A. Milne Edwards, 1875, and Nemausus, Stal, 1865. 9. Names given simultaneously to different genera. Acanthodes was proposed by de Haan, 1833, for a genus of crabs. The same name was used by Agassiz, July, 1833, for a genus of fishes ; it was, however, substituted for his Acanthoessus, 1832. For this reason, and because it cannot be proved that Acanth odes de Haan is of later date, it seems best to preserve the name for the crus tacean genus. Thia Leach, 1815, bears the same date as Thia Oken, Lehr. Naturg., 3 te Theil, l te Abth., a genus of Verrnes. Thia Oken appears in a scheme of classification on p. xiii, and in the index or ' Register ' at the end of the same work (p. xvii), but not in the body of the work^ where it is called Amphinome (teste Faxon). It is impossible to tell which genus, Oken's or Leach's, was first published, but as the former is, I believe, a synonym, and per- * Eyywvid?, angular ; vwro?, back. ), suture; vo)ro?, back. ?, white; xa/>x{'v?, crab. , hairy ; , intensive prefix. Revision of the Nomenclature of the Brachyura. 167 haps was never used except by Oken, the name Thia may properly be used for the crustacean genus. Kraussia was used by Dana for a genus of crabs,* and by Davidson for a genus of mollusksf in the same month of the same year, May, 1852 ; but Davidson in 1859 changed his Kraussia to Kraussina, acknowledging the priority of Dana's genus. 10. Original orthography to be preserved except in case of typo graphical error. According to Canon XL of the A. 0. U. Code, we should write Ethusa not jEthusn, ^Ethra not (Ethra, Eriocheir not EriochiruSj Podophtalmus not Podophthalmas, Zosimus not Zozymus, Lophozozymus, Stenorynchus, Dorynchus, Loxorynchus, Pyromaia Stimpson, 1871. not Apiomaia von Martens, 1873. Goneplax Leach, Edin. Encyc., VII, 1814, was spelled Goneplat on p. 393, Goneplax on p. 430. The first form may be consid ered a typographical error. Goneplax was so used by Leach in 1815; in 1816 written Gonoplax; since that time both Goneplax and Gonoplax by different authors. *Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., VI, 86. t Ann. Nat. Hist., (2) IX, 369. VOL. XI, PP. 169-171 JUNE 9, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON TWO NEW PLANTS FROM MOUNT MAZAMA, OREGON. BY FREDERICK V. COVILLE AND JOHN B. LEIBERG. Arenaria pumicola, sp. nov.* Plant forming a rather loose tuft, commonly 6 to 12 cm. high, from a caudex with a deep tap-root and with naked ascending branches com monly 1 to 2 mm. in thickness ; stem erect, smooth below, glandular-hairy above, with commonly 1 to 3 pairs of cauline leaves; basal leaves numer ous, about 0.5 to 0.7 mm. wide by 10 to 20 or even 30 rum. long, glabrous, glaucous, entire to remotely or sometimes even closely denticulate on the margin, abruptly and rather bluntly acute at the apex, the cauline leaves similar but about twice as broad and seldom more than 10 or 12 mm. long; inflorescence at the first flowering compact, in age open, the branches of the cyme and often the midribs of the sepals glandular- hairy ; bracts ovate, acute to acuminate, scarious, glabrous ; sepals 2 to 3 or sometimes even 4 mm. long, ovate, with a sharply defined midrib and broad scarious margins, acute or through the expansion of the margins obtuse; petals about twice as long as the sepals, cuneate-oblanceolate, emarginate or erose at the usually truncate apex ; stamens about as long as the petals, the anthers commonly purple ; ovary globose ; capsules at maturity probably nearly twice as long as the calyx ; mature seeds not seen. Type specimen in the United States National Herbarium, collected August 13, 1896, at Crater Lake, Oregon, at an altitude of 2180 meters, by Frederick V. Coville and John B. Leiberg, No. 349. This plant appears to be most closely related to Arenaria aculeata Wats., differing in the naked, ascending, subterranean caudex branches bearing the congested foliage in tufts at their * On the ground of euphony the combination of letters icic, which in strict etymological practice would occur in this word, has been reduced to ic. 39-Bior,. See. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (169) 170 Coville and Leiberg Two New Plants from Oregon. ends; the leaves not very stiff and with only an abrupt, very short, and scarcely pungent horny apex ; and the sepals with the green median portion rather narrow, usually abruptly de limited by the broad hyaline margins, and commonly with little tendency to be striate when dry. Arenaria aculeala is a plant with spreading, procumbent, matted stems retaining their more scattered widely spreading dead foliage for several years ; the leaves stiff, tapering at the apex into an extremely sharp horny spine ; and the sepals with a broad midrib not usually sharply delimited and when dry commonly 3 to 5-striate. In the field the plants are at once distinguishable by their strikingly differ ent habit and by the difficulty of handling aculeata, the leaves of which readily pierce the skin, a difficulty which was not ex perienced in the case of pumicola. Our plant is a characteristic species of the open slopes of pulverized pumice-stone about the rim of Crater Lake, Mount Mazama, Oregon, and specimens in the National Herbarium collected by Lemmon in 1875 show that it occurs also in north eastern California. Arenaria aculeata ranges from the plateau of northern Arizona through the mountains of Nevada and Utah to those of southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. Our plant bears considerable resemblance to some herbarium specimens which are referred to Arenaria congesta subcongesta Wats., but the type of that complex of forms differs in its spread ing instead of erect leaves, slenderer and more persistently leafy branches of the rootstock, longer calyx (about 5 mm.) and gla brous stems and inflorescence. Cardamiiie bellidifolia pachyphylla, var. nov. Plant wholly devoid of pubescence, low, 4 to 8 cm. high, from a branch ing candex commonly 2 mm. thick, and with a deep tap root, the branches usually short, but sometimes long and flexuous ; leaves mostly gathered in subrosulate tufts at the ends of the caudex branches, the blades fleshy in texture, even the midrib nearly obliterated, 6 to 12 or even 16 mm. long, obovate to narrowly oblong, rounded at the apex, entire or with an indistinctly defined lobe on either side toward the apex, abruptly or gradually narrowed into petioles 1 to 3 cm. in length and purplish at the base or throughout ; flowering stems short, erect, 1 or 2 from each branch of the caudex, 3 to 5 cm. high, leafless or bearing one or two short- petioled oblanceolate or obovate leaflets ; inflorescence a short terminal raceme, the flowers seldom more than 10, on pedicels commonly 5 to 10 mm. long; sepals 2 to 3 mm. long; petals a little more than twice as long, spatulate, obtuse, white or rose-colored ; siliques about 3 cm. long Two New Plants from Mount Mazama, Oregon. 171 and 1.5 mm. wide, fastigiately erect on the slender ascending pedicels, the styles exceeding the valves by about 2 mm. ; seeds in one row, oblong, flat, not winged, often margined at the distal end, about 2 mm. long by 1 to 1.2 mm. wide, the cotyledons accumbent. Type specimen in the United States National Herbarium, collected August 15, 1896, at Crater Lake, Mount Mazama, Oregon, at an altitude of 2300 meters, by Frederick V. Coville and John B. Leiberg, No. 426. The typical form of Cardamine bellidifolia is a less robust plant, slenderer throughout, the caudex and its branches commonly about 1 mm. thick ; the leaves of a light green color and thinner texture, with venation clearly evident on the back, at least in dried specimens, and the petioles apparently always green throughout ; the capsules about 2 cm. long, their styles exceeding the valves by about 1 mm. ; the fruiting pedicels seldom exceed ing 6 mm., usually less than 5 mm. ; and the seeds commonly 1 by 1.5 mm. Cardamine bellidifolia, a circumpolar plant, is known sparingly in the Western Hemisphere from Greenland to the islands of Bering Sea, southward to the White Mountains of New Hamp shire, the Rocky and Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, and the Cascade Mountains of Washington. As indicated by both American and European specimens, it is a plant of humid habi tat, often if not always growing in mossy places and on granitic soil. C. bellidifolia pachyphylla occupies geographically a position contiguous to the westernmost arm of southern montane exten sion of C. bellidifolia, namely, the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon and adjacent isolated peaks in northern California. The soil on which it grows at Crater Lake, where it occurs on the rocky slopes of the Watchman, is a pulverized pumice. This, although in early spring well supplied with moisture from the melting snow, soon becomes very dry at the surface and supports only a scanty vegetation, even mosses being almost entirely want ing. Doubtless on Lassen Peak and Mount Shasta, both of which are volcanic cones, it finds a similar soil. Under these condi tions it appears to have differentiated from the typical C. bellidi folia by sending down a deeper tap-root for moisture and by developing thicker leaves to accommodate itself to drier surround ings and reduced transpiration. VOL. XI, PP. 173-174 JUNE 9, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF FOUR GENERA OF TROPICAL AMERICAN MAMMALS. BY T. S. PALMER. It is generally admitted that stability in nomenclature can only be attained by adhering strictly to the law of priority and adopting the earliest available name for each genus and species. Some of the early writers used native names as generic designa tions of mammals and birds, but such terms were rejected almost without exception by certain zoologists, who maintained that only scientific names of classical origin should be used. Illiger, and to a less extent Cuvier, were leaders in the reform against ' barbarous ' names, and in carrying out their views did not hesi tate to replace earlier names by others which they deemed more appropriate. As their classification of mammals and birds was very generally adopted, their nomenclature was accepted with out question. At present, however, derivation is considered of much less importance than priority, and one recent writer, Liais, has even gone so far as to maintain that in the case of South American species scientific names derived from Indian names are preferable to any others. It must be admitted that no valid objections can be urged against barbarous names when such genera as Alactaga, Avahi, Babirussa, Coendou, Indri, Linsanga, and many others receive general recognition. Some of Cuvier's and Illiger 's genera have already been aban doned in favor of earlier ones, but there are still several others, as Tatusia, Dicotyles, Cercoleptes,?Md Ghrysothrix*vj\\\c\\ are unfor tunately antedated by valid names. The nine-banded arma dillo was placed in a distinct group, Tatusie, by Cuvier in 1822, 40 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (173) 174 Palmer Nomenclature of Tropical American Mammals. but the name was not published in Latin form until 1827, when it appeared in Lesson's ' Manuel de Mammalogie,' p. 309. As early as 1803, Blumenbach named the same species Tatu novem- cincta* and in 1809 figured it under the same designation in his 'Abbildungen Naturhistorischer Gegenstiinde,' No. 83. Tatu, having at least 24 years priority, should therefore replace Tatusia. The peccaries are almost universally placed in the genus Dico- tyles erected by Cuvier in 1817, but in 1814 Fischer proposed Tayassu^ a modified form of the native name, for the same group. Fischer recognized two species, Tayassu pecari, based on Sus tajacu of Linnaeus, and Tayassu patira. He gave full ge neric and specific descriptions and a list of synonyms for each species. To see that Tayassu pecari and T. patira were intended as scientific and not as vernacular names, it is only necessary to notice that they are used in precisely the same way as Sus sethi- opicus, Tapirus ainericanus, and many others on the pages imme diately preceding or following the descriptions of these species. Dicotyles therefore becomes a synonym of Tayassu and necessi tates a change in the family from Dicotylidse to Tayassuidse. The kinkajou of tropical America is usually known as Cerco- leptes, although it has at least 3 earlier names (Potos Cuvier and Geoffroy, 1795, Kinkajou Lacepede, 1801, and Caudivolvulus Du- meril, 1806), which were given as synonyms of Cercoleptes by Illiger when he redescribed the genus in 1811. All of these genera were based on the same species, and Potos J should be adopted as the earliest available name. Kaup's genus C/irysothrix, described in 1835 for the small squirrel monkeys, is also antedated by the native name Saimiri, which was used as a subgenus by Voigt in 1831. Voigt pub lished the species as Simia (Saimiri) sciurea, and his Saimiri should have preference over the later Chrysothrix. *Handbuch der Naturgeschichte, 7te Auflage, 1803, 105-106; lOte Aus- gabe, 1821, 111. The first edition of this work appeared in 1779, and the name may have been published much earlier than 1803, but I have not been able to examine any of the first six editions. fZoognosia, III, 1814, pp. 284-289. J Methode Mammalogique in Mag. Encyclopedique, lere anne"e, II, 1795, p. 187. g Cuvier's Thierreich, I, 1831, p. 95. VOL. XI, PP. 175-178 JULY 1,1 897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW FUR-SEAL OR SEA-BEAR (ARCTOCEPHALUS TOWNSENDI) FROM GUADALUPE ISLAND, OFF LOWER CALIFORNIA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. During the recent international discussion respecting the seals of Bering Sea, the matter of the distribution of the Northern Fur-seal (Callorhinus ursinus) lias received closer attention than heretofore, and questions have arisen as to the southernmost range of the species in the past. It had heen known for many years that colonies of fur-seals inhabited parts of Guadalupe and the San Benito Islands, off the coast of Lower California, and these seals were commonly assumed to be the northern species the same that breeds in such numbers at the Pribilof Islands in Bering Sea. But it seemed to me a violation of the known laws of geographic dis tribution that a species adapted to the arctic climate and cold waters of Bering Sea, and even there requiring constant fogs to protect it from the feeble rays of the sun, should be able to breed under clear skies on the subtropical islands of Guadalupe and San Benito. During the sessions of the Bering Sea Joint Commission, in February and March, 1892, I made bold to express the opinion that the fur-seal which breeds on these islands would prove to be, not the northern species belonging to the genus Callorhinus^ but a southern species belonging to the genus Arctocephalus. No specimens were at hand for examination, but through the co operation of the Department of State and Fish Commission I was enabled to send a small boat, in direct charge of Mr. C. H. Townsend, on a special mission to Guadalupe Island. Mr. Townsend sailed from San Diego on May 14, 1892, reached Guadalupe on the 16th, and remained there until the 27th. He 41 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (175) 176 Merriam A New Fur-seal from Guadalupe Island. saw seven fur-seals and shot one, which sank before it could be recovered. The trip was made too early in the season to find the seals on shore. A locality was visited where it was known that a large number had been killed a few years previously, and here four skulls were obtained. These skulls were immediately sent to Washington and on their arrival were examined by Dr. J. A. Allen, Dr. Theodore Gill and myself, and proved, as had been suspected, to belong to the genus Arctocephalus. A joint note to this effect was published by us in the Fur-Seal Arbitra tion, Appendix to the Case of the United States, vol. I, p. 586, 1892. In the same volume (p. 373) Dr. Allen expresses the belief that the skulls in question represent an undescribed species. The northernmost locality from which the genus had been previously recorded is the Galapagos Islands under the equator, about 2500 miles southeast of Guadalupe. In his manuscript report on the Guadalupe trip Mr. Townsend states : " Guadalupe Island is thoroughly volcanic and there are caves by the dozen along every mile of the shoreline which were once the retreats of thousands of fur-seals. On the afternoon of May 17 we saw four seals swimming some distance off shore. Two of these we believed to be fur-seals, but could not get within shooting distance, although we tried for an hour. The other two, seen later, were undoubtedly Zalophus. No seals whatever were found on the rocks. ... On May 22 we examined SW Point and the three islands or rocks south of it. On the most southerly rock we found a band of Zalophus, about thirty in number, hauled out. There were no fur seals among them. Passing the point, we continued, pulling in the dory, the schooner lying to off shore, up the west side of the island about eight miles, where we anchored. In the evening we visited the spot where Borges and Sisson had killed two or three hundred fur- seals about ten years before. Only a few weather-worn skulls were found, which we gathered for shipment to Washington. The next day, May 23, we hunted along shore, in the boat as usual, as far as the next point south of NW Point about six miles, the schooner keeping well off shore. At 10 AM., near the outlying rocks off this point, we found what seemed to be a male fur-seal, perhaps about four years old, asleep on the water with his fins held aloft in the manner so characteristic of these ani mals. I got a pretty fair shot with the rifle but missed. Half an hour later I shot a female fur-seal, killing it instantly. Be fore we could get the hook on it, it sank below our reach, although A New Fur-seal from Guadalupe Island. 177 only three boat-lengths away when shot. The water was per fectly clear and we could see the animal sinking when we reached the bloody spot on the water. It began to sink immediately when shot. With an extra long hook we might have reached it. We remained in the neighborhood for an hour, but no more seals were seen. While lying to with the vessel about two miles off this point the Captain saw two fur-seals from the vessel, but was powerless to try getting them. It was on the rocks at this point that Capt. Hunt had killed a pup fur-seal the year before (1891)." In addition to his own observations Mr. Townsend collected from California sealers some very important information respect ing the abundance of the Guadalupe fur-seal and the numbers killed in recent years. This may be summed up as follows : In 1880 Capt. Geo. W. Chase, of San Diego, made several trips to Guadalupe for fur-seals, which he found "tightly packed in the caves and holes [in the rocks]." He generally fired at their eyes in the darkness of these places, but sometimes used candles. His skins sold for $15 each, from which he made $2,200 in 1880. The same man (Capt. Chase) stated that about a year earlier a Mr. Borges sold his catch of Guadalupe sealskins at San Fran cisco for over $20,000 (the rate being $10 to $15 per skin). In 1883 Capt. Geo. E. Wentworth killed about 2,000 fur-seals on Guadalupe. Captain Wentworth states that several other vessels were there at the same time, and that the Guadalupe fur- seal was practically [commercially] exterminated that year 1883. In 1890 Capt. Nelson told Mr. Townsend that he had killed fur-seals with more or less regularity every year on the exposed shingle beach at the NW end of Guadalupe Island, where he pursued them into the caves and killed them with clubs. In 1891 Geo. M. Hunt, of San Diego, visited Guadalupe in De cember for the purpose of sealing and killed 5 fur-seals 4 adults on the east side and one pup on the northwest side. A few others were seen off shore. Recently I have compared the skulls collected at Guadalupe by Mr. Townsend with a series of skulls of Arctocephalus australis or phillipi from the Galapagos Islands, also collected by Mr. Townsend, and find the two to be very distinct species. In view of these facts it seems particularly appropriate that the new species should bear Mr. Townsend 's name, which I take pleasure in bestowing upon it. The material on which the new species is based consists of four 178 Merriam A New Fur-seal from Guadalupe Island. skulls picked up on the beach. One of these, the type, is an adult male which has lost the teeth and lower jaw. Another is a young adult female with both jaws and all the teeth. The remaining two are very imperfect, lacking both the jaws and face. The species seems doomed to speedy extermination, and, so far as known, no museum in the world has a single specimen. It is hoped that our National Museum will be able to secure complete specimens before it is too late. Arctocephalus townsendi sp. nov. Guadalnpe Fur-seal. Type locality. Guadalupe Island, off Lower California. Type No. 83617, $ ad., U. S. National Museum. Collected on the beach on west side of Guadalupe May 22, 1892, by C. H. Townsend. Cranial characters. Contrasted with skulls of Arctocephalus (australis or philllpi) from the Galapagos Islands, skulls of .4. townsendi differ in some what smaller size; much shorter rostrum; shorter nasals; larger and more freely open incisive foramina; heavier and shorter ascending branches of premaxillpe, which do not push backward along the nasals as in auslralis; smaller, flatter, and smoother audital bullae; much nar rower and more deeply excavated palate ; narrower postpalatal notch ; broader and heavier jugals; broader zygomatic processes of maxillse, w r hich are expanded to form a broad floor under the anterior half of the orbit; larger, broader, and more rounded anterior nares in the male, and absence of sagittal crest between frontals. The most important characters are the exceedingly narrow and exca vated palate, flat audital bullse, short and thick ascending arm of pre- maxilla, and broadly expanded zygomatic root of maxilla, forming a floor under the anterior half of the orbit. There are also tooth characters : the first upper molar (5th molariform tooth) is mainly posterior to plane of anterior root of zygoma; both upper true molars are double rooted, and the last upper premolar is incompletely double rooted. In the female of townsendi the narrow and deeply excavated form of the palate is even more emphasized than in the male, and the postorbital constriction is very inach narrower than in the female of australis. Measurements of $ Skull of Arctocephalus townsendi (the type). Greatest basal length (gnathion to occipital condyles) 256 Basal length (gnathion to basion) 243 Basilar length of Hensel (basion to incisors) 233 Palatine length (gnathion to postpalatal notch) . 120 Postpalatal length (postpalatal notch to basion) 125 Zygomatic breadth 151 Lateral series of teeth (canine to last molar inclusive) 88 Distance between canines 22.5 Distance between 3d pair of molariform teeth 22.5 Breadth (anteroposterior) of zygomatic root of maxilla between infe rior lip of antorbital foramen and orbit 21 VOL. XI, PP. 179-180 JULY 1, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THR BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW BAT OF THE GENUS ANTROZOUS FROM CALIFORNIA. BY 0. HART MERRIAM. Up to the present time only a single species of the genus An- trozous has been recognized. It was described by Le Conte in 1853, under the name Vespertilio pallidus, from a specimen said to be from California. But later, both Baird * and Harrison Allen f state explicitly that Le Conte's type came from El Paso, Texas, where it was collected by the U. S. and Mexican Boundary Com mission. Moreover, the measurements of the type specimen show that it is the Sonoran desert form not the Californian. The specimens collected in Nevada and California by the Death Valley Expedition in 1891 show that the typical form ranges westward from El Paso over the Sonoran deserts of the southern part of the Great Basin as far as Owens Valley, at the east base of the Sierra Nevada, and that another form occupies the region west of the Sierra. The latter was described by me five years ago, under the name Antrozous pallidus pacificus, but the description, along with a number of others of new mammals collected by the expedition, was held for the mammal report, which has been so long delayed and which is not likely to be printed for another year. For this reason it is thought best to publish the description in advance of the report, and it is pre sented herewith. The Biological Survey has secured a fine series of specimens of Antrozous, illustrating its distribution from Mexico to Oregon ; * Mexican Boundary Survey, vol. II, part II, Mammals, p. 5, 1859. t Monograph of the Bats of North America, p. 69, 1864. 42 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (179) 180 Merriam' A New Bat from California. but since the detailed ranges of the two forms will be given shortly in Mr. Gerrit S. Miller's Monographic Revision of the Vespertilionida), they need not be repeated here. The type of the new form is selected from three specimens shot by me at old Fort Tejon, California, on the evening of June 28, 1891. Two of these three specimens were females containing large embryos, nearly ready for birth. Antrozous pallidus pacificus subsp. nov. Type from old Fort Tejon, Canada deslas Uvas, California. No. 29815, cf, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 28, 1891, by C. Hart Merriam. Original No. 208. General characters. Similar to A. pallidw but uniformly larger (forearm averaging 5 mm. or more longer) and darker; ears somewhat narrower (breadth 18 or less instead of 21 or more) and less convex anteriorly, with posterior edge of upper third slightly emarginate instead of straight. Color. Upper parts ochraceous buff', strongly washed with dusky ; under parts rich buff instead of whitish. Measurements (of type, from alcoholic specimen). Head and body, 70 ; tail, 43 ; head, 25 ; ear from external basal angle, 30 ; tragus from inner base, 10 ; greatest breadth of ear, 17.5 ; forearm, 59 ; thumb, 11 ; 3d finger, 93; 5th finger, 73; tibia, 21 ; hind foot, 13. VOL. XI, PP. 181-183 JULY 1, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF SPH^ROMID^E FROM ALASKAN WATERS.* BY HARRIET RICHARDSON. The dredgings made by the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer 'Albatross' off the Alaskan coast in the years 1888-1894 contain a number of specimens of Sphgeromidas which evidently belong to a genus hitherto undescribed. Although it is impossible to refer these specimens to the genus Ancinus of Milne Edwards, yet they are more closely related to that genus than to any other. They resemble Ancinus in the possession of subchelate hands terminating the first and second pairs of gnathopods. Tecticeps gen. nov. Body oval and somewhat flattened. Head subquadrangular, broader anteriorly than posteriorly, with its anterior and lateral margins produced, concealing the antennae. The antennae, which are entirely hidden, extend backward and lie under the epimeral plates at the sides of the thorax. The first and second pairs of legs are subchelate ; the first pair terminate in a large hand and finger, bearing a small hook ; the second pair terminate in a more irregularly shaped hand. All the other legs are simple in structure. The terminal segment of the abdomen is tri angular and entire and is pointed at its extremity. The uropoda are double-branched and lateral, and resemble closely those of the genus Sphteroma. * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti tution. 43 BIOL. Soc. WASH., Voi,. XI, 1897 (181) FIG. 9. Tecticeps alas- censis. X 2%. 182 Richardson Sphseromidw from Alaskan Waters. This genus differs from the genus Ancinus of Milne Edwards 1. In having uropoda with two branches instead of one. 2. In having the abdomen entire and not truncate at the tip. 3. In the prominent projection of the anterior and lateral margins of the head. 4. In the concealment of the antennae, which are very conspicuous in the Ancinus. Tecticeps alascensis sp. nov. Outline of body oval. Surface quite smooth, but covered with little points of depression. Head large ; twice as long as any one of the thoracic segments. The anterior margin is produced in a way to conceal the antennae, as are also the antero-lateral margins, making the anterior portion of the head in front of the eyes much broader than the posterior portion, and forming very acute antero-lateral angles. This frontal margin forms a very broad obtuse angle with its apex in the median line. On either side of this apex to the antero-lateral angle this portion of the head is somewhat de pressed. The antennae are not conspicuous*, lying concealed beneath the frontal margin of the head. The first pair extends to the posterior angle of the first thoracic segment ; its flagellum contains ten articles. The second pair reaches the middle of the second segment ; its flagel lum is twelve-jointed. The eyes are dorsally situ ated on the posterior half of the head. Fig. io. , Antenna of rp ne ^ norac i c segments are about equal in length. of 2d aif air ' ^tfT The first One extends laterally around the posterior portion of the head, forming a broad plate at the side of the segment. The epimera of all the segments are about twice as broad as long, with the exception of those of the fifth segment, which are nearly square and very conspicuous. The first segment of the abdomen has three suture lines, and its pos terior margin projects down at the sides over the terminal segment. The terminal segment is triangular, and has a very pointed extremity. The uropods differ considerably. The in ner one is broad and tapering, and does not reach the tip of the abdomen. The outer one is slender and sharply pointed, and extends beyond the abdomen. The first pair of legs are subchelate, as are also the second pair. In the first pair the propodus is large and oval in shape, and bears in the pahna a row of stiff FIG. n.-a, Mandi- bristles at regular intervals and pointing obliquely in the same direction, while a thick row of fine cilia, pointing obliquely in the opposite direction, cross these almost at right angles. The dactylus terminates in a single hook, at the base of which two smaller hooks are situated. In the legs of the second pair the propodus is irregular in shape with an indication of a rudimentary Sphssromidss from Alaskan Waters. 183 pollex. There are no hairs or bristles in the palma. The legs of the third, fourth, and fifth pairs present nothing unusual in structure, but resemble the ambulatory legs common to this family. In the sixth and seventh pairs the structure is the .same as that of the preceding legs of the third, fourth, and fifth pairs, but with an increasing dis proportion in the length of the propodus and dactylus. In the seventh pair of legs these joints, but more especially the propodus, attain a size most conspicuous for their length. The propodus becomes over 3 2- times longer than the carpus which immediately precedes it. Color. The color varies from dark brown to yellow, more or less dotted with black. In the darker specimens the epimera and the uropods are almost white, with scat tered spots of black. Other specimens are brown with markings of red, and some are bluish-gray in color tinged with brown or orange. Type. The type specimen was found at Station 3515, latitude 59 59' N., longitude 107 53' W., at a depth of 13 fathoms. Catalogue No. 20031. Distribution. This species extends all along the coast of Alaska, having been found at the following stations: Station 3272, north of Amak Island (31 fathoms) ; FlG " I2 '" a ' ^ eg of ist pain * a i i- o- cc ^ J.I^ast two joints of same. fetation 329/, off Cape Menchikoff (26 x 10%. fathoms) ; Station 3246, south of Hage- c. Leg of 2d pair, x 5%. meister Island (17 fathoms); Station rf. Leg of sd pair, x 5%. 2841, North Head," Akutan Island (56 *. Leg of 6th pair, x 5%. fathoms); Station 3248, off Bristol Bay (21 fathoms) ; Station 3600, on the coast of California (9 fathoms). VOL. XI, PP. 185-187 JULY 1, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW BASSARISCUS FROM LOWER CALIFORNIA, WITH REMARKS ON ' BASSARIS RAPTOrR' BAIRD. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Among the mammals obtained on Espiritu Santo Island by Mr. J. E. McLellan, in August, 1895, are three specimens of Bas- sariscus belonging to an apparently undescribed species. The animal is decidedly smaller and grayer than B. astutus flavus Rhoads, its nearest known relative, and differs also in cranial and dental characters. It lives among the rocks near the beach, and is said to feed on crabs. Bassariscus saxicola sp. nov. Type from Espiritu Santo Island, Lower California. No. 79031, 9 1 ( !> U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected August 19, 1895, by J. Ellis McLellan. Original No. 1438. General characters. Similar to B. astutus flavus, but smaller and grayer; tail more slender, with the black rings relatively broader. Color. Type specimen in summer pelage: Upper parts drab-brown, abundantly mixed along the back with black-tipped hairs ; under parts pale ochraceous buffy; tail with 8 or 9 black rings, incomplete on under side ; under side with 8 white triangles (the uppermost not well defined); ear : basal, f dark ; .apical, ^ whitish ; top of head grizzled ; sides of face marked by a dark patch between eyes and nose (including whiskers), and a larger, grizzled patch between eye and ear ; cheek below eye and patch over posterior orf of eye buffy. Cranial and dental characters. Skull similar to that of B. astutus flavus, but smaller ; rostrum narrower; temporal impressions much nearer to gether ; audital bullse fuller anteriorly, their bases more abruptly rounded antero-externally ; anterior nares reaching farther back superiorly ; fron- 44 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (185) 186 Merriam A New Bassariscus from Lower California. tals more abruptly elevated above rostrum ; postorbital processes more strongly developed ; last upper molar decidedly smaller ; upper carnassial with inner lobe more rectangular. Measurements (type specimen). Total length, 737; tail vertebrae, 370; hind foot, 60. REMARKS ON BASSARISCUS RAPTOR (BAIRD). Baird's type specimen of Bassariscus raptor was killed in the city of Washington, D. C., where it was killing poultry. That it had recently escaped from confinement was shown by the con spicuous collar-mark around its neck, which is still prominent in the dry skin. The specimen is now preserved in the National Museum, and was evidently first kept in alcohol and afterward skinned, as shown by the yellow discoloration of the pelage and by the puckered and hardened condition of the footpads. I have compared both the skin and skull of this specimen with specimens from northern California and Oregon, and find that they agree closely in all respects, except the interpterygoid fossa, which is abnormally broad in the type specimen. The number and breadth of the black bands on the tail correspond with speci mens from Oregon and northern California. The skull is a little larger than that of any Oregon specimen in the Department collection, but is almost exactly matched by a specimen from Glen Ellen, California. Mr. S. N. Rhoads has renamed Bassariscus raptor (Baird), calling it B. oregonus (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, 1893, p. 416), but I cannot see any way by which Baird's earlier name can be displaced by a more modern one, unless it can be proved that Baird's animal is not the form from the northwest coast, with which it agrees in every particular. There is a curious incon sistency in Mr. Rhoads' treatment of the species. On page 414 he says that the form from the northwest coast u may require to be varietally distinguished under the name raptor Baird, this name doubtless referring to the Pacific coast form, as already ex plained." Two pages later (p. 416) he says, " the small dark coast form from northern California northward (not of central and southern California) should be made a subspecies of flavus. In that case it should be called Bassariscus flavus oregonus." It is of course unfortunate that the type locality of Baird's specimen is not positively known, but Baird's repeated state ment that it probably came from California was doubtless based on some information which he did not at the time care to pub- A New Bassariscus from Lower California. 187 lish ; and the fact that the characters of the specimen, both external and cranial, agree with those of the northwest coast animal, leaves little doubt as to the general locality whence the animal came. Skulls of Bassariscus from Oregon and the coast region of northern California differ from those of the Texas animal in several respects, but the differences are not absolutely constant. The teeth average smaller, particularly the fourth upper pre- molar, the crown of which is of the same length as the transverse diameter of the crown of the first upper molar (measured from the notch on the outer side). In Texas specimens the carnassial is usually but not always considerably longer. In the Oregon animal the postpalatal notch cuts the plane of the last molar, while in the Texas animal it falls short of this plane. The inferior lip of the infraorbital foramen is slightly cut away, so that the foramen may be seen when the skull is looked at from below at right angle to the eye. In the Texas animal the foramen cannot be seen from below, but is distinctly visible from above, while in the Oregon animal it cannot be seen at all from above. This seems like a trivial difference which no one would expect to be constant, but as a matter of fact it is con sistently constant in the four skulls of raptor examined. In the Oregon animal the postorbital constriction is deeper and the in- terorbital breadth somewhat less than in B. a. flavus. VOL. XI, PP. 189-212 JULY 1, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON THE CHIPMUNKS OF THE GENUS EUTA- MIAS OCCURRING WEST OF THE EAST BASE OF THE CASCADE-SIERRA SYSTEM, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW FORMS. ' BY C. HART MERRIAM. Owing to the unfortunate delay in bringing out the first volume of the Death Valley Expedition report, it is thought desirable to publish at once certain descriptions and remarks on Chip munks that were written for this report in 1893. With these have been incorporated additional notes, and descriptions of two new species, obtained during subsequent explorations by the Biological Survey, both in the area covered by the original ex pedition 'and in adjacent territory on the north. It will be observed that the name Eutamias, proposed by Trouessart in 1880* as a subgenus of Tamias, is here adopted as a full genus. This is because of the conviction that the super ficial resemblance between the two groups is an accidental parallelism in no way indicative of affinity. In fact, the two groups, if my notion of their relationships is correct, had very different ancestors -Tam-ia* being an offshoot from the ground *Catal. Mamm. Viv. et Foss., Rongeurs, 86, 1880. As originally pro posed the name included four very different animals: asiaticus Gm., harrisi Aud. & Bach., lateralls Say, and Ixvidens Cope (fossil). The fossil Ixoidem I have not seen, but harrisi was placed by me in Ammosper- mophilm in 1892, and lateralis is the type of a very distinct subgenus of Spennopldlus, which I here name CaUospermophilus. The type of Eutamiav was fixed on Tamias asiaticus Gm. by Allen in 1894 (Proc. Linn. Soc. N. Y. , p. 26, July, 1894). 45 BIOL Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (189) 190 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. squirrels of the subgenus or genus Ictidomys Allen, and Eutamias from those of the subgenus or genus Ammospermophilus Merriam. The substance of the present preliminary paper may be con veniently arranged under the following headings : 1 . General remarks on distribution. 2. Seasonal changes in pelage. 3. List of species and subspecies. 4. Remarks on the townsendi group (with keys}. 5. Remarks on the speciosus group. 6. Note on Tamias quadrimaculatus Gray. 7. Desci'iptions of new species and subspecies. 1. GENERAL REMARKS ON DISTRIBUTION. There are no Chipmunks in the Sonoran deserts of the western United States, but the vast sage-brush plains of the central and northern parts of the Great Basin are inhabited by a small gray ish species (Eutamias pictus), and other species live in the higher mountain ranges. On reaching the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada in California, and of the Cascade range in Oregon and Washington, one enters the region where the genus Eutamias attains its highest development. Excepting the great interior valley of California and one or two small valleys in southwestern Oregon, which are not inhabited by any Chipmunks, the strip of territory included between the east base of the Cascade-Sierra system and the Pacific Ocean may be said to be fairly overrun by these animals, containing not less than 14 species and sub species. The chaparral-covered hills of southern California and the lower slopes of the mountains that surround the Mohave Desert and the great San Joaquin Valley have only a single species ; but the boreal forests that clothe the higher mountains and practically the whole of western Oregon and Washington are the homes of a large number of forms belonging to three or four distinct groups. In the forests west of the Cascade Mts. only a single species occurs (E. townsendi), except along the ex treme southwestern coast of Oregon, where it is replaced by an allied form (E. ochrogenys). On the eastern slopes and higher parts of the Cascade Mts. two species are found together the small E. amoenus, which extends southward on the Sierra Nevada to about latitude 37, and the large E. townsendi, which inhabits the Cascades from British Columbia southward to a point between The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 191 latitude 44 and latitude 45, and is then replaced by E. senex, which ranges thence southerly to the headwaters of the Merced, a little south of latitude 38. But it is in the Sierra Nevada of California that the genus Eu tamias reaches its most extraordinary development. On both slopes of this lofty range species of Chipmunks are distributed in belts, one above the other, corresponding with the strongly marked life zones of the slopes. In most parts of the Sierra two species occur together, in some localities three, and in a small area near timber-line in the Yosemite National Park probably four. Since in following the Sierra northward the Boreal zones come lower and lower down, so certain Chipmunks which in the southern part are found only at high altitudes descend 'in the north till they reach base level at the upper end of the Sacra mento Valley. In crossing the High Sierra between Owens Valley and Fresno one traverses in a distance of only 50 miles the ranges of at least seven very distinct Chipmunks, as follows : On beginning the climb in Owens Valley one finds in the sage-brush the ordinary Great Basin species, E.pictus; a little higher up, in the nut pine belt, the most beautiful species of the genus, E. panamintinus. Then on entering the Boreal Zone he encounters two very dis tinct species, E. amosnus and E. speciosus. Still higher, in the neighborhood of timber-line, he sees for the first time the little Alpine Chipmunk, E. alpinus, and a little farther north the large E. senex* On descending the west slope he passes through the zone inhabited by E. callipeplm, a strikingly beautiful member of the speciosus group, and on the lower slope enters the belt in which E. merriami' is the sole representative of the genus. If the section were made as far north as the Yosemite National Park, two others would be added, E. senex, along the summit of the range, and the superb E. quadrimaculatus, at lower altitudes on the west slope. A good deal of work remains to be done in determining the exact boundaries of the areas inhabited by each species, but enough is already known to show that the group presents some very interesting peculiarities of distribution. For instance, Eu tamias alpinus is distinctly an animal of the Hudsoiiian Zone of * Whether or not E. alpinus and senex actually occur together is not known. E. amcenus was not collected by the Death Valley Expedition south of Independence Creek. 192 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. the southern High Sierra, and does not reach so far north as Lake Tahoe. E. amcenus, on the other hand, is not found so far south as Mt. Whitney, but begins apparently in the latitude of Independence Creek, and ranges thence northward to British Columbia. True speciosus seems to be restricted to the east crest of the High Sierra and the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mts. on the other side of the Mohave Desert.* In the mountains about Lake Tahoe it is replaced by a closely related form, E.frater, which does not reach northern California. The large E. senex begins near the headwaters of the Merced in the Yosemite Na tional Park and extends northward over the Sierra and eastern slope of the Cascades to a point in Oregon between latitude 44 and latitude 45, where it is replaced by townsendi. E. toivnsendi continues northerly to British Columbia, and on the west side of the mountains reaches southward nearly to Rogue River. South of the mouth of Rogue River it is replaced by an allied form, E. ochrogenys, which follows the coast southward almost to San Francisco Bay. This form is restricted to the narrow coast strip known as the ' redwood belt.' Immediately east of this belt its range abuts against that of E. hindsi, which latter animal is replaced in the coast ranges south of San Francisco Bay by the allied E. merriami. E. merriami not only inhabits the coast ranges from San Francisco Bay south to the Santa Ynez Mts., but pushes on in a southeasterly direction along the San Gabriel. San Ber nardino, and San Jacinto Mts. to the Cuyamaca Mts., and north easterly by way of Mt. Pinos and Tehachapi Mt. to the west slope of the Sierra, which it follows northward along the lower slopes as far at least as the Yosemite National Park. 2. SEASONAL CHANGES IN PELAGE. The seasonal color changes in the genus Eutamias are startling, the difference in most species between the gray winter coat and the ' red ' or bright golden-fulvous post-breeding pelage being almost incredible. In fact, in some instances, the same animal in different pelages has been named as two different species. Dr. J. A. Allen, in his elaborate and admirable paper on the Chipmunks,! has pointed out the striking color change that takes * For interesting facts respecting the distribution of members of the speciosus group, see pages 199-201. fBull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York, vol. Ill, No. 1, pp. 45-116, 1890. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 193 place at the close of the breeding season, and in his detailed de scriptions of the various species and subspecies has treated the ' breeding ' and ' post-breeding ' pelages under separate headings ; but he remains silent as to what the worn breeding pelage was before it became worn, leaving it to be inferred that it was the left-over summer pelage of the preceding year. In fact, he speaks of only a single molt that from the worn to the new summer pelage which commonly takes place in June or July. There is, however, a second complete molt in the fall, usually in September or October, which results in a change of color hardly less remarkable than that of the summer molt. In general terms it may be said that while the change from the breeding to the post-breeding pelage results in a brightening of the tints, with a great increase in the fulvous or tawny colors, the change from summer to winter pelage is the reverse the bright tawny colors giving place to rich grays and browns. The character of the pelage differs also, the summer coat being relatively short and hispid, while the winter coat is long, full, and woolly. A remarkable circumstance connected with the change of pelage is that while the winter coat is worn about 9 months, the summer coat is worn only about 3 months, and in some cases for a considerably shorter period. The animals breed while still in the left over winter pelage, which in early summer is often so worn and faded that it has the appearance of another pelage. In fact, although there are only two molts, it would not be amiss to describe 3 pelages : (1) the fresh fall or winter pelage; (2) the worn summer or breeding pelage [= the left-over winter pelage], and (3) the bright fresh reddish post-breeding pelage. The change from the summer or ' post-breeding ' pelage to the winter coat takes place by complete molt, as in the case of the change from the breeding to the post-breeding pelage ; but there is a radical difference, at least in some species, in the way the molt progresses. At the close of the breeding season the animal is usually in worn, shabby pelage, and not infrequently the hairs are worn off so short that the dorsal stripes disappear. The new coat appears in irregular patches,* usually beginning on the head and covering the anterior half of the back next ; in other words, while somewhat irregular, it progresses from before back wards. The late fall molt, on the contrary, begins on the rump *In some specimens the post-breeding pelage seems to creep in insid iously without the usual ' patchy ' stage. 194 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. and progresses from behind forward, the new hairs coining in uniformly and not in irregular patches as in summer molt. The winter molt succeeds the summer molt so soon that the summer pelage has not had time to become much worn ; consequently, at this season, such shabby specimens as those commonly found at the end of the breeding season are unknown. 3. LIST OF CHIPMUNKS OF CALIFORNIA AND OF WESTERN OREGON AND WASHINGTON, WITH TYPE LOCALITIES.* 1. Eatamias pictus (Allen) Kelton, Utah. 2. alpinus (Merriam) Mt. Whitney, California. 3. amcenus (Allen). Fort Klamath, Oregon. 4. panamintinus (Merriam) .Panamint Mts., California. Speciosus group : 5. Eatamias specAosus (Merriam) San Bernardino Mt., California. 6. frater (Allen).. .Donner, California. 7. inyoensis nob. . . White Mts., California. 8. callipepliis ( Mer riam') Mt. Pinos, California. Intermediate between speciosus and townsendi groups : 9. Entamias quadrimaculatus (Gray).. Michigan Bluff, California. Townsendi group : 10. Eutamias senex (Allen) Donner, California. 11. townsendi (Bachman).. . .Lower Columbia River, Oregon. 1 2. ochrogenys n ob . M e n d oci n o , Cal i fo rn i a. 13. hinds i (Gray) Near San Francisco, California. 14. merriami (Allen) San Bernardino Mt., California. 4. REMARKS ON THE TOWNSENDI GROUP. EiUamias townsendi and its relatives are the largest and darkest members of the genus. They inhabit the Pacific coast region from southwestern British Columbia (Westminster and the Mt. Baker range) southward to the Cuyamaca Mts. in extreme south ern California ; and if. as seems probable, E. obscurusis a member of the same series, the range will be extended to San Pedro Martir Mt. in Lower California. No member of the group is known from any point east of the east base of the Cascade-Sierra system. The group comprises five forms, all but one of which seem worthy *This list does not include the three new extralimital forms described in the present paper (palmeri, p. 208 ; oreowtex, p. 207 ; and dorsalis utah- ensis, p. 210). The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 195 of full specific recognition.* Three of the species are Boreal namely, townsendi, ochrogenys, and senex. The remaining two, hindsi and merriami, belong to the Transition and Upper Sonoran belts. The group may be thus subdivided into two series, the townsendi or Boreal series and the hindsi or Sonoran series. The principal characters of the five, with the geographic ranges of each, follow. Keys are given also, by means of which it is be lieved that specimens in any pelage may be referred to their proper species. Eutamias townsendi (Bachman). Townsend's Chipmunk. General characters. Under parts white at all seasons, moderately en croached upon by color of sides; general coloration uniform dull fulvous in post-breeding pelage, and uniform olive yellowish in winter pelage ; post-auricular spots and ear stripes bluish gray, large and conspicuous ; sides of face slightly washed with yellowish in winter pelage, more strongly washed with fulvous in post-breeding pelage ; five dark dorsal stripes black, more or less obscured by fulvous or yellowish tipped hairs, but black always showing through ; median dorsal stripe longer anteriorly than in any other species, always reaching to and often beyond anterior base of ears; ant-orbital part of middle facial stripe obsolete as in ochrogenys ; inner pair of light dorsal stripes in both pelages same color as general color of upper parts ; outer pair yellower. Range. Northern Pacific coast region from the southwestern corner of British Columbia (Westminster, Mt. Lehman, Chilliwack, and Mt. Baker range) southward over the whole of western Washington and Oregon to the Rogue River Valley ; eastward in the northern Cascades to the east base of the range (head of Lake Chelan); westward to the extreme coast. On the east slope of the Cascades E. townsendi crosses the Columbia River and pushes southward a little beyond Mt. Hood. A short distance farther south on this slope it is replaced by E. senex. Eutamias townsendi ochrogenys Merriam. Redwood Chipmunk. General characters. Under parts never white, but encroached upon by color of sides in ordinary pelage, and strongly washed with salmon-ochra- ceous in post-breeding pelage; sides of face suffused with ochraceous in all pelages ; post-auricular spots bluish gray, large and conspicuous ; an terior part of eye stripe obsolete. (For full description see p. 206.) Range. A narrow strip along the coast of southern Oregon and northern California, from near the mouth of Rogue River in Oregon to Cazadero, a short distance north of San Francisco Bay, in California. * It is an interesting fact that most, if not all, of the species have one pelage in which they resemble one pelage of one of the other species, while the other pelage is always distinctive. In some instances it is the winter pelage, in others the post-breeding pelage that is distinctive. 19(5 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. Butamias senex (Allen). Allen's Chipmunk. General characters. Tail rather short, narrow, and pale fulvous under neath and at base of hairs on upper side ; under parts white in both pelages ; ear stripes and post-auricular spots sharply defined and con spicuous; general color of upper parts in winter pelage gray, in summer fulvous, except on head and rump; outer pair of light stripes whitish, inner pair grizzled grayish, in post-breeding pelage obscured anteriorly by fulvous ; top of head and rump grizzled grayish in all pelages, only slightly more fulvous in post-breeding pelage ; ant-orbital part of middle facial stripe only slightly marked ; sides efface never suffused with yellowish ; dark dorsal stripes obscured by fulvous, the black showing through, par ticularly on the median stripe. Range. The Sierra-Cascade system from Farewell Bend on the Des Chutes River in Oregon south to the headwaters of the Merced River in Yosemite National Park. In Oregon senex follows the east slope of the Cascade range down to base level, being common at Fort Klamath, as well as at similar elevations farther north. It occurs also at the Paulina Lakes, in the Paulina Mts., which range is connected with the main body of the Cascades by continuity of Boreal forest. The species was found at Prospect, in the Upper Rogue River Valley, and is common also in the Siskiyous along the boundary between Oregon and California. In the Sierra Nevada of central California it is confined to high altitudes, and does not approach base level on either slope. East of the Sierra proper, in Lassen Co., it inhabits the Big Valley Mts.* Eutamias hindsi (Gray). Hinds' Chipmunk. General characters. General coloration redder than in any other mem ber of the tmvnsendi series ; under parts white, except in post-breeding pelage, when they are faintly washed with fulvous ; ear stripes and post- auricular spots fairly well denned, more conspicuous than in merriami, but much less conspicuous than in lownsendi or ochrogenys ; general color of upper parts in winter pelage grizzled grayish and dull fulvous ; in sum mer pelage intense ferruginous anteriorly and on sides, becoming pale posteriorly. In winter pelage the dark dorsal stripes, except the median one, are obscured by fulvous, but in post-breeding pelage there are always three distinctly black dorsal stripes, and in some specimens the black shows through in the external lateral stripe. The outer light stripe is whitish, more or less suffused with yellowish in summer pelage ; in winter pelage it is bluish gray. In winter pelage the fulvous is most marked on the lateral dark stripes which enclose the outer pair of light stripes, so that the striped effect is much more pronounced in winter pelage than in *The form from the Big Valley Mts. differs from typical senex in hav ing the post-auricular patches and outer pair of light stripes much whiter. It is evidently not an intergrade between senex and quadrimaculatus, but may be regarded as an incipient subspecies, not yet requiring a name. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 197 post-breeding pelage. The hairs of the upper side of the tail have a broad median band of fulvous which shows through in both pelages, giving the tail a rich fulvous glow not present in the other members of the series except and to a less extent in townsendi in post-breeding pelage. Range. Wooded or brushy hills of northern California west of the Sacramento Valley and north of San Francisco Bay. Northern limit of range unknown. Specimens have been examined from Nicasio north ward to Sherwood, Cahto, and the head of Eel River. On the west the range of hindsi joins that of ochrogenys. Eutamias merriami (Allen). Merriam's Chipmunk. General characters. Tail very long ; ear stripes and post-auricular spots not sharply defined and not conspicuous ; under parts white ; general color of upper parts grayish in winter pelage, fulvous in summer pelage ; outer pair of light stripes whitish and always conspicuous ; dark dorsal stripes obscured by fulvous-tipped hairs, the median one only showing any clear black ; sides of face never washed with yellowish or ochraceous ; median facial stripe continuous in front of eye, usually dusky, bordered on both sides by fulvous ; inner pair of pale dorsal stripes grizzled grayish. Range. Brush-covered slopes of the Upper Sonoran and Transition zones in southern California from the Cuyamaca, San Jacinto, and San Bernardino Mts. northward in the coast ranges to San Francisco Bay, and along the west slope of the Sierra to the Yosemite Valley. In the San Bernardino Mts. merriami occurs as far west as Wilson Peak, beyond which it is separated by a considerable gap from Mt. Pifios, where it is abundant. Owing to the low altitude it inhabits, its range is practically continuous around the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, speci mens having been collected on Tehachapi Mt. and at Havilah near Walker Basin. The colonies inhabiting the Cuyamaca, Smith, San Jacinto, and San Bernardino Mts. are isolated. The form inhabiting the coast strip between Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay is a little more highly colored than the typical animal, and has been named pried. KEY TO MEMBERS OF TOWNSENDI GROUP IN ALL PELAGES. Ear stripes and spot behind ear well defined ; tail not exceed ingly long. Under parts white (not washed with fulvous). Upper parts (excepting stripes) of uniform color from post-auricular spots to tail. Color yellowish olive-gray (winter pelage) or dull yellowish fulvous (post-breeding pelage) townsendi. Upper parts not of uniform color. Rump grizzled gray ; tail small, narrow, dull ful vous below senex. Rump grizzled golden-brown; tail large and bushy, deep chestnut below hindsi. 40Rioi,. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 198 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. Under parts not white (washed with fulvous). 3 dorsal dark stripes black ; stripe from nose to ear distinct; side of face not suffused with yellowish (summer pelage) hindsi. 3 dorsal dark stripes not black ; stripe from nose to ear absent; sides of face strongly suffused with yel lowish ochrogenys. Ear stripes and spot behind ear not well defined ; tail exceed ingly long merriami. KUY TO MEMBERS OF TOWNSENDI GROUP IN ORDINARY PELAGE. Tail exceedingly long ; ear stripes and post-auricular spots in distinct. General color grayish merriami. Tail not exceedingly long ; ear stripes and post-auricular spots conspicuous. Rump and general ground color clear light gray ; dark stripes rusty ; flanks bright ochraceous fulvous senex. Rump and general ground color not gray ; dorsal stripes not rusty (except in hindsi). Under parts suffused with fulvous and strongly en croached upon by color of sides ; sides of throat and face strongly suffused with fulvous. General color rich dark grizzled olive-gray ochrogenys. Under parts white, not encroached upon by color of sides ; sides of throat not suffused, and face only slightly suffused with fulvous. General color uniform yellowish olive-gray, includ ing flanks and rump ; all 5 dark stripes showing more or less black ; outer pair of light stripes broad, pale yellowish, becoming grayish with wear ." . . . townsendi. General color not uniform and not yellowish olive gray ; flanks bright fulvous, becoming pale with wear ; dorsal stripes rusty, the median one (and sometimes the inner lateral pair) showing black along middle ; outer pair of light stripes narrow, whitish hindsi. KEY TO MEMBERS OP TOWNSENDI GROUP IN REDDISH POST-BREEDING PELAGE. Tail exceedingly long. Ear stripes and post-auricular spots not sharply defined ; outer pair of light stripes whitish ; inner pair grizzled gray merriami. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 199 Tail not exceedingly long. Upper parts with at least 3 dorsal stripes distinctly black. Ground color of upper parts (including flanks and inner pair of light stripes) uniform dull yellowish ful vous from neck to tail ; outer pair of light stripes slightly yellower and very broad; external lateral dark stripe showing black (making 5 stripes showing black) ; ear stripes and post-auricular spots sharply defined and very conspicuous townsendi. Ground color of upper parts not uniform ; flanks and fore part of back rich ferruginous ; outer pair of light stripes whitish, more or less washed with fulvous, and narrow ; external lateral stripe rusty ; ear stripe and post-auricular spots only moderately defined. . .hindsi. Upper parts with only one dorsal stripe (the median) distinctly black. Top of head and rump grizzled gray ; outer pair of light stripes whitish ; inner pair grizzled gray ; under parts white; under side of tail dull fulvous senex. Top of head and rump grizzled fulvous or golden-ful vous; outer pair of light stripes grizzled grayish, inner pair yellowish-fulvous ; under parts strongly suf fused with salmon-fulvous ; under side of tail deep rich chestnut ochrogenys. 5. REMARKS ON THE SPECIOSUS GROUP. The speciosus group is of hardly less interest than the townsendi group, from which it differs totally in appearance. The mem bers of the townsendi series are large and dark, with relatively dull stripes ; those of the speciosus series are decidedly smaller and lighter, with very bright stripes. Most members of the town sendi group have become differentiated into full species, while those of the speciosus group (except palmeri, which is separately described) are still only subspecies. The townsendi group, as already shown, has both Boreal and Transition representatives ; those of the speciosus group are purely Boreal, inhabiting the Hudsonian and Canadian zones from timber-line down to the lower limit of spruce and firs. Their distribution therefore is not continuous, but takes the form of isolated colonies occupy ing the summits of the higher mountains from San Jacinto Peak, in southern California, northward to the neighborhood of Dormer, a little north of Lake Tahoe. The exact northern limit is un known, but the group does not reach the mountains of northern California. The mountains on which members of the group are 200 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. known to occur are San Jacinto, San Bernardino, Mt. Pinos, the Inyo and White Mts., and the High Sierra. The type locality of the species is Mt. San Bernardino, and the typical form occurs also on San Jacinto Peak, and on the eastern crest of the southern part of the High Sierra in the neighborhood of Mt. Whitney. Owing to the high altitudes it inhabits, its range is nowhere con tinuous except in the High Sierra. Curiously enough, the northern form in the Sierra (neighbor hood of Donner and Lake Tahoe) differs very appreciably from typical speciosus and may be known as subspecies frater (Allen). The form from the White and Inyo Mts. is also subspecifically separable and may be known as inyoensis nob. The form inhabiting the summit of Mt. Pifios is still different and may be known as subspecies callipeplus (Merriam). A closely related form, differing so little that it is included under the same name, inhabits the western crest of the southern Sierra. In studying the distribution of these Chipmunks it is interest ing to observe that with the single exception of Mt. Pinos the mountains which encircle the west end of the Mohave Desert are too low to furnish a home for any member of the group, so that the colony of subspecies callipeplus inhabiting Mt. Pinos is sepa rated widely not only from the nearest colony of typical speciosus, but also from the nearest part of the range of the Sierra colony of its own subspecies. Recapitulating, it appears that there are four forms of speciosus which seem worthy of recognition by name : (1) speciosus proper, inhabiting the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mts. and the eastern crest of the High Sierra from Olancha Peak and Mt. Whitney northward an unknown distance, but not reaching the headwaters of the San Joaquin river; (2) callipeplus, inhabiting the summit of Mt. Pinos and the western slope of the Sierra from the headwaters of Tule river northward nearly to the Yosernite Valley; (3) inyoensis, inhabiting the higher parts of the Inyo and White Mts., and (4) frater t inhabiting the higher parts of the main Sierra in the Lake Tahoe region of central California. It is difficult to understand why there should be three recog nizable forms within a distance of 150 miles in the Sierra Nevada while two of these forms reappear on isolated mountains 100 and 150 miles south of the southernmost limit of their ranges in the Sierra. This seems the more remarkable since in the Sierra the The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 201 two forms in question speciosus and callipeplus are separated, if at all, by a gap only 15 miles in width. In view of these facts it is important to bear in mind that the southern part of the lofty Sierra is split lengthwise by the upper valley of Kern River into two parallel ridges, one of which (the eastern) is inhabited by true speciosus, the other (the western) by callipeplus. It should be remembered also that the Mt. Pinos colony of callipeplus lies southwest of the Sierra colony, and that the San Bernardino Mt. colony of speciosus lies southeast of the Sierra colony of the same form. These facts, taken in connec tion with the close relationship of speciosus with quadrivittatus of Colorado, point to the former continuous range of the group across the south end of the Great Basin from the Rocky Mts. to the Sierra, San Bernardino Mt., and San Jacinto Peak ; while the presence of a distinct form (callipeplus) on Mt. Pinos at the ex treme west end of the Mohave Desert and on the western range of the Sierra not only points to a former connection between the now separated colonies of this form* by way of Tehachapi and the intervening low mountains, but also seems to show that the two existing colonies of true speciosus now separated by the Mo- have Desert were never united unless in very remote times by continuity of range along the horseshoe of mountains which connect the San Bernardino range with the Sierra. These facts argue great antiquity for the speciosus-quadrivittatus type and seem to show that very little change has taken place during the many thousands of years that have elapsed since the climate was cool enough to admit of continuity of Boreal forest across what are now the torrid Sonoran deserts of eastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. This view receives additional support from the large amount of differentiation undergone by the colonies of clearly derivative forms of these animals now stranded on isolated mountains within the area of former continuous range of quadrivittatus-speciosus across the southern part of the Great Basin. These forms are the subspe cies inyoensis of the Inyo and White Mts., and the very distinct species palmeri of the Charleston Mts., both of which must have developed their distinctive peculiarities since the great change in climate took place. And it is interesting to note that the degree of differentiation of these forms is proportionate to the climatic isolation of their homes. 202 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Entamias. Characters of itie 4 subspecies of Eatamias speciosus. Eutamias speciosus (Merriam) is the smallest and shortest-tailed mem ber of the series. In ordinary pelage it is the grayest of the group, and in all pelages the tail is deep rich fulvous above and below, and the fulvous of the upper surface is only partly hidden by the black tips of the hairs. The facial stripes are strongly marked and the post-auricular patches whitish and well defined. Eutamias speciosus f rater (Allen) is considerably larger than true specio sus; the fulvous of the sides (below the external -lateral stripe) is brighter and more extensive ; the tail, particularly the upper side, is paler fulvous, the black tip is shorter, and the edges and tips of hairs on the upper sur face are grayish instead of deep yellow. Eatamias speciosus inyoensis (nob.) is about the same size as frater and has the longest tail of any member of the group. The black tip of the tail is short, like that of frater, but the fulvous of the upper side is much deeper and richer. The subspecies differs from all others in having the facial stripes less pronounced,, the post-auricular patches indistinct, the back of the neck largely gray, the median dorsal stripe black, and the inner pair of light stripes grayish white. It agrees with callipeplus and differs from all the others in having the rump grizzled golden yellowish instead of gray. Eutamias speciosus callipeplus (Merriam) is the largest of the group. It agrees with inyoensis and differs from all the others in the grizzled golden yellow (instead of gray) of the rump, and the unusual amount of bright rufous in the upper side of the tail. The whitish post-auricular patches are larger and more clearly defined, and the yellow edging of the tail more extensive than in any of the others. In the typical form (from Mt. Piiios) the black tip of the tail is short ; in the Sierra form it is long and this is the only difference I am able to detect between the two colonies. We have no specimens from Mt. Piiios in post-breeding pelage, but speci mens in this pelage from the west slope of the Sierra differ from frater in the same pelage in having the post-auricular patches better defined ; the dark facial stripes darker and sharper and the white ones whiter ; the inner pair of light dorsal stripes more obscured by fulvous ; the rump yellower ; the ears longer ; the tail larger and more bushy, edged with deep yellow instead of grayish or pale yellowish, with the upper surface very much deeper and richer fulvous. Eutamias speciosus callipeplus in post-breeding pelage resembles E. quadrimaculatus in corresponding pel age, but differs in smaller size, shorter ears, very much brighter tints ; in smaller, grayer, and less sharply defined post-auricular patches; broader external white dorsal stripes; blacker ant-orbital part of eye stripe; and yellowish instead of hoary tips to the hairs on the upper side of the tail. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 203 6. NOTE ON ' TAMIAS QUADRIMACULATUS ' GRAY. Eutamias quadrimaculatus (Gray). Long-eared Chipmunk. Tamias quadrimaculatus Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., 3d ser., XX, 435, 1807; Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist, III, 80-82, 1890. Tamias macrorhabdotes Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc., Wash., Ill, 25-28, Jan. 27, 1886; Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Ill, 78-80, 1890. The material necessary for the final determination of the status and interrelations of the large Chipmunks of the Sierra Nevada was collected by the Death Valley Expedition. The names that have been given to these species are Tamias quadrimaculatus Gray (1867), T. macrorhabdotes Merriam (1886), T. merriami Allen (1889), and T. senex Allen (1890). T. merriami is a very distinct species from the one under consideration, and need not be discussed in the present connection. (See p. 197.) Tamias quadrimaculatus was described by Gray in 1867 from a specimen from Michigan Bluff on the west slope of the Sierra in Placer County, California. This specimen is in the rSd post- breeding pelage, as shown by the original description and by a note from Mr. Oldfield Thomas, published by Dr. J. A. Allen (Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Ill, p. 82, June, 1890). The species was not recognized by Baird, and Allen, in his Monograph of the SciuridaB (1877), gave it as a synonym of townsendi. In 1886 I described, under the name Tamias macrorhabdotes, a long-eared and strikingly colored Chipmunk from Blue Canon in the Sierra Nevada of central California. At this time no speci men of Gray's quadrimaculatus was available for comparison, the only specimen extant (the type) being in the British Museum. Subsequently I came in possession of a single specimen in rather poor pelage from Nevada City, California, which differed from the specimens of macrorhabdotes from Blue Canon (the type lo cality) in having considerably smaller and less distinctly striped ears, smaller post-auricular spots, the shoulders, anterior half of the back, and flanks deeply suffused with intense ferruginous, and the hind feet of the same color, though duller. This speci men was correctly identified by both Doctor Allen and myself as Gray's quadrimaculatus. Owing to the differences just men tioned, Doctor Allen, in his revision of the species of the genus Tamias, concurred with me in admitting Gray's quadrimaculatus and my macrorhabdotes as different species. In addition to the material available when Dr. Allen wrote 204 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. his revision of the group, large series of specimens are now before me from the three localities involved, namely, Nevada City, Michigan Bluff (the type locality of quadrimaeulatns), and Blue Canon (the type locality of macrorhabdotes). The Nevada City specimens alone are sufficient to settle the question. Some of them have just attained the post-breeding or summer pelage; others are in the worn breeding pelage, and others still are im mature. Those in the fresh summer pelage agree with the speci men above described from the same locality, except that the ears and post-auricular spots are decidedly larger. Specimens in worn breeding pelage, however, are quite different, having merely a suspicion of the rich rusty color on the back and shoulders, and the rusty of the hind feet much less pronounced. These specimens, in fact, agree with specimens of macrorhabdotes from Blue Canon in corresponding pelage. Furthermore, to put the matter beyond dispute, a series of specimens was obtained by the expedition from Michigan Bluff, the actual type locality of Gray's quadrimaculatus. They were collected in the latter part of October by Mr. Vernon Bailey, and agree in every particular with October specimens from Blue Canon, the type locality of macrorhabdotes. They agree also with the Nevada City specimens in breeding pelage, except that the colors are a little deeper, the coat being new instead of worn. It is obvious, therefore, that quadrimaadatus Gray and macrorhabdotes Merriam are one and the same animal the former in summer, the latter in fall pelage.* The much greater development of ferruginous on the original Nevada City specimen and on the additional specimens in sum mer pelage more recently obtained from the same locality is purely a seasonal character, pertaining to the short-lived sum mer pelage. The October specimens of 'macrorhabdotes^ then available for comparison were believed by both Doctor Allen and myself to be in the post-breeding or summer pelage, and there fore strictly comparable with the Nevada City specimen the late fall or winter pelage not having been recognized at that time in this or any other species of the genus. * Doctor Allen states that he was at first inclined to regard the two as identical, and Mr. Oldfield Thomas, Curator of Mammals in the British Museum, who compared a Blue Canon specimen with Gray's type, wrote on the back of the label : " Certainly identical with the type of T. quadri maculatus Gr., which only differs by more yellowish and less sharply de fined underside and more fulvous tianks and shoulders." Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Ill, June, 1890, 82. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 205 The summer pelage is of very brief duration, and a reexamina- tion of the original Nevada City specimen (collected in October, 1872, by E. W. Nelson) shows that it had already begun to as sume the winter pelage, which is fully developed on the tail and rump, the deep rusty back of the summer pelage remaining in sharp contrast. In August specimens from Nevada City the rusty of the back reaches farther posteriorly. All of the original specimens from Blue Canon described by me as macr or hab dotes and also those described later by Doctor Allen were collected in June and October the latter in winter pelage, the former in breeding pelage, which is the winter pelage with the tips of the hairs worn off. Neither of us, as already remarked, had seen the summer pelage, though at that time we believed the October specimens to be in this pelage. The original Nevada City specimen had abnormally short ears, and the ear stripes were indistinct and quite different from those of the original Blue Canon specimens, the whole of the dark stripe, covering the anterior two-thirds of the ear, being obscured by rusty. Examination of the additional material now available shows that the full development of the ear stripes is a seasonal character and is only attained in the winter pelage. In this pelage the posterior third of the ear is clear blue-gray, sharply defined by a stripe of blackish which occupies the anterior two- thirds, and is margined with rusty in front only. In summer pelage the rusty spreads over the whole of the dark stripe, ob scuring it and giving the ear a wholly different appearance. The outer pair of pale dorsal stripes is whiter in summer than at any other season. The excessive length of the ears, which adds much to the re markable appearance of the animal, is most pronounced in the Blue Canon specimens. The ears are nearly as long in the Michigan Bluff specimens and only slightly shorter in those from Nevada City. In some respects Eutamias quadrimaculatus seems to hold an intermediate position between callipeplus of the speciosus group and senex of the townsendi group, but in reality it is not interme diate. The particulars in which it differs from callipeplus have been stated (p. 202). In post-breeding pelage it resembles senex, but it differs from senex in the following points : ear larger and longer ; white face stripe, ear stripe, post-auricular patches, and outer pair of white dorsal stripes whiter ; dark facial stripes 47 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 206 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. darker; tail more strongly fulvous, particularly on upper sur face. In quadrimaculatus the lower cheek stripe is usually dusky, at least posteriorly, and reaches backward behind the plane of the ear ; the post-auricular patches are larger than in senex, and are pure white instead of bluish gray ; the eye stripe is usually blackish both behind and in front of the eye ; the outer pair of dorsal stripes are almost as white as in speciosus, though not so broad. The geographic range of E. quadrimaculatus is a narrow belt along the lower part of the west slope of the Sierra Nevada from the Yosemite National Park northward to Quincy, in Plumas County. In its relations to other forms, it lies below the range of senex and seems to replace merriami on the lower slopes north of the Yosemite. 7. DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES. Eutamias townsendi ochrogenys subsp. nov. Redwood Chipmunk. Type from Mendocino, California, No. 67182, J 1 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 17, 1894, by J. E. McLellan. Original No. 1015. (In change of pelage : anterior half of body in fresh post-breeding coat.) General characters. Size large; general coloration dark and rich ; post- auricular spots and ear stripe bluish gray, large and conspicuous ; side of face ockraceous in oil pelages ; color of sides extending far down on under- parts except in post-breeding pelage when the under parts are strongly washed with salmon-ochraceous ; ant-orbital part of middle dark facial stripe obsolete. Resembles merriami in corresponding pelages, but differs in uniformly darker coloration, more conspicuous ear stripes and post- auricular spots, presence of ochraceous suffusion on underparts and sides of face, and absence of ant-orbital part of middle dark face stripe. Differs from townsendi in all pelages by color of underparts, which is always white in townsendi, and by different colors of upper parts. Color. Winter pelage (in spring and earl y summer, before replaced by post-breeding pelage) : upper parts rich olive, finely grizzled with gray and golden, and becoming dull fulvous on sides ; dorsal dark stripes black, more or less obscured by fulvous- tipped hairs; inner pair of light stripes only faintly paler than general ground color of upper parts ; outer pair of light stripes grayish ; post-auricular spot and posterior ear stripe bluish gray and sharply defined ; rest of ear dusky or blackish ; becoming more and more fulvous as summer advances ; sides of face, including stripes, suffused with ochraceous, increasing in intensity and area as the season advances; fore and hind feet olive gray slightly tinged with pale fulvous, the fulvous increasing in summer; tail above blackish with hoary tips; below rich chestnut with broad submarginal black band. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 207 Post-breeding pelage: upper parts fulvous, brightest and richest on sides, becoming paler and duller on rump ; dark dorsal stripes much redder than in winter pelage, the median one only showing any clear black ; inner pair of light stripes also suffused with fulvous ; outer pair grayish ; face (sometimes including nose), anterior and inner part of ears, under parts, and fore and hind feet strongly suffused with fulvous. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 261; tail vertebrae, 113; hind foot, 38. Average of 8 specimens from type locality: total length, 263 ; tail vertebrae, 115.5 ; hind foot, 38.5. Average of 18 specimens from Cazadero and Gualala, California: total length, 260.5; tail vertebrae, 111.6; hind foot, 38.5. Remarks. In post-breeding pelage E. ochrogenys assumes a fulvous pelage, which while differing conspicuously from the corresponding pelage of hindsi is very much more like hindsi in worm spring pelage. In fact, except for the dates on the labels it would be hard to tell from the color whether certain specimens were the redwood Chipmunk in post-breeding pelage or hindsi in spring pelage. Of course the post-breeding pelage is fresher and less worn, and carries with it a salmon-fulvous suffusion on the belly which is much less extensive in hindsi. In some specimens of hindsi in summer pelage the fulvous of the sides washes across the belly, but this wash is much less extensive and less intense than in the redwood animal. There is also a difference in the color of the upper parts, although this is sometimes hard to be sure of. The post auricular patches are whiter than in hindsi, and the inner pair of light stripes are more strongly suffused with yellowish. All of the stripes are shorter posteriorly, so that the unmarked area of the rump is more extensive than in hindsi. Contrasting specimens in corresponding pelage, there is no difficulty in separating the two animals. E. hindsi in summer pelage is a very red Chipmunk, and the upper parts, particularly from the back of the neck to the lumbar region, are very bright rich fulvous. In hindsi, moreover, in post-breeding pelage the three dorsal dark stripes are black, and even the external lateral stripe is distinctly marked, though washed with fulvous. In the redwood animal the dark stripes are never black, and the external lateral stripe is nearly obsolete. Eutamias oreocetes sp. nov. Timber-line Chipmunk. Type from timber-line near Summit, Teton Mts. [main range Rocky Mts.], Montana. No. 72468, $ ad. (nursing). U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 14, 1895, by Vernon Bailey. Grig. No. 5024. General characters. -In spring pelage similar in color and general ap pearance to Eutamias minimus and alpinus, which very distinct species bear a surprisingly close seperficial resemblance to one another ; dorsal stripe longer, broader, and blacker than in either minimus or alpinus, in this respect resembling the larger affinis in spring pelage. Color. Type in spring pelage [= left-over winter pelage] : upper parts gray with a buffy yellowish suffusion on flanks and on side of neck just in front of foreleg ; post-auricular spots whitish ; top of head grizzled 208 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. grayish, dorsal stripe from between ears to tail black ; lateral dark stripes black, the hairs tipped with rusty; inner pair of pale stripes whitish ; outer pair white ; rump gray ; feet whitish ; tail above, grizzled buffy yel lowish ; below, pale fulvous with black submarginal band edged with buffy ochraceous. Cranial characters. The skull of Eatamias oreocetes is so much smaller than that of its geographical neighbor, E. affinis, that no detailed com parison is required. Contrasted with the skull of E. alpinm from the High Sierra of California, the skull is slightly larger, the frontals decidedly narrower between orbits; parietals longer; rostrum blunter and much more swollen ; teeth disproportionally larger, especially the molars. Measurements. Type specimen, 9 ad. : total length, 193 ; tail vertebrae, 90; hind foot, 31. Cranial measurements: basal length, 26; zygomatic breadth, 18; palatal length, 15.5 ; upper molar series on crowns, 5. Butamias speciosus inyoensis subsp. nov. Inyo Chipmunk. Type from White Mts., Inyo Co., Calif. No. f ?f|2, cT yg- ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 7, 1891, by E. W. Nelson. Original No. 1069. Geographic distribution. Boreal summits of White and Inyo Mts., Cali fornia. General characters. Similar to E. speciosus, but facial stripes less pro nounced ; post-auricular patches ill denned ; rump grizzled golden yel lowish instead of gray ; middle dorsal stripe blacker ; gray on back of neck more extensive ; black tip of tail shorter. Color. Type (July 7) : top of head grizzled grayish ; dorsal stripe from between ears to base of tail black, faintly edged with rusty along middle of back ; lateral dark stripes rusty anteriorly, becoming black edged with rusty on posterior half; outer pair of light stripes white ; inner pair gray ; sides, from in front of foreleg to rump, bright fulvous ; back and sides of neck grayish white, the post-auricular spots indistinct ; rump golden yel low, grizzled by black hairs ; upper surface of hind feet fulvous ; fore feet washed with pale fulvous ; tail above, grizzled yellowish-ochraceous and black ; below, fulvous with submarginal black band. Measurements. Type: total length, 225; tail vertebrae, 102; hind foot, 34. Average of 4 specimens from typo locality : total length, 227 ; tail vertebrae, 100; hind foot, 33.3. Butamias palmeri* sp. nov. Palmer's Chipmunk. Type from Charleston Peak, Nevada (altitude about 2450 meters or 8000 feet). No. liSJf, d" a d., U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey Coll. Collected by T. S. Palmer and E. W. Nelson Feb. 13, 1891. (Original No. 432.) * Named in honor of Dr. T. S. Palmer, who was in command of the expedition during my absence, and who was in charge of the party that visited Charleston Peak and discovered the species. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 209 General characters. Eutamias palmeri resembles E. dorsalis in size and in the pallid grayish color of the upper parts in winter pelage, but differs in having the stripes more distinct, and in other particulars. In size it agrees very well with typical quadrivittatus, though the body is a little larger and the tail a little shorter, but it differs radically from quadrivit tatus in coloration, resembling panamintinus much more closely, though differing in having the upper side of the tail black, and in other respects. Its real affinities are with the quadrivittatus group, as shown by cranial characters. The ears are rather small. The dorsal stripes are short at both ends, except the median one, which reaches the occiput. In the clear gray of the neck it resembles the pigmy E. pictus. Color. Winter pelage : upper parts gray ; no fulvous on back of neck ; flanks suffused with pale fulvous ; light stripes hoary gray, the outer pair whitish ; the three dark dorsal stripes pale ferruginous, the middle one blackish or umber along the median line ; outer pair of dark stripes obso lete ; facial stripes faintly developed, the lower (cheek) pair failing an teriorly ; post-auricular spots dull whitish and not well denned ; ear stripes distinct, the posterior dull bluish-white ; the anterior dusky, edged along the anterior base with fulvous ; feet grayish, faintly suffused with fulvous. Tail : upper side black for three-fourths its length (the base grayish), the extreme tips of the hairs on the base and sides (except the terminal part which is solid black) yellowish ; under surface rufous, bordered with black, and edged on the sides only with yellowish. Summer pelage unknown. Cranial and dental characters. Skull slightly larger than that of quad rivittatus, with larger audital bullre, and larger and heavier molar teeth , both above and below. The lower premolar is longer and narrower an teriorly than in quadrivittatus, and the last lower molar is broader. Measurements of type specimen (taken in flesh). Total length, 219; tail vertebrae, 98 ; hind foot, 33. Average measurements of 13 specimens from type locality : total length, 219.3 ; tail vertebrae, 93.4 ; hind foot, 33.3. General remarks. Palmer's Chipmunk has one of the most restricted ranges of any known mammal, being confined to the boreal summit of Charleston Peak a lofty isolated mountain in southern Nevada. This mountain is completely surrounded by arid deserts which prevent the spread of the species as effectually as an ocean. Though Eutamias palmeri bears points of resemblance to several species it is not closely related to any. Still it was evidently derived from the quadrivittatus- speciosus stock. The complete isolation of the mountain peak on which it lives sufficiently explains its peculiarities. Dr. Palmer has given me the following memorandum respecting the place where his chipmunk was obtained. He says : "Thirteen specimens of this species were secured at an altitude of about 8,000 feet on the north west side of Charleston Peak, where Mr. Nelson and I camped for two days, Feb. 12-14, 1891, in the bottom of a deep east and west canon. At this time snow lay on the ground to the depth of a foot or more in the bottom of the canon and covered the upper parts of the main ridge of the Charleston Mountains, but on the north slope of the canon there was little 210 Merriam The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. or no snow. The timber in the canon was composed mainly of yellow pines (Pinus ponderosascopulorurn), which formed a belt extending at least 1,000 feet above the altitude of camp. On the north side of the canon Pinus monophylla and Jumperus calif ornica utahensis were the characteristic trees and here reach their highest altitude, owing to the effects of slope exposure. " The chipmunks were abundant during the warm part of the day, run ning along the logs and in open spaces on the sunny north side of the canon. Nearly all the specimens were taken within a mile of camp. On the 13th of February an ascent was made of the main ridge northwest of Charleston Peak, but no chipmunks were seen more than 1,000 feet above the camp, doubtless owing to the snow and cold." Eutamias dorsalis utahensis subsp. nov. Utah Cliff Chipmunk. Type from Ogden, Utah. No. f||f, $ ad., Merriam Collection. Col lected by Vernon Bailey Oct. 9, 1888. Original No. 289. General characters. Similar to E. dorsalis, but slightly smaller and paler, with all of the markings less distinct, particularly the post-auricular patches and facial stripes ; under side of tail fulvous instead of rufous. Color. Winter pelage: Upper parts hoary buff, darker on the top of the head, which is grizzled from the admixture of rusty hairs, suffused with pale fulvous on the sides ; post-auricular spots small, indistinct, and pale buffy ; dorsal stripes nearly obsolete, the median only being noticeable in ordinary lights ; facial stripes distinct, but pale and pallid contrasted with those of typical dorsalis ; under side of tail fulvous, bordered with black and edged with yellowish. Summer pelage : Similar, but paler and more hoary from bleaching of the old hairs. Tn the young all of the stripes are distinct. Cranial characters. The skull of subspecies utaJiensis differs from that of typical dorsalis in smaller size, conspicuously shorter rostrum, and smaller teeth. The length of the nasal bones is conspicuously shorter than the combined length of the basioccipital and basisphenoid. In E. dorsalis the length of the nasals equals or exceeds the occipital-sphenoid length. Measurements of type specimen (taken in flesh). Total length, 220; tail vertebrae, 97 ; hind foot, 33. Ear from notch, 16 (in dry skin). Average of 10 specimens from type locality: total length, 223.6; tail vertebrae, 102 ; hind foot, 32.9. General remarks. The type specimen of ' Tamias dorsalis' Baird,* came from the Silver mines in the Mimbres or Pinos Altos Mountains, about the sources of the Gila River in western New Mexico. Mr. Clark P. Streator was sent to the type local ity late in November, 1892, and obtained 17 specimens in fresh winter pelage. The contrast between these specimens and the *Tamias dorsalis Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., VII, 332, 1855. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 211 series of utahensis in corresponding pelage from the east base of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah is most striking. In typical dorsalis the post-auricular spots are white and much larger and more sharply defined than in utahensis. They are bordered below by chestnut, a continuation of the lower facial stripe. All of the facial stripes are broad, sharply defined, and highly colored. The under side of the tail is deep chestnut in some specimens bright orange-rufous instead of fulvous, as in utahensis. The upper parts also are somewhat darker. The difference between summer and winter pelages seems to be much greater in dorsalis than in utahensis. The two forms would undoubtedly have been separated before if any recent mammalogist had seen typical specimens of both ; but until the present series was obtained from the type locality the typical form was practically unknown. The difference in size between the two forms is marked, dorsalis being much the larger, as may be seen by reference to the ac companying average measurements of specimens from the type localities of both : Average measurements of Eutamias dorsalis and E. dorsalis utahensis from type localities (measured in flesh). i 4 a 1 A CO 53 o3 ^ c Species. Locality. r2 ^'o' *S . " 1 03 ,Q ^ c O w g E Eutamias dorsalis. . Pinos Altos Mts., 14 236.3 128.6 107.7 35.4 N. Mex. Eutamias dorsalis Foot of Wasatch 10 223.6 121.6 102 32.9 utahensis. Mts., near Og- den, Utah. Eutamias dorsalis utahensis was obtained by the Death Valley Expedition in but a single locality, namely, the Beaverdam Mountains in the extreme southwestern corner of Utah, where several were seen in rocky places in the piiion belt at an altitude of 1200 to 1375 meters (4000-4500 feet). They were so shy that only one was secured, although Mr. Bailey and I spent several hours in watching the rock heaps into which they had disap peared. Two years later (in 1893) I found the species in the so-called 1 San Francisco ' or l Horn Silver ' Mts., between the south end 212 Merriam The Chipmunks of tJie Genus Eutamias. of Sevier Lake and the mining camp of Frisco, in southwestern Utah. The Cliff Chipmunk (including both E. dorsalisund subspecies utahensis} is restricted so far as known to the Upper Sonoran and Transition Zones along the western and southern part of the Great Colorado Plateau and its outliers, where it ranges from the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in northeastern Utah southward as far as the Plateau extends in Arizona, and thence easterly to the Mimbres in the Pinos Altos Mountains in western New Mexico. Apparently the range of utahensis is much more ex tensive than that of the typical form, since specimens from east ern Arizona are intergrades, and those from western Arizona and southeastern Nevada are nearly typical utahensis. The name ' Gila Chipmunk,' commonly applied to E. dorsalis is a glaring misnomer, since it implies that the species inhabits the valley of the Gila, one of the hottest and most arid of the torrid Lower Sonoran Deserts. As a matter of fact it never enters this desert at all, but lives in a higher zone, under widely different conditions. The early use of the name Gila Chipmunk is due to the circumstance that the original specimen came from the mountains near the headwaters of the Gila River. Since the species always lives among rocks, and its favorite haunts are canons and the faces of precipitous cliffs, the appropriate name Cliff Chipmunk is here given it in place of the old misleading one. VOL. XI, PP. 213-216 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF EIGHT NEW POCKET GOPHERS OF THE GENUS THOMOMYS, FROM OREGON, CALIFORNIA, AND NEVADA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Owing to unavoidable delay in the publication of my revision of the Pocket Gophers of the genus Tliomomya, it is thought best to publish the following new species at once : Thomomys nevadensis sp. nov. Tape from Austin, Nevada. No. H^l, c? yg- ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 11, 1890, by Vernon Bailey. Original No. 2097. General characters. Size large largest of the genus after T. bulbivorus. Two color phases : pale buff and dark plumbeous slate. Skull suggesting that of T. bulbivorus; incisors curving far forward, tail of medium length. Color. Normal pelage : upper parts buff, pinkish buff, or buffy gray, becoming darker (sometimes dusky) on nose and around mouth ; under parts whitish buffy, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish ; ears and small post-auricular spot dusky. Plumbeous pelage: uniform slate color above and below, with irregular white patch on throat and inner side of cheek pouches ; fore and hind feet and terminal part of tail (irregularly) white or whitish. Cranial characters. Skull large and heavy, only exceeded by that of T. bulbivorus, which it resembles in general characters except in the pecu liar form of the pterygoids ; zygomata widely spreading ; squarely angu lar, the jugals essentially parallel ; temporal ridges meeting in a low sagittal crest in old males ; premaxillse pushing far back behind nasals ; pterygoids normal (not expanded and inflated as in bulbivorus) ; incisors projecting forward, but not so far as in bulbivorus. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 275; tail vertebrae, 90; hind foot, 38. 48 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (213) 214 Merriam Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers. Thomomys angularis sp. nov. Type from Los Banos, Merted Co., California. No. 58123, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Jan. 1, 1894, by J. E. Mc- Lellan. Original No. 418. General characters. Size medium ; color grizzled fulvous, varying in in tensity ; skull similar in general to that of T. fulvus, but more massive, and differing in several characters ; upper incisors moderately produced. Color. Upper parts fulvous, grizzled with black tipped hairs, which are most numerous on middle of back ; top of nose and ears blackish ; under parts plumbeous strongly washed with buffy ochraceous ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish. Cranial characters. Skull large, and massive ; braincase broad ; zygo mata widely and squarely spreading ; jugals parallel ; temporal ridges meeting in old age; nasals emarginate posteriorly; interorbital region rounded ; angular process of mandible expanded and produced. The skull of T. angularis, contrasted with that of T. fulvus, is heavier, with larger and more squarely spreading zygomata, more rounded interorbital part of frontals ; approximating temporal ridges ; larger pterygoids, much larger angular processes of under iaw, and more prominent incisors. Measurements. Type specimen : total length, 257 ; tail vertebrae, 75 ; hind foot, 32. Thomomys mazama sp. nov. Ti/pe from Crater Lake, Mt. Mazama, Oregon. Exact locality, head of Anna Creek; altitude, 6000 feet. No. 80502, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 3, 1896, by E. A. Preble. Orig inal No. 1485. General characters. Size rather small; color dull fulvous; similar to T. monticolus Allen, but somewhat darker and differing materially in cranial characters. Color. Upper parts from just in front of eyes to base of tail dull ful vous brown ; under parts strongly washed with fulvous ; nose, end of muzzle all round ; small circle round eye ; ear and post-auricular spot dusky ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish. Cranial characters. Skull rather long and slender; similar to that of T. monticolus Allen, but audital bullse decidedly larger ; zygomata somewhat more spreading, and sulcus on inner side of upper incisor less marked. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 214; tail vertebra, 71 ; hind foot, 27.5. Average of 3 specimens from Crater Lake: total length, 214 ; tail vertebrae, 71 ; hind foot, 28. Thomomys quadratus sp. nov. Type from The Dalles, Oregon. No. 57134, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 2, 1893, by C. P. Streator. Orig inal No. 3359. General characters. Externally similar to T. mazama and T. naxicu*, but with a totally different skull. Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers. 215 Color. Upper parts from half way between eyes and nose posteriorly to tail, russet fulvous; under parts dark plumbeous, washed with salmon fulvous ; nose, muzzle all round, and ear spot dusky ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish, irregularly clouded with dusky. Cranial characters. Skull short and broad; zygomata abruptly and widely spreading, with anterior-external angle nearly square and jugals parallel; nasals rather short, broad, squarely truncate posteriorly, and early ankylosed together; temporal ridges distant, parallel; interparietal rather large and roughly oval ; audital bullse rather large; upper incisors not sloping forward. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 220; tail vertebrse, 67; hind foot, 29. Average of 6 specimens from type locality: total length, 205; tail vertebrae, 64; hind foot, 27. Thomomys leucodon sp. nov. Type from Grant Pass, Rogue River Valley, Oregon. No. ff gf f, cT ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 17, 1891, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 1394. General characters. Similar to T. laticeps from Humboldt Bay, but smaller ; under parts brighter fulvous ; incisors white instead of yellow and sloping more strongly forward ; all the teeth much smaller. Color. Upper parts from nose to tail dull fulvous brown, becoming brighter on sides and belly ; nose, sides of mouth, and ear spots dusky [no dusky ring round eye]; fore and hind feet whitish; tail yellowish buff. Cranial and dental characters. Braincase broad ; zygomata widely spread ing; temporal ridges parallel, distant; interparietal rather large, shield shaped ; skull similar to that of T. laticeps but smaller ; nasals narrower and more deeply notched posteriorly ; basi-occipital narrower ; incisors sloping far forward, their anterior faces white (sometimes slightly stained with pale yellow), narrower and more rounded than in laticeps. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 221; tail vertebrae, 68 ; hind foot, 29. Thomomys operarius sp. nov. Type from Keeler, Owens Lake, Inyo Co., California. No. lig, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 29, 1890, by E. W. Nelson. Original No. 1. General characters. Size small; color pale buffy ; fore claws very long and slender ; cranial characters peculiar. Does not require comparison with any known species. Color. Uniform buffy yellowish or buff gray (according to pelage) from end of nose to tail ; post-auricular spots plumbeous ; under parts plum beous strongly washed with white ; fore and hind feet and tail white. Cranial characters. Skull short, broad, and massive, with widely and squarely spreading zygomata, short and broad rostrum, broad interorbital region, and well marked temporal ridges (1-2 mm. apart in adults). 216 Merriam Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 228; tail vertebra, 6V; hind foot, 30. Average of 14 specimens from type locality: total length, 217; tail vertebra, 67; hind foot, 29.2. Thomomys alpinus sp. nov. Type from Mt. Whitney, High Sierra, California. Exact locality, Big Cotton wood Meadows (altitude, 10,000 feet', 8 miles SE. of Mt. Whitney peak. No. |g|f , J ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Col lected August 6, 1891, by B. H. Dutcher. Original No. 167. General characters. Size rather small ; coloration dark ; similar in gen eral to T. fulvus, but fulvous tints much duller and paler ; skull smaller and less angular. Color. Type (in pale pelage) : upper parts between sepia and drab brown, suffused with very pale dull fulvous brown; nose and sides of mouth dusky, the dusky reaching up between eyes ; ears dusky, but with out distinct post-auricular spot; under parts plumbeous, strongly washed with ochraceous buff; throat, fore feet, and tail irregularly white; hind feet white. There is a very much darker pelage in which the tips of the hairs are russet brown. Cranial characters. Skull rather small, rounded; zygomata spreading; frontals broad and flat interorbitally ; nasals rather short. The skull of T. alpinus differs from that of T. fulvus in smaller size, shorter and less angular zygomata, shorter nasals, more smoothly rounded braincase, and less pronounced temporal ridges. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 228; tail vertebra, 67; hind foot, 30. Average of 6 specimens from type locality : total length, 220.5; tail vertebra, 63; hind foot, 30.2. Thomomys nasicus sp. nov. Type from Farewell Bend, Des Chutes River, Oregon. No. 79815, J* ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 4, 1896, by E. A. Preble. Original No. 1274. General characters. Similar to T. mazama, but slightly paler, and with distinctive cranial characters. Color. Upper parts from in front of eyes to tail uniform pale russet fulvous ; under parts dark plumbeous, strongly washed with pale fulvous ; nose and front of muzzle pale dusky ; a dark spot around and behind ear ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish. Cranial characters. Skull long and slender, similar to that of T. mazaimi, but rostrum longer ; nasals exceedingly elongated ; zygomata sloping strongly backward ; audital bulhB very small ; temporal ridges distant ; interparietal large and transversely elongated. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 214; tail vertebrae, 69 ; hind foot, 27. VOL. XI, PP. 217-218 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON OVIS NELSONI, A NEW MOUNTAIN SHEEP FROM THE DESERT REGION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Mountain sheep were found by the Death Valley Expedition in several of the desert ranges of southern California and south ern Nevada, where ten specimens were secured by Mr. E. W. Nelson. They were killed in the northern continuation of the Funeral Mountains, locally known as the 'Grapevine Range.' Compared with the well known Bighorn of the Rocky Moun tains and Cascade-Sierra system, they are much paler in color, somewhat smaller in size, and have very much smaller molar teeth. Compared with Ovis slonei recently described by Dr. Allen, the contrast in color is even more marked ; but the pat tern seems to be the same, and the darkening of the under parts and legs is also a character of stonei. In the absence of neces sary material for comparison it seems best to treat the new form as a full species. The geographic range of the southern Bighorn is unknown, but it is probable that all of the sheep of the semi-barren desert ranges of Mexico and the southern United States, from Texas to California, belong to the present form. It is a noteworthy coincidence that Mr. Nelson, who in north ern Alaska discovered and named the northernmost American Sheep (Ovis dalli), should also secure, in the Sonoran deserts of California, the southernmost representative of the group. In view of these facts, it seems peculiarly appropriate that the new sheep should perpetuate Mr. Nelson's name, which I take pleas ure in bestowing upon it. 49 Btou Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (217) 218 Merriam Ovis nelsoni, a New Mountain Sheep. Ovis nelsoni sp. nov. Type from Grapevine Mountains, on boundary between California and Nevada, just south of latitude 37. No. 1|?, 9 ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 4, 1891, by E. W. Nelson. Orig inal No. 942. General characters. Apparently similar to Ouis stone i Allen in pattern of coloration, but much paler; rump patch small and completely divided on median line ; tail short and slender ; molar teeth very small. Color. Upper parts, except rump patch, pale dingy brown; under parts and legs much darker, contrasting sharply with the white areas ; inguinal region, hinder part of belly (narrowing to a point anteriorly some distance behind forelegs), inner aspect of thighs and posterior as pect of fore and hind legs, white. Measurements (taken in flesh by collector). Total length, 1280; tail vertebrae, 100; hind foot, 360; height at shoulder, 830. In the dry skin the rump patch measures about 190 in breadth by 150 in length (from apparent base of tail). VOL. XI, PP. 219-220 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW PUMAS FROM THE NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Felis hippolestes sp. nov. Type from Wind River Mts., Wyoming (near head of Big Wind River). No. 57936, c? old. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected in November, 1892, by John Burlingham. General characters. Size enormous; color reddish brown; skull and teeth large and massive ; frontal region elevated ; upper carnassial with well developed inner cusp. Color. Upper parts dull pale rufous brown, darkest along middle of back and on tail ; tip of tail black ; nose to eyes grayish brown ; a pale patch over each eye ; outer sides of legs and feet pale dull grayish ful vous ; back of ears blackish ; chin, lips (except dark patch at base of whiskers), throat, breast, under side of fore legs, inguinal region, and hinder part of belly soiled white ; under side of tail grayish white. Cranial and dental characters. Contrasted with skulls of Felis concolor from Patagonia and Costa Rica, the skull of F. hippolestes differs in very much larger size (basal length 178, instead of 160 or less ; zygomatic breadth 160, instead of 135 or less) ; frontal much more elevated and swollen ; postorbital processes broader, shorter, more swollen, and more decurved ;* nasals more angular (deflexed) with a pit in frontals over their apex ; teeth uniformly larger ; upper carnassial with well developed inner cusp ; lower premolars much more swollen. Measurements (from well made skin). Total length, 2600 ; tail vertebrae, 930; hind foot, 270. Cranial measurements : basal length, 178; zygomatic breadth, 160; palatal length (from gnathion), 93; postpalatal length (basion to postpalatal notch), 98 ; occipito-sphenoid length, 65 ; breadth across postorbital processes, 84 ; interorbital breadth, 49. * In F. concolor of corresponding age (rather old) from Pacuare, Costa Rica, the frontals are flat, with relatively long, slender, and only slightly decurved postorbital processes. 50-Bioi-. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (219) 220 Merriam Descriptions of Two New Pumas. Felis hippolestes olympus subsp. nov. Ti/pe from Lake Cushman, Olympic Mts., Washington. No. 77073 (' tf ' ?) ad. U. S. Nat, Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Collected April 18, 189(5, by Thomas Hayes. General characters. Similar to F. hippolestes, but color very much darker i tail concolor to black tip (not grayish white below, as in hippolestes) ; whitish areas on under parts much more restricted and less white. Color. Upper parts dark rufous brown, darkest along middle of back and on tail ; tip of tail blackish ; nose to eyes dusky ; whole top and sides of head dark except a pale spot over each eye ; backs of ears black except posterior edge, which is grayish ; lips (except blackish patch at base of whiskers), chin, and anterior part of throat white ; neck dull ful vous, palest below ; breast and inguinal region soiled whitish ; under side of fore legs only lightly washed with whitish ; tail dark all round not grayish white below as in hippolestes. Remarks. The type, though fully adult, is very much smaller and has a much smaller skull than F. hippolestes. It is marked '$,' but possibly this may be an error. Measurements (from well made dry skin). Total length, 2095 ; tail verte brae, 775 ; hind foot, 260. Crctnial measurements : basal length, 162; zygo- matic breadth, 127 ; palatal length (from gnathion), 7 6 ; postpalatal length (basion to postpalatal notch), 85; occipito-sphenoid length, 60; breadth across postorbital processes, 71 ; interorbital breadth, 39. VOL. XI, PP. 221-223 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW RODENTS FROM THE COAST REGION OF ALASKA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Microtus sitkensis sp. nov. Type from Sitka, Alaska. No. 73839, J* ad. U. S. Nat. Mas., Biological Survey Coll. Collected August 3, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 4745. General characters. Similar in color and general appearance to M. cali- fornicus in corresponding pelage, but somewhat darker and more reddish brown; belly washed with pale buffy fulvous ; ears smaller; tail rather short, upper side black. Cranial and dental characters distinctive. Color. Upper parts uniform grizzled brown, not conspicuously lined with black hairs, and with a distinct ' reddish, brown ' suffusion, espe cially on rump and neck, which is probably peculiar to late summer pelage; under parts plumbeous (without white), the belly washed with ochraceous buff; tail sharply bicolor, black above, white beneath ; fore and hind feet and ankles dusky. Cranial and dental characters. Skull long and narrow, very broad inter- orbitally ; braincase rounded (not angular) ; interparietal subtriangular and rather small ; zygomata not spreading ; audital bullse large and rather elongated (not rounded) ; incisive foramina very narrow and slit like, falling far short of molars; teeth as in subgenus Microtus; first lower molar with 3 closed loops on inner side and 2 on outer side, the anterior loop with no external and only 1 internal salient angle. Remarks. While externally Microtus sitkensis resembles M. calif ornicas, its cranial characters place it in a different group, along with the small M. kadiacensis. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 155; tail vertebrae, 42; hind foot, 23. Cranial measurements : basal length, 25 ; zygomatic breadth, 14; palatal length, 13 [to incisor] ; interorbital constriction, 4.2. 51-BioL Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (221) 222 Merriam Descriptions of Five New Rodents. Microtus kadiacensis sp. nov. Type from Kadiak Island, Alaska. No. 65827, 9 a d. "U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 12, 1893, by B. J. Bretherton. Original No. 213. General characters. Similar to M. sitkensis in color and general appear ance, but much smaller, somewhat paler, and under parts white instead of ochraceous buff; tail and ears rather short. Color. Upper parts uniform grizzled pale brownish with pale dull ful vous suffusion, not conspicuously lined with black hairs; under parts plumbeous, strongly washed with pure white; tail sharply bicolor, dusky above, white beneath ; fore and hind feet grayish brown. Cranial and dental characters. Skull similar to that of AL sitkensis, but very much smaller ; interparietal much more elongated transversely and narrower ; audital bulke very much smaller and narrower ; postpalatal pits deeper; teeth essentially as in sitkensis, but first lower molar with only 2 completely closed loops on each side. Measurements. Type specimen, measured in flesh by collector: total length, 141; tail vertebrae, 23 [probably 33] ; hind foot, 18 [probably 19 or 20]. Cranial measurements : basal length, 23.5 ; zygomatic breadth, 13.5 ; palatal length, 12.8; interorbital constriction, 3.8. Microtus unalascensis sp. nov. Type from Unalaska, Alaska. No. f |?|, $ im. U. S. Nat. Mus., Bio logical Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 13, 1S91, by C. Hart Merriam. Orig inal No. z. General characters. Similar to M. kadiacensis, but apparently somewhat darker ; audital bullse much shorter and more globular ; front lower molar with two closed and two open loops on inner side, and two closed and no open loops on outer side. Color. (Specimen immature) : Upper parts yellowish brown, darkest on head ; under parts plumbeous washed with whitish ; tail sharply bi color, narrowly black above, broadly white below ; fore and hind feet grayish. Measurements. Type specimen (not full grown) : total length, 122; tail vertebrae, 28 ; hind foot, 19. Remarks. This species, which resembles M. mtticeps of Europe in the enamel pattern of the first lower molar, is closely related to M. kadicfn- sis, from which it may be distinguished at a glance by the much shorter and more globular audital bullre and the pattern of TT. During the single night spent at Unalaska on my return from the Seal Islands, I caught several of these Voles along the edges of a small pond on the outskirts of the Aleutian village of Iluliuk. Unfortunately, all but one were eaten by Ravens shortly after daylight. The one secured had dragged the trap into the water and drowned out of reach of the Ravens. Descriptions of Five New Rodents. 223 Peromyscus sitkensis sp. nov. Type from Sitka, Alaska. No. 73809, ^ ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biolog ical Survey Coll. Collected July 30, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 4720. General characters. Size very large much the largest of the species occurring north of Mexico except P. californicus, from which it differs in so many characters as to require no comparison ; tail long ; ears medium or rather small ; coloration dark, in summer pelage reddish brown. Color. Upper parts brown, becoming russet posteriorly on back, rump, and sides; ring round eye (broadest in -front of eye) and posterior aspect of ankles, dusky; under parts white, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; fore and hind feet whitish ; tail sharply bicolor, blackish above, broadly white below; ears dusky, narrowly edged with whitish. Cranial characters. Skull large ; braincase rather flat; rostrum greatly elongated ; pterygoid fossee unusually developed. Contrasted with the skull of P. caiifomicus, the only species which equals or exceeds it in size, the braincase is very much smaller and lower and the rostrum very much longer. The total length of the skull is greater than in californicus, al though californicus is much the larger animal. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 222; tail vertebrae, 112; hind foot, 26. Average of 20 specimens from type locality : total length, 218; tail vertebrae, 111.6; hind foot, 26.2. Cranial measurements: total length, 31; basilar length of Hensel, 24; zygomatic breadth, 15; incisors to postpalatal notch, 13; length of nasals, 13. Remarks. Apparently Peromyscus sitkensis is related to P. macrorhinus (Rhoads), from Skeena River, which latter animal I have not seen. It differs from P. macrorhinus in uniformly larger size, ' redder ' color, and much longer nasal bones. Zaptis hudsonius alascensis subsp. nov. Type from Yakutat Bay, Alaska. No. 73584, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 5, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Orig inal No. 4660. General characters. Similar externally to Zapus hudsonius from northern Minnesota, but slightly larger ; rostrum and zygomata longer ; mandible larger; molars heavier ; crown of last lower molar longer. Color. Dorsal area well defined, grizzled dusky and yellowish ; sides from nose to base of tail ochraceous, conspicuously lined with black hairs ; ankle dusky posteriorly ; tail sharply bicolor, grayish brown above, whitish beneath ; fore and hind feet soiled whitish. Remarks. Zapus alascensis is much more closely related to Z. hudsonius of the northeastern United States and Canada than to Z. trinotatus of the Puget Sound region. It agrees with hudsonius and differs from trinotatus in the narrow braincase, small incisive foramina, and relatively small under jaw. The crown of the last lower molar is longer than in either hudsonius or trinotatus. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 225; tail vertebrae, 139; hind foot, 32. Average of 4 specimens from type locality: total length, 217.5; tail vertebra, 132; hind foot, 31.5. VOL. XI, P. 225 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW FLYING SQUIRREL FROM FT. KLAMATH, OREGON. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Sciuropterus alpinus klamathensis subsp. nov. Type from Fort Klamath, Oregon (Transition zone, altitude 4200 feet). No. 87310, $ ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Jan. 11, 1897, by B. L. Cunningham. Original No. 355. General characters. Similar to /?. alpinus fuliginosus Rhoads, but smaller ; tail paler above and buffy below (not clouded with dusky). Differs from fuliginosus in having the nose and head much paler, cheeks yellowish white instead of bluish gray, and audital bullse smaller. Color. Upper parts dark drab brown, sometimes tinged with pale dull fulvous brown ; under parts yellowish buff, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; tail: upper surface like back, but somewhat darker, especially toward the end ; under surface uniform deep buff; nose and face pale ; cheeks pale yellowish gray ; top of head very pale grayish ful vous ; ears decidedly paler than in true alpinus or fuliginosus. Cranial characters. Contrasted with S. alpinus the skull is narrower posteriorly, particularly the braincase and posterior roots of the zygomata. Compared with fuiiginosus the audital bullse are decidedly larger and the braincase is less strongly decurved posteriorly. Measurements. Type specimen : total length, 329 ; tail vertebrae, 138 ; hind foot, 38. 52-BioL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (225) VOL. XI, PP. 227-230 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW SHREWS FROM MEX ICO, GUATEMALA, AND COLOMBIA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Blarina thomasi sp. nov. Type from Plains of Bogota, Colombia (on G. 0. Child's estate near City of Bogota, alt. about 9000 feet). Collected Nov. 14, 1895. Type in British Museum. General characters. Size large ; coloration sooty-plumbeous. Similar to B. fossor, but fore feet very much smaller and molariform teeth not exca vated posteriorily. Color. Sooty plumbeous, darkest on the back. Cranial and dental characters. Skull and palate almost exactly as in B. fossor, but molariform teeth solid (not excavated posteriorly) and uni- cnspidate teeth with inner cusp behind instead of in front (on postero- internal instead of antero-internal angle). Remarks. For the opportunity to describe this very interesting shrew I am indebted to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, Curator of Mammals in the Brit ish Museum, who sent me seven specimens from the type locality. Here tofore the genus Blarina has not been recorded from any point south of Costa Rica; hence the discovery of the present species in South America is of unusual interest. Measurements (from dry skin). Total length, 110; tail vertebrae, 28 5 hind foot, 14.5; skull, 21x10. Notiosorex gigas sp. nov. Type from Mts. at Milpillas, near San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico. No. 880 12, $ ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 15, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 10706. General characters. Similar to Notiosorex crawfordi, but very much larger; tail relatively as well as actually longer. Color. Uniform slate gray, slightly darker on rump and slightly paler 53-HioL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (227) 228 Merriam Descriptions of Five New Shrews. on under parts; belly with a faint brownish tinge; tatl concolor with upper and lower surfaces of body. Cranial and dental characters. Skull large and massive, widely different from N. crawfordi and evotis ; braincase highly arched, as in Blarina inex- icana, which it greatly resembles (see figure of skull of />. mt'.i-icana, N. Am. Fauna, No. 10, pi. 1, fig. 11, Dec. 1895): constriction swollen; walls of anterior nares thickened ; teeth white throughout, without trace of color on tips ; molars swollen and crowded, not excavated posteriorly. Remarks. Mr. Nelson caught 3 specimens of this fine shrew near the creek, just below the mouth of the canyon, at Milpillas. He says they were living under shelter of logs, rocks, and banks in damp places grown up to bushes and weeds away from the woods. Measurements (from dry skin*). Total length, 128; tail vertebra, 45; hind foot, 15. Cranial measurements : total length of skull, including in cisors, 23 ; greatest breadth, 10.5. Sorex sclateri f sp. nov. Type from Tumbala, Chiapas, Mexico (alt., 5000 ft,). No. 75872, 9 ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture Coll. Collected Oct. 23, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 8567. General characters. Size large ; tail long ; hind foot very long (16 mm.); color similar to S. macrodon, but ears smaller, and skull very different. Color. Upper parts dusky, finely mixed with sepia brown, darkest over the rump ; under parts seal brown ; tail dusky ; paler below, without line of demarkation ; feet dusky. Cranial and dental characters. Skull large, long, and rather slender (20 x 9 mm.) ; rostrum, palate, and dentition (in general) much as in S. saussurei caudatus, but postpalatal region and braincase decidedly longer ; interpterygoid fossa broad and long ; first and second unicuspids subequal or second slightly the larger; third unicuspid, as seen from the side, de cidedly larger than fourth ; as seen from below, subequal or slightly smaller; teeth very white, the red tips greatly reduced. Remarks. Sorex sclateri is a very peculiar species, and does not seem to be at all closely related to any of the other shrews known from Mexico or Central America. The large size of the hind foot and peculiar elongation of the postpalatal part of the skull suffice to distinguish it from the species that approach it in size, while the relatively large size of the third uni- cuspidate tooth is distinctive. Singularly enough, in general form of skull and relative proportions of unicuspids Sorer sclateri resembles S. oreopolns, a small short-tailed species inhabiting the Sierra Nevada de Colima of Jalisco. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 126; tail vertebrae, 52; hind foot, 16. Average of 5 specimens from type locality : total length, 125; tail vertebra, 53; hind foot, 16. * Field measurements not yet received from collector, f Named in honor of Dr. Philip Lutley Sclater, the distinguished Secre tary of the Zoological Society of London. Descriptions of Five New Shrews. 229 Sorex salvini * sp. nov. Type from Calel, Totonicapan, Guatemala (alt., 10200 ft. = 3100 meters). No. 77035, 9 ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture Coll. Col lected Jan. 12, 1896, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 9057. General characters. Size small (about equalling 8. ventralis) ; ears me dium or rather large ; tail rather short ; belly very dark, thus differing from all the other known small species from either Mexico or Guatemala. Color. Upper parts rich dark sepia brown, darkest over the rump ; under parts seal brown ; tail faintly bicolor. Cranial and dental characters. Skull similar to that of ventralis, but somewhat larger (18.5 mm. ) ; constriction of rostrum more swollen. First and second unicuspids subequal ; third slightly larger than fourth as seen from the side, but really smaller as seen from below. Molariform teeth moderately excavated ; larger than those of ventralis. Remarks. This small shrew seems to be more nearly related to ventralis than to any other. It is very much darker than ventralis, both above and below, has a slightly longer tail, larger skull, and larger molariform teeth. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 104; tail vertebrae, 41; hind foot, 13 5. Average of two specimens from type locality : total length, 100; tail vertebrae, 42; hind foot, 13.75. Sorex godmani * sp. nov. Type from Volcano Santa Maria, Quezaltenango, Guatemala fait., 9000 ft. =2740 meters). No. 77044, 9 ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture Coll. Collected Jan. 28, 1896, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 9239. General characters. Size rather large (hind foot nearly 15 mm.) ; tail long; ears conspicuous; similar to S. caudatus, but color less dark and skull decidedly smaller. Color. Upper parts uniform dark sepia brown with a faint chestnut tinge ; under parts seal brown ; tail dark all round. Cranial and dental characters. Skull of normal shape (braincase some what flattened in type specimen), rather small for size of animal; first and second unicuspids subequal, third slightly smaller than fourth; mo lariform teeth rather deeply excavated posteriorly. Skull similar in general to that of caudatus but much smaller (18x8 mm. instead of 19.5 x 9.5) ; molariform teeth much smaller and more deeply excavated posteriorly. Remarks. Sorex godmani agrees with S. stizodon in color, but is larger, has a much longer tail (55 mm. instead of 41) and very different skull and * These two species are named in honor of Osbert Salvin and F. Du Cane God man, the distinguished editors of the Biologia Centrali-Ameri- cana. Their names must ever be associated with the natural history of Guatemala. 230 Merriam Descriptions of Five New Shrews. teeth (skull more slender and delicate; pm and m - 1 and m ^ much more deeply excavated posteriorly ; second unicuspid not larger than first). Its nearest relative seems to be S. saussurei caudatu*, which differs from it in somewhat darker coloration, in having the tail decidedly paler holow, and in the cranial and dental peculiarities already described. Measurements. Type specimen: total length, 120; tail vertebra?, 57; hind foot, 15. Average of 4 specimens: total length, 122.5; tail verte brae, 55; hind foot, 14.7. Specimens examined. Total number, 4, from the following localities in Guatemala: Volcano Santa Maria, Quezaltenango (type locality), 3. Todos Santos, Huehuetenango, 1. VOL. XI, PP. 231-234 SEPTEMBER 17, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DIAGNOSES OF NEW SPECIES OF FISHES FOUND IN BERING SEA. BY THEO. GILL AND CHAS. H. TOWNSEND. In 1895 the junior author served as naturalist on the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross and obtained many fishes at various depths. Among them were 14 species apparently hith erto undescribed. Diagnoses of these are here given by permis sion of Captain John J. Brice, U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and will hereafter be described at length and illus trated. RAIID.E. Raia rosispinis. Snout moderately produced, with a soft, moderately narrow rostral car tilage and a blunt tip. Interorbital space nearly plane. Snout with a number of plates having stellate bases about middle, and many smaller asperities, leaving only the borders of the pectorals and ventrals naked. Larger spines with stellate bases are interspersed between the disk and the pectoral rays. A row r of about 26 thorn-like spines, with radiating ridges, extends from the interhumeral area to the dorsal fins ; two spines on each shoulder. One spine above antocular region, another above post- ocular region, and another behind it about half the distance. Raia obtusa. Snout not at all produced, but very bluntly rounded. Interorbital space narrow. Mouth small, rectilinear. Minute distant prickles on the snout, the anterior portion of disk and interorbital area, as well as in a broad median band extending on tail to dorsal and commencing at the inter- humeral area ; a row of scarcely enlarged acute spines above the eye ; an uninterrupted row of unguiform spines with smoth bases extending from the interhumeral area to dorsal fin; two similar spines arm each shoulder. 54 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (231) 232 Gill & Townsend Diagnoses of New Species of Fishes. Raia intenupta. Snout moderately produced, with a soft very attenuated rostral cartilage and a blunt tip. Interorbital space concave. Mouth small; the width equal to half preoral area. Entire back covered with very small embedded spines, extending nearly uniformly over the disk and snout, leaving only the tip of the latter naked ; a row of compressed acutely curved, smooth spines along middle of back, extending from the interhumeral region to dorsal, but interrupted along the posterior half of disk, where the spines are absent or obsolete ; about four spines are in the anterior por tion and the series recommences on a line with the emargination of the disk ; a single spine on each shoulder and occasionally a rudimentary second ; no specialized supra-orbital spines. NOTACANTHIDvE. Macdonaldia alta. D., 32 ; A. (31 to end of dorsal) 52 spines, 125 rays. Body comparatively high ; greatest height equal to 3f the distance be tween vent and tip of snout. Pectoral fin with its root twice as far from upper cleft of branchial aperture as from the lateral line, and much nearer to the posterior end of operculum than to lateral line. Bering Sea, ',Lat. N. 54 54', Long. VV. 168 59' (station 3604, Aug. 13, 1895; 1401 fathoms). Macdonaldia longa. D., 33 ; A. (26 to opposite end of dorsal) 55 spines, 111 rays. Body comparatively slender, with the greatest height about one-fifth distance between vent and tip of snout. Pectoral fin with its root three times as far from upper cleft of branchial aperture as from lateral line, and very much nearer lateral line than end of operculum. Bering Sea (station 3607, 1895; 900 fathoms). ALEPOCEPHALID.E. Ericara, new genus. Alepocephalids with small, perfectly smooth, imbricated cycloid scales, wide cranium, projecting snout, deeply cleft mouth, uniserial and acro- dout teeth on vomer and anterior portion of palatines, and dorsal and anal of normal extent and opposite each other. Ericara salmonea. Dorsal, 17 ; anal, 24. Maxillary extending to vertical of posterior bor der of orbit. Head large: length, 8$; depth, 5; width, 4^. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3603, 1895 ; 1771 fathoms). LYCODIDJ3. Lycodes digitatus. Body moderately elongate, its greatest height being between | and ^of the total length ; covered with small, entirely separated embedded scales, Diagnoses of New Species of Fishes. 233 which become nearer anteriority and extend in advance of the dorsal fin as well as on the vertical fins. No specialized area of smaller scales be hind base of pectorals. Pectorals scaleless. Head moderate, i in length, entirely naked. Color (in alcohol) brownish yellow suffused with reddish in front, varie gated, darker anteriority, with four dark longitudinal bands most distinct about middle of body, fading out backwards. Fins light and without dark margins. Head dark above and laterally, light below. Dorsal, 101 ; ventral, 81 ; pectoral, 18. Bering Sea, Lat. N. 56 14', Long. W. 164 8' (station 3541 ; 49 fathoms). Lycodes concolor. Body rather elongated, its greatest height being less than \ total length ; covered with very small, entirely separated embedded scales which be come more distant anteriorly and extend in advance of the dorsal fin and scapular region, as well as on the vertical fins ; pectorals with scattered scales on external and internal surfaces near base. A specialized area of smaller scales behind base of pectoral and a naked area around upper axilla of pectorals. Head moderate, a fifth of total length, entirely naked. Color nearly uniform, only relieved by the apparently lighter hue of the scales and the somewhat darker margins of the fins. Dorsal, 118; ventral, 98; pectoral, 21. Bering Sea, Lat. N. 55 19', Long. W. 168 IV (station 3608, Aug. 12, 1895; 276 fathoms). MACRURID.E. Macrurus lepturus. Type 22 inches long. D., 14-122. A., 116. P., 20. V., 8. Scales deciduous and moderate, oblong or oval with reduced exposed surfaces; those on the back or above the lateral line have a few (3-5) ridges beset with spines, but those below are mostly unarmed. Head one-sixth of entire length, regularly conical. Snout moderately ex tended. Median tubercle very projecting; lateral well developed, con nected by well defined ridge; infraorbital vertical, with the ridge linear and near the orbit. Teeth cardiform in both jaws ; the lower teeth beset the outer slope of the jaw. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3604; 1401 fathoms). Macrurus dorsalis. Type length, 26 inches. D., 15-120. A., 122. P., 21. V., 9. Scales deciduous and rather small, diversiform, with small exposed sur faces; near the dorsal they have about five radiating spinigerous ridges, but below the lateral line these ridges are fewer and unarmed. Head a little more than one-sixth of the length. Snout short, projecting a con siderable length beyond the eye and a little beyond the supramaxillary. Median tubercle very prominent ; connecting ridge is well defined ; infra- orbital nearly vertical, with the ridge linear and near the orbit. Teeth cardiform. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3604; 1401 fathoms). 234 Gill & Toivnsend Diagnoses of Neiu Species of Fishes. Macrurus firmisquamis. Type 31 inches long. D., 12-126. A., 105. P., 20. V., 8. Scales firmly affixed, oblong or rather short, and with considerable ex posed surfaces, which have subequal radiating ridges beset with numerous acute spinelets ; the ridges vary from 3 to 8 in number. Head regularly convex in profile, a fifth of the entire length. Snout longer than the diameter of the eye. Rostral tubercles obsolete and infraorbital ridge rounded. Teeth biserial or triserial. This species is distinguishable from all its American congeners, at least, by the very firm scales. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands, 1895. Macrurus (Nematonurus) magnus. Type 43 inches long. D., 9-128. A., 121. P., 15. V., tf. Scales moderately large, readily deciduous, decidedly oblong or long, with a small exposed surface which is beset with five to seven radiating unarmed ridges. Head regularly conical, less than one-fifth of the length. Snout rather long ; projects half its length beyond the mandible. Tuber cles feebly developed, plain and continuous from 3 parallel ridges; infra- orbital flat, with the crest rather nearer the orbit than its lower margin ; its entire surface scaly. Teeth in the upper row biserial or triserial ; in lower jaw imperfectly biserial or uniserial. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands. Macrurus (Nematonurus) suborbitalis. Type 20 inches long. D., 12-85. A., 102. P., 19. V., 11. Scales closely adherent and rather large, mostly short and roundish, with considerable exposed surfaces, having radiating ridges beset with weak spines. Head a little more than one-sixth of the entire length. Snout projects little. Median and lateral tubercles are faintly developed ; infraorbital narrow, divided into two well marked areas an upper wider, distinguished by the glassy tubercular scales, and the narrow lower, al most skinny and scaleless; the ridge independently, is little marked. Teeth biserial in the upper jaw, robust in the outer row, very weak in the inner ; uniserial in lower jaw and scarcely incurved. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3603; 1771 fathoms). PLEURONECTIDyE. Hippoglossoides robustus. Body rather high, its greatest height nearly equaling half the length from the snout to base of caudal. Profile decurved above the eye. Body thick. Scales on head separate and rarely touch each other. Lateral line more arched than in allied species. Teeth of the single row mostly separated from each other by intervals equal to width of teeth, curved inward, and uniform on the sides; toward front four or five enlarged teeth, preceded by two smaller, leaving the middle toothless. In the lower jaw of nearly uniform size and inclining backwards. Bering Sea, Lat. N. 56 IV, Long. W. 164 8' (station 3541 ; 49 fathoms). tsrr VOL. XL PP. 235-240 SEPTEMBER 17, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ON A SMALL COLLECTION OF MAMMALS FROM HAMILTON INLET, LABRADOR. BY OUTRAM BANGS. In the early summer of 1895 Mr. C. H. Goldthwaite started for Hamilton Inlet, Labrador, to collect mammals for the Bangs' Collection. Upon reaching St. Johns, Newfoundland, he was met by the discouraging news that on account of the troubles of the government and the low state of its finances, there was some doubt as to whether its steamer would make the usual annual trip up the Labrador coast for the purpose of carrying supplies and picking up shipwrecked fishermen and explorers. Most of the fishing vessels that visit Labrador in summer had already sailed, but after much delay and trouble he secured passage from Conception Bay in a belated fisherman, and finally arrived at Hamilton Inlet, after a long and tedious voyage. Here he collected from July 5 to September 9, in the immediate vicinity of the Hudson Bay post of Rigoulette, about eighty miles up Hamilton Inlet, or Grosswater Bay, as it is usually called by the inhabitants. I had hoped that his work would cover a larger area, and that he might get far enough from the post to collect fur-bearing and other large animals, but this proved impossible. The only way to make such a trip successfully would be to go prepared to remain throughout the winter. In summer the in habitants are all busy with salmon fishing, their principal means of subsistence, and cannot be induced to go inland, even if this were practicable. The heavy growth of moss, saturated with moisture, into which a man sinks above the knee at every step, 55 HIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL XI, 1807 (235) 236 Bangs Mammals from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. makes traveling so laborious as to be nearly impossible, while the constant annoyance from the attacks of blood-sucking flies of four or five kinds becomes almost intolerable. In winter traveling on snow-shoes or on dog sledges is very easy. Then all the men go inland to their various trapping grounds and stay through the season, and if a collector went along with them he could undoubtedly reap a rich harvest. The country about Rigoulette is heavily wooded with a rather stunted growth of spruce and fir, but so near timber line is it that the tops of the hills are devoid of trees. In some places there were large fields of snow that remained unmelted throughout the entire summer. The country is monotonous and offers little diversity for trapping, and with the exception of the lemmings (Dicrostonyx), which in habit only the treeless tops of the hills, all the smaller mammals live under about the same conditions. In collecting small mammals anywhere one is sure to find some pest to interfere with trapping by eating specimens or bait, or both, and Hamilton Inlet was no exception to the rule. Mr. Goldthwaite's two principal enemies were the Labrador jay and the Esquimaux dog. The jays soon discovered what he was doing, and would follow him in a loose flock, sitting about and watching while he set a trap, and would then descend upon it and steal the bait the moment his back was turned. Often one of them fell a victim to the wicked little Schuyler trap, but this never deterred the others, and no matter how many were killed, there were always as many more following him. The dogs were even worse, for turned out in the summer to forage for them selves, they hunt over the country in packs for miles in every direction. They feed largely on mice, lemmings, and all small mammals, and were very quick to find one caught in a trap. Several of the dogs also got into baited steel traps, and as they are highly prized, especially the leaders. Mr. Goldthwaite was requested by the owners to refrain from setting steel traps at that season of the year. Mr. Goldthwaite collected the following mammals : Lepus americanus americanus Erxl. Abundant everywhere. A fine series of 14 young and adult examples has led me to take up a careful study of a large number of specimens of the American hare from many points in eastern North America, the re sults of which will be published in a separate paper. Mammals from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. 237 The type of Lepus americanus, as is well known, came from the south side of Hudson Strait. Hamilton Inlet is not only much south of this, but appears to have quite a different fauna, the small mammals especially being different from those taken at Fort Chimo by L. M. Turner. It is therefore probable that typical Lepus americanus is even more extreme than the Hamilton Inlet series, which is at present the best working material available.* Zapus hudsonius (Zimmerman). Three specimens were caught in the damp mossy spruce woods. Fiber zibethicus (Linn.) Musk rats were very scarce about Hamilton Inlet, but were said to be abundant in the lakes and rivers of the interior. The one specimen col lected, an adult, agrees in every way with true zibethicus of northeastern North America generally, and shows no approach to the insular form (Fiber obscurus) found in Newfoundland. Dicrostonyx hudsonius (Pallas). Three specimens of the Hudsonian lemming were secured, all taken at the entrance to one hole on top of a treeless hill. A fourth was also trapped at the same hole, but afterwards destroyed. The lemming was well known to the natives, who called it ' hill mouse,' and said it was usually abundant on all the hills. Mr. Goldthwaite worked very hard to get more, but the dogs had visited all suitable places and dug out the lemmings before he arrived, and the hole where he caught his specimens was the only one he could find that was occupied. Mr. GerritTS. Miller, Jr., who examined these specimens at the time he wrote his 'Genera and Subgeneraof Voles and Lemmings,' tells me that this lemming is not like any of the old-world species. The name Mus hudsonius Pallas t apparently applies to this species, which may be briefly described as follows : Color. Upper parts gray (about the color of a Maltese cat), somewhat mixed with black tipped hairs and slightly touched in places with rusty ; a narrow black stripe along middle of back ; long hairs covering ear, mixed black and rusty ; a spot of pale yellowish rust color at base of whiskers. Lower sides and under parts dull brownish gray, irregularly washed with rusty, the rust color predominating in front of arms, across * The Arctic Hare is said to occur at Hamilton Inlet, but Mr. Goldth waite was unable to get one. It was reported to be more abundant in winter than in summer. t Richardson (Fauna Boreali- Americana, 1829, p. 132) refers the specific name hudsonius to Forster. I cannot find that Forster ever gave his ani mal (a mutilated specimen) a scientific name, merely styling it ' animal called a Field Mouse, Churchill River,' 238 Bangs Mammals from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. chest, and about vent. Feet, hands, and tail dull gray, hairy. Tail with a long pencil nearly equaling length of tail. Measurements. The three specimens measured as follows : No. Sex. Total length. Tail vertebrae. Hind foot. 4166 c? old. 150 21 20 4167 c? yg- ad. 145 22 22 4168 (J' yg- 128 16 20 Skull The skull of 4166, tf old adult, measures : basal length, 28.6 ; zy- gomatic breadth, 19.8; mastoid breadth, 14.2; alveolar length of upper molar series, 7.6; incisive foramen, 5.6. That of an adult male D. tor quatus from Petschora, Russia (No. 3621, collection of Gerrit S. Miller, Jr.), measures: basal length, 27.4; zygomatic breadth, 19; mastoid breadth, 14; alveolar length of upper molar series, 7.4; incisive foramen, 6.8. These specimens are of approximably equal age, so that they furnish a very satisfactory basis for comparison. The skull of D. torquatus, though actually slightly smaller, gives the impression of greater strength and massiveness. This is chiefly due to its broader, less deflected rostrum and slightly shorter, broader brain case. While the width of rostrum is less and the deflection of dorsal outline greater in D. hudsonius, the rostral depth at the root of the zygoma is slightly greater in D. torquatus. Au- dital bullse in D. hudsonius distinctly larger and less globular than in D. torquatus. Teeth. As has recently been pointed out,* there is a minute supple mental anterior internal loop in the posterior lower molar of Dlcrostonyx hudsonius which is apparently absent in the Old World species. Other wise the dentition calls for no special comment. Synaptomys (Mictomys) iiinuitus (True). Only one specimen was collected. Dr. C. Hart Merriamand Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., have kindly compared this specimen with the type of in- nultus from FortChimo, Labrador, with the following results: The Ham ilton Inlet specimen is younger than the type of innuitus, but is larger, the hind foot measuring 3 mm. more and the skull being actually larger; the tail is also longer. It is a pity that only one specimen from each locality is in existence, as more material from Labrador would probably show that two well marked forms occur there, as is the case with Ecotomys and probably with Phenacomys ungava also. The measurements of the specimen, No. 3972, $ young adult, are : total length, 114; tail vertebrae, 25 ; hind foot, 21 . Miller, North American Fauna, No. 12, p. 39, foot-note, July 23, 1896, Mammals from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. 239 FIG. 13. a. Left upper molar series of Microtus pennsyl- vanicus (Topotype No. 2336 Bangs coll.) b. I_,eft upper molar series of Microtus enixus (Topotype No. 3976, Bangs coll.) Microtus enixus Bangs.* Next to Evotomys, this species was the commonest small mammal about Hamilton Inlet. It was found living every where, but was especially abundant along the banks of the brooks where a few reeds and grasses grew ; 80 specimens were obtained. It is very distinct from all other eastern voles, and is at once distinguished by its peculiarly small, weak, molar teeth. (See figure 13.) Evotomys proteus Bangs. f The Evotomys was the commonest small mam mal, and was found everywhere. No less than 99 specimens were collected. Several times while walking through the forest Mr. Goldth- waite discovered one sitting upon a spruce branch ' like a squirrel.' I have never known of this arboreal habit being noticed in other species. The range of individual color varia tion in Evotomys proteus is simply astounding, and it seems incredible that extremes from the series can belong to the same species, yet any specimen picked out can be graded by the most delicate steps into any of the other extremes. The accompanying plate shows admirably a few of the most pronounced color phases. The Hamilton Inlet and Fort Chimo red-backed mice are very different, representing opposite extremes in the genus. The latter, lately described by Vernon Bailey as Evotomys ungova,^. is a small form with small hind foot, short tail, and little ears concealed by the fur. E. proteus is a very large form, with heavy skull, big feet and tail, and large ears. Pheiiacomys ungava Merriam. The 10 individuals of this interesting species that were caught were all found in one small area on the bank of a little brook, associated with Microtus enixus. &nd Evotomys proteus. None were taken anywhere else. Mr. Miller had this series when he wrote his ' Synopsis of the Voles of the Genus Phenacomys,' and found that the form is much larger than true P. ungava. It is very possible that more specimens from Fort Chimo would show the Hamilton Inlet form to be worthy of separation. * Preliminary Description of a New Vole from Labrador, American Naturalist, XXX, Dec. 5, 1896, p. 1051. t In Vernon Bailey's Revision of the American Voles of the Genus Evotomys, Proc. Biol. Soc. of Washington, XI, May 13, 1897, p. 137. jLoc. cit., p. 130. 240 Bangs Mammals from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador. Sciurus hudsonicus hudsonicus Erxl. Red squirrels were not at all common, four being all that Mr. Goldth- wuite was able to get, though constantly on the lookout for them. Sorex personatus I. Geoffrey St. Hilaire. This species is represented by one skull, kindly identified as S. perso natus by Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. It is strange that in all the trapping he did near Hamilton Inlet Mr. Goldthwaite caught but one shrew and no moles.* Putorius cicognani cicognani (Bonaparte). Mr. Goldthwaite's collection contained 2 specimens cf and 9, which, though taken at a locality so strictly Hudsonian in character, are per fectly referable to the Canadian form, true cicognani. This would seem to indicate that typical Putorius cicognani pushes farther north in the east than it does in the central part of the continent. The two specimens col lected measure as follows : No. 3951, $ adult : total length, 300 ; tail verte bra, 90; hind foot, 43. No. 3952, ? young adult : total length, 256; tail vertebrae, 66 ; hind foot, 31. Possibly another form may be found farther inland, as the spruce and fir forest only extends in a narrow belt along the coast, the whole inte rior being open ' barren grounds,' where the conditions of life must be dif ferent from those near the coast. EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV. A series of topotypes of Evotomys proteus, in collection of E. A. and 0. Bangs, showing some of the color phases to which the species is subject. (All specimens are from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador.) Fig. 1 , No. 4054 ; Fig. 2, No. 4053 ; Fig. 3, No. 4068 ; Fig. 4, No. 4088 ; Fig. 5, No. 4085; Fig. 6, No. 4118; Fig. 7, No. 4139. * One morning Mr. Goldthwaite saw several dogs nosing about a star- nosed mole (Condylura cristata) which they had caught but did not relish. One of them, however, instantly swallowed it when he tried to rescue it. He was unable to find any signs of this mole anywhere and secured no specimens. OC. BIOL. SOC. WASH., XI, 1897 PL. IV VOL. XI, PP. 241-270 DECEMBER 17, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A LIST OF THE GENERIC AND FAMILY NAMES OF RODENTS. BY T. 8. PALMER. Generic names of mammals have undergone many changes in recent years, and in no group is this more apparent than in the Rodentia. Not only have new names been proposed for a host of new forms, but many well-known genera now appear under names long forgotten, but revived in obedience to the law of priority. Linnaeus, in 1758, recognized only six genera of ro dents (including Rhinoceros!) ; Agassiz, in 1842-'46, recorded about 220 generic names in this order, and Marschall, in 1873, added 65 more, making a total of somewhat less than 300. The present list contains more than 600 (a large proportion of which are, of course, synonyms), comprising perhaps 15 percent of the entire number of generic and subgeneric names ever proposed for mammals. Recent changes in the nomenclature of the Rodentia are well exemplified in two important papers which have appeared dur ing the past few months one, by Mr. Oldfield Thomas, entitled ' On the Genera of Rodents 'j 1 the other, by Dr. E. L. Troues- sart, comprising part of the second edition of his ' Catalogus Mammalium.' The former paper gives merely a list of the groups of living rodents which the author considers worthy of generic rank, together with references to the original description of each genus. Trouessart's Catalogue, more ambitious in its scope, is 1 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, pp. 1012-1028. 56 BIOT,. Soc. WASH., Vot. XI, 1897 (241) 242 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. intended to include all the species, living and extinct, now recog nized. Even with these aids the student will often find difficulty in looking up synonymy or determining the earliest name of a genus, for Thomas gives only about one-third of the names, while Trouessart does not pretend to include all the generic synonyms and frequently omits references. The present paper differs from either of those just mentioned. It is neither an index nor a catalogue of recognized genera, but merely an attempt to bring together all the names, generic and subgeneric, ever proposed. It is not complete in itself, inasmuch as it gives neither references to descriptions nor localities ; but the authority, date of publication, and type or included species under each name will throw some light on these points. In ar ranging this list everything has been subordinated to convenience of reference. Genera and subgenera have been treated alike and distributed under families, while the alphabetical arrangem ent has been followed both in the sequence of higher groups and in the names under each family. Some difficulty has been experienced in properly grouping the genera, and about a dozen names have not been referred to any family for lack of sufficient information regarding their status. Thomas' classification of recent genera has been followed, except in the case of Lophiomyidse, which is given full family rank, instead of being placed as a subfamily under Muridse. To these 22 groups have been added 5 additional families of extinct rodents recognized by Zittel, 1 making a total of 27 families. More than 200 names occur under Muridae, and for simplicity they have been placed under subfamilies, but this is the only instance in which the alphabetical arrangement of the family has not been followed. 2 The date is always the year of actual publication, often very different from the date of apparent publication. For example, the description of Schizodon was published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for 1841, but it did not actually appear until March, 1842. Arctomys was described in a part of the fourth volume of Schreber's Saugthiere, issued in 1782, but the name was first published on plates accompanying this work, which are known to have been distributed in 1780. Schizodon 1 ' Handbuch der Palseontologie,' IV, 1892-'93. 2 1 am indebted to Mr. Thomas for looking over the genera of Muridx and Octodontidsc and for several suggestions as to the arrangement of the list Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 243 is therefore quoted as 1842 and Ardomys as 1780. 1 Preoccupied names have been marked, and cross-references made to those proposed to replace them. A few names have become almost unrecognizable by reason of the changes they have undergone in the process of emendation. Among such may be mentioned the correction of Aplodontia to Haploodus, Pithecheir to Pithe- cochirus, and Ccelogenus to Genysccelus* The original spelling is always given, but no attempt has been made to include all variations, although the more important have been noted. If the first letter of a word has been changed, both forms have been inserted in the list, but other changes have been indicated in foot-notes. Each genus is followed by the type or species on which it was based. When no type was designated and none has been indi cated by a subsequent reviser, all the species are mentioned in the order given in the original description. No doubt some errors will be detected here, for at first an attempt was made to determine the types for as many genera as possible. This plan was subsequently abandoned in favor of an enumeration of all the species originally mentioned, but some cases of elimination may have escaped correction. More or less lack of uniformity exists in the nomenclature of certain families, as, for example, in the cases of the American Porcupines and Chinchillas. Thomas, considering the New World Porcupines worthy of separation, erected the family Ere- thizontidtK, and Trouessart, a few months later, recognized the same group, but renamed it Coendidse. No less than three family designations for the Chinchillas are in common use Chinchil- lulw, Eriomyidse, and Lagostomyidze. Such a condition of things is obviously unnecessary, and can only lead to confusion. As 1 While this paper was in press, my attention was called to Sherborn's announcement of the discovery of Lacepede's well-known ' Tableau Methodique ' (usually quoted 1801), in the Didot edition of Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, Quad., vol. XIV, 1799 (Nat. Sci., XI, p. 432, Dec., 1897). Lacepede's genera Agouti, Arvicola, Coendou, Hamster, Pika, and Talpoides therefore date from 1799, instead of 1801, but the necessary corrections could only be inserted in the cases of Pika and Talpoides. 2 In explanation of this remarkable emendation the author says: " Le o grec ne repondant pas a 1'u latin, le nom de Cuvier [Ccelogenus~\ n'est pas acceptable, puisqu, il renferme une faute d'orthographie ; et, pour faire un nom d'apparence reellement latine, il aurait au moins fallu ecrire Genysccelus et non Ccelogenus," Liais, Climats du Bresil, 1872, p. 537, 244 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. an aid in selecting the proper name in such cases and to help in determining questions of priority, it has seemed best to give under each group all the family and subfamily names based on genera belonging to it. Full references have also been in serted, inasmuch as authors seldom indicate the place where such names were first published. Groups first described as full families and afterwards reduced to subfamilies have merely a reference to the original description, but those first introduced as subfamilies and afterwards raised to family rank have refer ences to both places of publication. This part of the list has been limited strictly to names ending in ' idse ' or ' in&J the only exception being old designations with the closely related termina tion ' inaS Here, as elsewhere, the object has been merely to bring together under each family all the available names, without at tempting to discriminate between synonyms and names which have a claim to recognition. 1 This list is supplementary to a complete alphabetical index of the genera of mammals, containing full references to descriptions and localities, which is now almost ready for the press. The data relating to the Rodentia are here grouped under families and published in condensed form for the purpose of inviting sug gestions and criticisms as to arrangement, type species, and grouping of genera. The list is therefore merely an experiment. Although the names have been brought together, much remains to be done in working out the synonymy of types, but such work properly belongs to the specialist and the reviser of groups. When this has been done some examples of duplication of names will probably be found even more striking than the case of the lemmings, in which a single species (Mm torquatus Pallas) has served as the basis for five or six nominal genera. As a help in distinguishing the names, extinct genera are printed in italics; an asterisk (*) indicates that the original description has not been seen; a dagger (f) that the name is preoccupied, and a double dagger (J) prefixed to a family or subfamily that the name is not available, either because the genus on which it was based is preoccupied or because it is antedated by some other valid name. 1 Forsyth Major has recently proposed Nesomywx for certain Old World mice usually classed under Cricetinse. ; but as he does not give the limits of this group Thomas' classification is necessarily followed, although Nesomyinse may be entitled to subfamily rank as much as the group under which it is placed, Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 245 ANOMALURIDJE. Anomalurina GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat., XI, p. 203, 1849. Anomaluridae GILL, Arrangement Fain. Mamm., p. 21, Nov., 1872. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Anomalurus Waterhouse, 1843. Anomalurus fraseri. Aroaethrus Waterhouse, 1843. . Suggested to replace Anomalurns, in case latter is preoccupied. Idiurus Matschie, 1894 Idiurus zenkeri. AFLODONTIID-SI. Haploodontidae LILLJEBORG, Syst. Ofversigt Gnag. Diiggdjuren, pp. 9, 41, 1866. Aplodontiidae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, p. 1015 (1897). Aplodontia l Richardson, 1829. . . Aplodontialeporina (=Anisonyx rufa Raf.) BATHYERGIDJE. Bathyergina GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat., XI, p. 203, 1849. Bathyergidae BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologiae, 1850. Georhychinae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 20, Nov., 1872. J Orycterideee LESSON, Nouv. Tableau Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 120, 1842. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Bathyergus Illiger, 1811 Mus maritimus. Ccetomys Gray, 1864 Bathyergus csecutiens, B. damarensis. Cryptomys Gray. 1864 Georychus holosericeus. * Fossor Forster (?) Georychus 2 Illiger, 1811 Mus capensis (type), M. talpinus, M. aspalax. f Heliophobius Peters, 1846 Heliophobius argenteo-cinereus. Heterocephalus Riippell, 1842. Heterocephalus glaber. Myoscalops Thomas, 1890 New name for Heliophobius Peters. Orycterus Cuvier, 1829 Mus maritimus. Typhloryctes Fitzinger, 1867. . Georychus ochraceo-cinereus, Bathy ergus csecutiens. 1 Emended to Haplodon (Wagler, 1830), Aploudontia, Apludontia, Apluodontia, Haploodon, Haploudon, Hapludon, Haploudontia, Haplo- dus, Haploodus, Haploudus, and Hapludus. (See Coues, Century Diet. , III, p. 2712.) 2 Emended to Georhychus (Wagner, 1843). 57 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 246 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. CASTORID-Sl. . Castoridae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 302, April 1, 1821. Mylagaulidse COPE, Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geog. Surv. Terr., VI, No. 2, p. 362, Sept. 19, 1881. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. * Aulacodon Kaup, 1832 Aulacodon typus. Castor Linnseus, 1758 Castor fiber (type), C. moschatus. * Castor -omys Pomel, 1854 Chalicomys sigmodus. Chalicomys Kaup, 1832 Chalicomys jaegeri. Chelodus Kaup, 1832 Chelodus typus. f CA/orow?/s(Meyer)Schlosser, 1884 Chalicomys eseri. Conodontes Laugel, 1862 Conodontes boisvilletti. f Conodus Gervais, 1867-'69 Emended form of Conodontes. Diabroticus Pomel, 1848 Diabroticus schmerlingii. Eucastor Leidy, 1858 Castor tortus. Mylagaulus Cope, 1878 Mylagaulus sesquipedalis. Palseocastor Leidy, 1869 Steneofiber nebrascensis. Palaeomys Kaup, 1832 Palaeomys castoroides. Sigmogomphius J. C. Merriam, 1896. Sigmogomphius lecontei. Steneofiber Geoffroy, 1834 - Steneotherium Geoffroy, 1833.... Trogontherium G. Fischer, 1809. . Trogontherium cuvieri, T. iverneri. CASTOROIDID.SJ. Castoroididse J. A. ALLEN, Mon. N. Am. Rodentia, p. 419, Aug., 1877. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Amblyrhiza Cope, 1868 Amblyrhiza inundata. Castoroides Foster, 1838 Castoroides ohioensis. f Leptomylus Cope, 1869 Misprint for Loxomylus. Loxomylus Cope, 1869 Loxomylus longidens. CAVIIDJE. Caviadae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 304, April 1, 1821. Hydrocharina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. Hydrochoeridae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mammals, p. 22, Nov., 1872. Kerodontina GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat., XI, p. 204, 1849. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Anchymis Ameghino, 1886.. Cardiodon leidyi. Anoema F. Cuvier, 1809 Cavia cobaya. ? Callodontomys Ameghino, 1889. . Callodontomys vastatus. Capiguara Liais, 1872 New name for Hydrochoerus. (Con sidered preferable by Liais because derived from the Indian name.) Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 247 Cardiatherium Ameghino, 1883. . Cardiatherium dceringi. f Cardiodon Ameghino, 1885 Cardiodon marshii, C. leidyi. (See Eu- cardiodon.) * Cardiodus Bravard, 1857 Cardiodus waterhousii, C. medius, C. minus, C. dubius. Cardiomys Ameghino, 1885 Cardiomys cavinus. Cavia Pallas, 1766 Cavia cobaya. Caviodon Ameghino, 1885 Caviodon multiplicatus. f Ceratodon Wagler, 1830 Emended form for Kerodon. Cerodon Wagler, 1830 Emended form for Kerodon. Cobaya Cuvier, 1817 Cavia cobaya. Controcavia Burmeister, 1885 .... Controcavia matercula. Diocartherium Ameghino, 1888. . Diocartherium australe. Dolichotis Desmarest, 1819 . . . Cavia patachonica. Eucardiodon Ameghino, 1891 . . . New name for Cardiodon. Galea Meyen, 1833 Galea musteloides. Hydrochaerus Brisson, 1762. . . Sus hydrochoeris. Kerodon F. Cuvier, 1823 The ' Moco ' of Geoflfroy. Mara D'Orbigny, 1829 Dolichotis patagonica. Microcavia Gervais & Ameghino, Microcavia typus, M. robusta, M. inter- 1880. media, M. dubia. Neoprocavia Ameghino, 1889 .... New name for Procavia Ameghino. Oromys Leidy, 1 853 Oromys sesopi. Orthomyctera Ameghino, 1889 . . . Cavia rigens, Orihomyctera vaga, Doli chotis lacunosa, Orthomyctera lata. Palseocavia Ameghino, 1889 Cavia impar, C. avita, Palseocavia pam- paea, P. minuta. Phugatherium Ameghino, 1887 . . Phugatherium catadisticum. Plexochcerus Ameghino, 1886 .... Hydrochoerus paranensis. Prea Liais, 1872 New name for Cavia. (Preferred by Liais because native name.) Procardiatherium Ameghino, L885 Procardiatherium simplicidens. f Procavia Ameghino, 1885 Procavia mesopotamica. (See Neopro cavia.) Scavia Blumenbach, 1802 Modified form of Cavia. Strata Ameghino, 1886 Strata elevata. CHINCHILLIDJB. Chinchi llidae BENNETT, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1833, p. 58. J Eriomyidae BURMEISTER, Syst. Uebersicht Thiere Brasil., I, p. 188, 1854. JLagostomidae " BONAPARTE, Synopsis Vert. Syst., 1837." Viscachideee LESSON, Nouv. Tableau Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 104, 1842. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Briaromys Ameghino, 1889 Briaromys trouessartianus. Callomys D'Orbigny & Geoffroy, Callomys viscacia, Mus laniger, Cal- 1830. Jomys aureus, 248 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Chinchilla Bennett, 1829 Mus laniger. Colposlemma Ameghino, 1891.. . . Colpostemma sinuata. f Epiblema Ameghino, 1886 Epiblema horridula. (See Neoepiblema.) Eriomys Lichtenstein, 1829 Eriomys chinchilla. Euphilus Ameghino, 1889 Euphilus ambrosettianus^ E. kurtzii. Gyriabrus Ameghino, 1891 Gyriabrus glutinatus. Lagidium Meyen, 1833 ....... Lagidium peruanum. Lagostomus Brookes, 1829 Lagostomus trichodactylus. f Lagotis Bennett, 1833 Lagotis cuvieri. Megamys D'Orb. & Laur ilia rd , 1 842 . Megamys patagonensis. Neoepiblema Ameghino, 1889. . . . New name for Epiblema Ameghino. Perimys Ameghino, 1887 Perimys erutus, P. onustus. Pliolagostomus Ameghino, 1887. . Pliolagostomus notatus. Potamarchus Burmeister, 1885. . . Potamarchus murinus. Prolagostomus Ameghino, 1887. . Prolagostomus pusillm, P. divisus, P. profluens, P. imperialis. Scotaeumys Ameghino, 1887 Scotaeumys imminutus. Sphteramys Ameghino, 1887 Sphteramys irruptus. Sphiggomys Ameghino, 1887 Sphiggomys zonatus. Sphodromys Ameghino, 1887. . . . Sphodromys scalaris. Strophostephanos Ameghino, 1891. Strophostephanos iheringii. Tetrastylus Ameghino, 1886 Megamys? laevigatus. Vizcacia 1 Schinz, 1824 (?) Vizcacia pamparum. DASYPROCTID^J. Agoutidae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 304, April 1, 1821. JChloromina GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d' Hist. Nat. : XI, p. 204, 1849. JCoelogenina GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat., XI ? p. 204, 1849. J Ccelogenyidae BURMEISTER, Syst. Uebers. Thiere Brasil., I, p. 227, 1854. Dasyporcina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. Dasyproctina GRAY, List Spec. Mamm. Brit. Mus., pp. xxv, 124, 1843. Dasyproctidae BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologise, 1850. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Agouti Lacepede, 1801 Agouti paca (= Mus paca Linnaeus). Cloromis F. Cuvier, 1812 Includes the agoutis. Ccelogenus 2 F. Cuvier, 1807. . . Ccelogenus subniger, C. fulvus. Cutia Liais, 1872 New name for Dasyprocta Illiger. Dasyprocta Illiger, 1811 Cavia agnti, C. acuschy. Genyscoelus Liais, 1872 Emended form for Ccelogenus. Osteopera Harlan, 1825. ... Osteopera platycephala. Paca Fischer, 1814 Paca maculata (= Cavia paca). Platypyga Illiger, 1811 (?) 1 Viscacia Rafinesque, 1815 (nomen nudum), Rengger, 1830. 2 Ceelogenus (Griffith, 1827); Caelogenys (Agassiz, 1846) ; Coelogenys (Illiger, 1811) ; Genyscoelus (Liais, 1872). Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 249 DINOMYIDJE. Dinomyidse ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 96. Dinomys Peters, 1873 Dinomys branickii. DIPODIDJE. 1 Dipodina BONAPARTE, "Synopsis Vert. Syst., 1837." Dipodidae WATERHOUSE, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., X, p. 203, Nov., 1842. Dipodae GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat., XI, p. 203, 1849. Dipsidae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821. J Gerboidae WATERHOUSE, Charles worth's Mag. Nat. Hist., Ill, p. 186, April, 1839. Jlerboidae GRAY, Thomson's Am. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. J Jaculina CARUS, Handbuch Zool., p. 101, 1868. J Jaculidae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 20, Nov., 1872. Sminthinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 80. Sminthidae SCHULZE, Schrift. Nat. Ver. Harz., Wernigerode, V,p. 24, 1890. Zapodidae COUES, Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geog. Surv. Terr., I, 2dser., No. 5, p. 253, 1875. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Allactaga Cuvier, 1836 Dipus allactaga. Beloprymnus Gloger, 1841 New name for Allactaga. Cuniculus Brisson, 1762. ...... Dipus allactaga. Dipus Schreber, 1782 Dipus jaculus, D. sagitta, D. cafer, D. meridianus, D. tamaricinus. Euchoreutes W.L.Sclater,1891. Euchoreutes naso. f Halticus Brandt, 1844 Dipus halticus. Haltomys Brandt, 1844 Dipus aegyptius, D. hirtipes, D. mac- rotarsus, D. mauritanicus. Jaculus Erxleben, 1777 Jaculus orientalis, J. giganteus, J. tor- ridarum. f Meriones Cuvier, 1825 Dipus americanus. Platycercomys Brandt, 1844. . Dipus platyurus. Pygeretmus Gloger, 1841 Dipus platyurus. Scarturus Gloger, 1841 4-toed species of Dipus. Scirteta Brandt, 1844. . . (?) Scirtetes Wagner, 1841 New name for Allactaga Cuvier. Scirtomys Brandt, 1844 Alactaga tetradactylus (= Scarturus Gloger, 1841). Scirtopoda Brandt, 1844 Dipus halticus, D. aegyptius, D. hirti pes, D. rnacrotarsus, D. mauritan icus (= Halticus -\- Haltomys). ^minthus represents the subfamily Sminthinse, Zapus the Zapodinse, and the other genera belong to the Dipodinse. 250 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. SminthusKeys. & Blasius,1840. Sminthus nordmanni. Yerbua Forster, 1778 Yerbua tarsata (=Tarsius spectrum), Y. sibirica, Y. capensis (= Pedetes cafer), Mus meridianus, Yerbua kanguru ( Macropus giganteus) ; Mus longipes,M. jaculus, M. sagitta. Zapus Coues, 1875 Dipus hudsonius. EOCARDIDJE. Eocardidse, Ameghino, Re vista Argentina, I, Ent. 3, p. 145, Junio, 1891. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Dicardia Ameghino, 1891 Dicardia maxima, I), modica, D. exca- vata. Eocardia Ameghino, 1887 Eocardia montana. Hedymys Ameghino, 1887 Hedymys integrus. Phanomys Ameghino, 1887 Phanomys mixtus. Procardia Ameghino, 1891 Eocardia eliptica. Schistomys Ameghino, 1887 Schistom.ys erro. Tricardia Ameghino, 1891 Eocardia divisa. ERETHIZONTIDJE. JCercolabina GRAY, List Spec. Mamm. Brit. Mus., pp. xxiv, 123, 1843. J Cercolabinae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamra., p. 22, Nov., 1872. J Cercolabidae AMEGHINO, Enum. Sist. Mam. Fos. Patagonia Austral, p. 9, Die. 1887. Chaetomyinae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, 1026 (1897). Coendidae TROUESSART, Cat. Mamm. tarn viv. quam foss., fasc. Ill, p. 619, Oct., 1897. Erethizontina BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologise, 1850. Erethizontidae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, 1025 (Apr., 1897). J Sphingurinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 93. JSynetherina GERVAIS, in D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat., XI, p. 204, 1849. } Synetherinae TROUESSART, Cat. Mamm. Viv. et Foss., Rongeurs, p. 182, 1881. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Acaremys Ameghino, 1887 Acaremys murinus, A. minutus, A. mi- nutissimus. Cercolabes Brandt, 1835 Ne w name for Coendou Lace pede, 1801. Chaetomys Gray, 1843 Hystrix subspinosus. Coendou 1 Lacepede, 1801 Hystrix prehensilis. Echinoprocta Gray, 1865 Erethizon rufescens. Echinothrix Brookes, 1828. .. Hystrix dorsata. 1 Emended to Coendous (Temminck, 1820) ; Coendus (Illiger, 1815) ; Ccendus (Rannesque, 1815) ; Cuandu (Liais, 1872), Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 251 Erethizon 1 F. Cuvier, 1822 Hystrix dorsata. Hystricops Leidy, 1858 Hystrix venustus. Oiiychura Brookes, 1828 Onychura spinosa. Plectrochoerus Pictet, 1843 ... Plectrochcerus moricandi. Sciamys Ameghino, 1887 Sciamys principalis, S. varians. Since therus 2 F. Cuvier, 1822. . . Hystrix prehensilis. Sphiggurus 3 F. Cuvier, 1822. . . Sphiggurus spinosus, Steiromys Ameghino, 1887. ...... Steiromys detentus, S. duplicatus. GEOMYIDAE. Geomyina BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologiae, 1850. Geomyinae BATED, Mamm. N. Am., pp. xxx, 366, 1857. Geomyidae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 21, Nov., 1872. + Pseudotomina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 342, 1825. J Pseudostomidae GERVAIS, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, 3 e ser., XX, p. 245, 1853. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Ascomys Lichtenstein, 1825. . . Ascomys canadensis ( Mus bursa- rius). Cratogeomys Merriam, 1895. . . Geomys merriami. Diplostoma Rafinesque, 1817. . Diplostoma fusca (= Mus bursarius). Geomys Rafinesque, 1817 Geomys pinetis (= Mus tuza Ord). Gymnoptychus Cope, 1873 Gymnoptychus chrysodon, G. nasutus, G. trilophus, and G. minutus. Heliscomys Cope, 1873 Heliscomys vetus. Heterogeomys Merriam, 1895. Geomys hispidus. Macrogeomys Merriam, 1895. . Geomys heterodus. Orthogeomys Merriam, 1895.. . Geomys scalops. Oryctomys Eydoux & Gervais, Five subgenera : Diplostoma, Sacco- 1836. phorus, Saccomys, Poephagomys, Ctenomys. Pappogeomys Merriam, 1895. . Geomys bulled. Platygeomys Merriam, 1895. . . Geomys gymnurus. Pseudostoma Say, 1823 Pseudostoma bursaria. Saccophorus Kuhl, 1820 Mus bursarius. Thomomys Maximilian, 1839. . Thomomys rufescens. *?Tucanus Rafinesque, 1815 Nomen nudum? Zygogeomys Merriam, 1895. . . Zygogeomys trichopus. 1 Emended to Erethison (Waterhouse, 1839); Eretison (McMurtrie,1831); Eretizon (Cuvier, 1825) ; Erythizon (Alston, 1876). 2 Emended to Sinetheres (Agassiz, 1842); Sinoetherus (Cuvier, 1825); Syngetheres (Gervais, 1859) ; Synetheres (G. Cuvier, 1829) ; Synretheres (Lund, 1839). 3 Emended to Sphingurus (Waterhouse, 1848) ; Spiggurus (Gray, 1847) ; Spigurus (Swainson, 1835) . 252 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. GLIRID^J. 1 Gliridae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, 1016 (1897). J Myosidae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821- JMyoxidae WATERHOUSE, Charlesworth's Mag. Nat. Hist., Ill, p. 184, April, 1839. Platacanthomyinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 81. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Bifa Lataste, 1885. Bifa lerotina. Brachymys Meyer, 1847. New name for Micromys Meyer, 1846. Csenomys (Bravard MS.) Lydek- Csenomystypus(=Myoxusmurinus). ker, 1885. Claviglis Jentink, 1888. Claviglis crassicaudatus. Eliomys Wagner, 1843. Myoxus melanurus. Glis Brisson, 1762. Sciurus glis. Graphiurus F. Cuvier, 1838. Graphiurus capensis. *f Micromys Meyer, 1846. Micromys ornatus. (See Brachymys. ) Muscardinus Kaup, 1829. Myoxus muscardinus. Myoxus Schreber, 1782. Myoxus glis, M. dryas, M. nitela, M. muscardinus. Platacanthomys Blyth, 1859. Platacanthomys lasiurus. Typhlomys Milne Edwards, 1877. Typhlomys cinereus. HETEROMYID^I. Dipodomyna GERVAIS, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, 3 eme ser., XX, p. 245, 1853. Dipodomyinse COUES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1875, p. 277. Heteromyina GRAY, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 201. Heteromyinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 88. Heteromyidae ALLEN, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. N.Y., V, p. 233, Sept. 21, 1893. Ferognathidinae COUES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1875, pp. 277-278. J Saccomyna GRAY, List. Spec. Mamm. Brit. Mus., pp. xxiv, 120, 1843. J Saccomyidae BAIRD, Mamm. N. Am., pp. xxx, 365, 1857. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Abromys Gray, 1868 Abromys lordi. Chaetodipus Merriam, 1889. . . . Perognathus spinatus. Cricetodipus Peale, 1848 Cricetodipus parvus. Dasynotus Wagler, 1830 Mus anomalus. Dipodomys Gray, 1841 Dipodomys phillipii Dipodops Merriam, 1890 Dipodomys agilis. ? Entoptychus Cope, 1878 Entoptychus cavi/rons, E. planifrons, E. crassiramis. Heteromys Desmarest, 1817. . . Mus anomalus. Macrocolus Wagner, 1844 Macrocolus halticus. 1 Platacanthomys and Typhlomys belong to the Platacanthomyinre, the others to the Glirinae. Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 253 Microdipodops Merriam, 1891. Microdipodops megacephalus. Otognosis Coues, 1875 Otognosis longimembris. Perodipus Fitzinger, 1867 Dipodomys agilis. Perognathus Maximilian, 1839. Perognathus fasciatus. Pleurolicus Cope, 1878 Pleurolicus sulcifrons. Saccomys F. Cuvier, 1823 Saccomys anthophilus. HYSTRICIDAE. Histricidae GRAY, London Med. Repository, XV, p. 304, April 1, 1821. Hystrixideae LESSON, Nouv. Tableau Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 96, 1842. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Acantherium Gray, 1847 Acanthion javanicum, A. flemingii. Acanthion Cuvier, 1822 Acanthion javanicum. Acanthochoerus Gray, 1866. . . Acanthochoerus bartlettii, A. grotei. Atherurus F. Cuvier, 1829 Hystrix fasciculata. * Eucritus G. Fischer, 1817 (?) Hystricotherium Croizet, 1853 . . . Hystrix refossa. Hystrix Linnaeus, 1758 Hystrix cristata, H. prehensilis, H. dorsata, H. macroura, H. brachyura. Lamprodon Wagner, 1848 Lamprodonprimigenius. CBdocephalus Gray, 1866 Acanthion cuvieri. * Oreomys Aymard, 1854 Oreomys claveris. Trichys Giinther, 1876 Trichys lipura. ISCHYROMYIDJE. Ischyromyidse ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, pp. 67, 78. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Colonomys Marsh, 1872 Colonomys celer. Colotaxis Cope, 1873 Colotaxis cristatus. Ischyromys Leidy, 1856 Ischyromys typus. ? Mysops Leidy, 1871 , Mysops minimus. Paramys Leidy, Nov. 28, 1871 .. Paramys delicatus, P. delicatior, P. deli- calissimus. Pseudotomus Cope, 1872 Pseudotomus hians. Sciuravus Marsh, June 21, 1871. Sciuravds nitidus, S. undans. t Sciuromys Schlosser, 1884 ; ... ... Sciuromys cayluxi. Syllophodus Cope, 1881 New name for Mysops Leidy, 1871 (erroneously said to be preoccupied). Taxymys Marsh, 1872 Taxymys lucaris. Tillomys Marsh, 1872 Tillomys senex, T. parvus. LEPORID.aE!. Lagidae SCHULZE, Helios, XIV, p. 82, 1897. Leporidae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 304, April 1, 1821. Lepusidae GERVAIS, Ann. Sci. Nat., 3 me ser., XX, p. 246, 1853. 58 Biot. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 254 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Caprolagus Blyth, 1845 Lepus hispidus. Chionobates Kaup, 1829 Lepus variabilis, L. borealis. f Cuniculus Gloger, 1841 Lepus cuniculus. Eulagos Gray, 1867 Lepus mediterraneus, L. judaese. I Hydrolagus Gray, 1867 Lepus aquaticus (type), L. palustris. (See Limnolagus). Lagopsis Raflnesque, 1815 Nomen nudum. * Lagos Brookes, 1828 Lepus arcticus. Lagotheriwn Croizet, 1 853 Lepus issiodorensis, L. neschersensis. Lepus Linnaeus, 1758 Lepus timidus, L. cuniculus, L. capen- sis, L. braslliensis. Limnolagus Mearns, 1897 New name for Hydrolagus Gray, 1867. Macrotolagus Mearns, 1895. . . Lepus alleni. Microlagus Trouessart, 1897. . . Lepus cinerascens. Oryctolagus Lilljeborg, 1873. . . Lepus cuniculus. Palaeolagus Leidy, 1856 Palaeolagus haydeni. Panolax Cope, 1874 Panolax sanct&fidd. Praotherium Cope, 1871 Praotherium palatinum. Romerolagus Merriam, 1896. . . Romerolagus iielsoni. Sylvilagus Gray, 1867. ........ Lepus nanus (= L. americanus), L. ar- temisia (= L. nuttalli), L. bachmani. Tapeti Gray, 1867 Lepus brasiliensis. Tridum Cope, 1873 Tritium avunculus, T. leporinum, T. paniense. LOPHIOMYIDJE. Lophiomyidae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 20, Nov., 1872. Lophiomys Milne Edwards, Feb. 6, 1867. Lophiomys imhausii. Phractomys Peters, Feb., 1867 Phractomys aethiopicus. MURID^J. CRICETIN/E. Cricetina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 342, Nov., 1825. Cricetinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 82. Cricetidee ZITTEL, Handbuch d. Paleeontologie, IV, 2 te Lief., p. 534, 1893. Hesperomyidae AMEGHINO, Mam. Fos., in Actas Acad. Nac. Ciencias, Cordoba, VI, p. 109, 1889. Nesomyinae FORSYTH MAJOR, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1897, p. 718. Sigmodontinae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, 1019 (1897). Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Abrothrix Waterhouse, 1837. . . Mus (Abrothrix) longipilis. Acromys (' Wagner') Trouessart, 1881. Synonym of Drymomys. Akodon Meyen, 1833 Akodon boliviense. Baiomys True, 1894 Hesperomys taylori. Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 255 Blarinomys Thomas, 1896 Oxymycterus breviceps. Brachytarsomys Giinther, 1875 Brachytarsomys albicauda. Brachyuromys Forsyth Major, 1896. Brachyuromys ramirohitra. f Calomys Waterhouse, 1837 Mus (Calomys) bisulcatus. Chilomys Thomas, 1897 Oryzomys instans. Cricetodon Lartet, 1851 Cricetodon sansaniensis, C. medium, C. minus. Cricetulus Edwards, 1867 Cricetulus griseus. Cricetus Zimmermann, 1777. . . Le Hamster. Decticus Aymard, 1853 Decticus antiquus. Deilemys Saussure, 1860 Hesperomys toltecus. Drymomys Tschudi, 1844 Drymomys parvulus. Eligmodontia 1 F. Cuvier, 1837. Eligmodontia typus. Eliurus Edwards 1885 Eliurus myoxinus. ? Eomys Schlosser, 1884 Eomys zitteli. Eumys Leidy, 1856 Eumys elegans. Euneomys Cones, 1874 Reithrodon chinch illoides. Gymnuromys Forsyth Major, 1896 Gymnuromys roberti. Habrothrix Wagner, 1843 Emended form for Abrothrix. Hallomys Jentink, 1879 Hallomys audeberti. Hamster Lacepede, 1801 Hamster nigricans. Heligmodontia Agassiz, 1846. . Emended form for Eligmodontia. Hesperomys Waterhonse, 1839. Mus bimaculatus. Holochilomys ('Brandt') Pe- Mus aquaticus, M. squamipes (modi- ters, 1861. fied form of Holochilus). Holochilus Brandt, 1835 Mus (Holochilus) leucogaster, M. an- guya. Hypogeomys Grandidier, 1869. Hypogeomys antimena. Ichthyomys Thomas, 1893 Ichthyomys stolzmanni. * Lithomys Meyer, 1846 Lithomys parvulus. Megalomys Trouessart, 1881. . . Mus pilorides. *^ Micromys Aymard, 1848 Micromys minutus. (See Myotherium.) * Myarion Pomel, 1854 Myarion antiquum, M. musculoides, M. minutum, M. angustidens. Myotherium Aymard, 1853 New name for Micromys Aymard, 1848. Myoxomys Tomes, 1861 Hesperomys (Myoxomys) salvinii. Mystromys Wagner, 1841 Mystromys albipes. Necromys Ameghino, 1889 Necromys conifer. Nectomys Peters, 1861 Mus squamipes, Nectomys apicalis. f Neomys Gray, 1.873 Neomys panamensis. Neotomys Thomas, 1894 Neotomys ebriosus. Nesomys Peters, 1870 Nesomys rufus. Notiomys Thomas, 1890 , Hesperomys (Notiomys) edwardsii. Nyctomys Saussure, 1860 Hesperomys sumichrasti. Ochetodon Coues, 1874 Mus humilis. 1 Emended to Eligmodon (Thomas, 1896), Elimodon (Fitzinger, 1867), and Heligmodontia (Agassiz, 1846). 256 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Onychomys Baird, 1857 Hypudseus leucogaster. * ?Orycteromys Pictet, 1842 (?) Oryzomys Baird, 1857 Mus palustris. Oxymycterua Waterhouse, 1837 Mus (Oxymycterus) nasutus. * Pelamys Jourdan, 1867 (?) 'Pelamys remifer. Peromyscus Gloger, 1841 Peromyscus arboreus (= Cricetus my- oides). Phyllotis Waterhouse, 1837. . . . Mus (Phyllotis) darwini. Reithrodon 1 Waterhouse, 1837. Reithrodon typicus, R. cuniculoides. ReithrodontomysGiglioli,1873 Reithrodon from North America. Rhipidomys Tschudi, 1844 Hesperomys leucodactylus. Scapteromys Waterhouse, 1837 Mus (Scapteromys) tumidus. Sigmodon Say & Ord, 1825 Sigmodon hispidum. Sigmodontomys J. A. Allen, 1897. Sigmodontomys alfari. Sitomys Fitzinger, 1867 Cricetus myoides. Thomasomys Coues, 1884 Hesperomys cinereus. Trinodontomys Rhoads, 1894. Sitomys insolatus. Tylomys Peters, 1866 Hesperomys (Tylomys) nudicaudus. Vesperimus Coues, 1874 Hesperomys (Vesperimus) leucopus. Vesperomys (' Coues ') Alston, 1880. Modified form of Vesperimus. Zygodontomys J. A. Allen, 1897 Oryzomys cherriei. DENDROMYIN/E. Deiidromyinae ALSTON, Proo. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 82. Deomyinae LYDEKKER, in Flower & Lydekker's Mamm., Living & Ex tinct, p. 473, 1891. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Bench omus A. Smith, 1829 Dendronms typus. Deomys Thomas, 1888 Deomys ferrugineus. Leimacomys 2 Matschie, 1893.. Leimacomys biittneri. Malacothrix Wagner, 1843 New name for Otomys Smith, 1834. t Otomys Smith, 1834 Otomys typicus, O. albicaudatus. Steatomys Peters, 1846.. Steatomys pratensis. GERBILLIN/E. Gerbillina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 342, Nov., 1825. G-erbillidae DE KAY, Nat. Hist. New York, Zool., pt. I, pp. xv, 70, 1842. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Amphiaulacomys Lataste, 1882. Rhombomys pallidus. Dipodillus Lataste, 1881 Gerbillus simoni. Endecapleura Lataste, 1882. . . Gerbillus garamantis. Gerbillus Desmarest, 1804 Gerbillus segyptius, G. canadensis, G. pyramidum. Hendecapleura Thomas, 1883.. Emended form for Endecapleura. Amended to Rhithrodon (Lydekker, 1891), Rithrodon (Agassiz, 1846). 2 Emended to Limacomys (Lydekker, 1894). Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 257 Meriones Illiger, 1811 ... Dipus tamaricinus, D. meridianus. Pachyuromys Lataste, 1880. . . Pachyuromys duprasi. Psammomys Cretzschmar, 1828. Psammomys obesus. Rhombomys Wagner, 1841 , . . . Rhombomys pallidus. Tatera Lataste, 1882 Gerbillus indicus. HYDROMYIN/E. Hydromyina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. Hydromyinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 80. Hydromysideee LESSON, Nouv. Tabl. Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 125,1842. Name, authority, and date. Chrotomys Thomas, 1895. Hydromys Geoffrey, 1805. Xeromys Thomas, 1889. . . . Type or included species. Chrotomys whiteheadi. Mus coypus, Hydromys chrysogaster, H. leucogaster. Xeromys myoides. MICROTIN/E. J Arvicolidae GRAY, London Med. Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821. J Ellobiinae 1 GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 20, Nov., 1872. Lemnina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 342, Nov,, 1825. Microtinae KHOADS, Am. Nat., XXIX, p. 940, Oct., 1895. MILLER, N. Am. Fauna, No. 12, p. 8, July, 1896. JOndatrina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Agricola Blasius, 1857 Arvicola agrestis. Alticola Blanford, 1881 Arvicola stoliczkanus. Alviceola Blainville, 1817 ' Le genre campagnol.' (Misprint for Arvicola ?) Ammomys Bonaparte, 1831 . . . New name for Psammomys Le Conte. Anaptogonia Cope, 1871 Arvicola hiatidens. Anteliomys Miller, 1896 Microtus chinensis. Arvicola Lacepede, 1801 Mus amphibius (= M.terrestris Linn.) Aulacomys Rhoads, 1894 Aulacomys arvicoloides. Bicunedens Hodgson, 1863 Bicunedens perfuscus (nomen nudum = Neodon sikimensis). Borioikon Poliakoff, 1881 Myodes torquatus. Brachyurus Fischer, 1813 Musarvalis, M. rutilus, M. amphibius, M. lemmus, M. torquatus, M. allia- rius, Brachyurus blumenbachii, B. fulvus, B. niloticus. Bramus Pomel, 1892 Bramus barbarus. f Campicola Schulze, 1890 Arvicola arvalis, A. subterraneus, A. campestris. Chilotus Baird, 1857 Arvicola oregoni. 1 Preoccupied by Ellobiinse, a subfamily of Mollusks. See Adams, Gen. Recent Moll., II, p. 237, 1858. 258 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. * Chthonoergus Nordmann, 1839. Mas murinus (=M. talpinus Pallas), f Cuniculus Wagler, 1830 Mus lemmus, M. torquatus (type), M. aspalax. (See Borioikon, Dicrosto- nyx, Misothermus, Tylonyx.) Dicrostonyx Gloger, 1841 Mus hudsonius ? f Ellobius Fischer, 1814 Mus talpinus (type), Ellobius zocor (=Mus aspalax), Mus capensis, M. hudsonius. Eothenomys Miller, 1896 Microttis melanogaster. Eremiomys Poliakoff, 1881 . . . Georychus luteus, Mus lagurus (type). Evotomys Coues, 1874 Mus rutilus. Fiber Cuvier, 1800 Castor zibethicus. *fGlareolus Oken, 1816 Mus arvalis, M. campestris? Hemiotomys Se"lys-Long- Arvicola fulvus (= A. arvalis), A. am- champs, 1836. phibius (A. terrestris). Hyperacrius Miller, 1896 Microtus fertilis. Hypudaeus Illiger, 1811 Mus lemmus, M. amphibius ( M. ter restris), M. arvalis. Isodelta Cope, 1871 Arvicolv speothen. Lagurus Gloger, 1841 Lagurus migratorius (= Mus lagurus Pall. ?) Lasiopodomys Lataste, 1887.. Arvicola brandti. Lemmomys Lesson, 1842 Mus talpinus. * Lemmus Link, 1795 Mus socialis, M. lagurus, M. lemmus (type), M. torquatus, M. glareolus, M. hudsonius. Microtus Schrank, 1798 Mus terrestris (=M. arvalis Pall., type), M. amphibius (= M. terres tris Linn.), M. gregarius (=M. ar valis Pall. ?) f Micrurus Forsyth Major, 1876. Arvicola nebrodensis. Mictomys True, 1894 Mictomys innuitus. Misothermus Hensel, 1855 Myodes torquatus. Mussascus Oken, 1816 Ondatra americana (= Castor zibethi cus). My nomes l Rafinesque, 1817 . . . Mynomes pratensis (= Arvicola penn- sylvanicus). [Myocastor Kerr, 1 792 Mus Myocaster coypus (type), Mus M. zibethicus. (See Octodontidse.)] Myodes Pallas, 1811 Mus lemmus, M. torquatus, M. lagu rus, M. oeconomus, M. arvalis, M. saxatilis, M. gregalis, M. socialis, M. alliarius, M. rutilus. * Myolemmus Pomel, 1854 Myolemmus ambiguus. Neodon Hodgson, 1849 Neodon sikimensis. Neofiber True, 1884 Neoflber alleni. 1 Emended to Myonomes (Coues, 1874). Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 259 Ochetomys Fitzinger, 1867. . . . Mus amphibius, Hypudseus pertinax, Arvicola destructor, Mus terrestris, Hypudseus nageri, Arvicola monti- cola, A. americanus. * Ondatra Link, 1795 Ondatra coypus, O. zibethicus. f Paludicola Blasius, 1857 Arvicola amphibius (= A. terrestris), A. nivalis, A. ratticeps. Pedomys Baird, 1857 Arvicola austerus. * Phaiomys Blyth, 1863. Phaiomys leucurus (= Microtusblythi Blan.) Phenacomys Merriam, 1889. . . Phenacomys intermedius. Pinemys Lesson, 1836 Psammomys pinetorum. Pitymys McMurtrie, 1831 New name for Psammomys Le Conte. f Praticola Fatio, 1867 Arvicola amphibius ( A. terrestris), A. nivalis, A. arvalis, A. ratticeps, A. campestris. f Psammomys Le Conte, 1830 Psammomys pinetorum. (See Am- momys, Pinemys, Pitymys.) * Simotes Fischer, 1829 (?) (?) f Sylvicola Fatio, 1867 ... Arvicola agrestis. Synaptomys Baird, 1857 Synaptomys cooperi. f Teiricola Fatio, 1867 Arvicola subterraneus, A. savii. Tetramerodon Rhoads, 1894. . . Arvicola tetramerus. Tylonyx Schulze, 1897 Mus torquatus. MURIN/E. Muridee GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821. Musideae LESSON, Nouv. Tableau Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 134, 1842. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Acanthomys Lesson, 1842. . . . Mus setifer, M. alexandrinus, Acan- thomys perchal, Mus platythrix, M. hispidus. f Acanthomys Gray, 1867 Acanthomys leucopus. Acomys Geoffrey, 1838 Mus cahirinus. Acosminthus Gloger, 1841 Mus cahirinus, M. dimidiatus. Apodemus Kaup, 1829 Mus agrarius. Arvicaiithis Lesson, 1842 Lemmus niloticus. Bandicota Gray, 1873 Bandicota gigantea. Batomys Thomas, 1895 Batomys grantii. Carpomys Thomas, 1895 Carpomys melanurus. Chiropodomys Peters, 1868... Chiropodomys penicillatus. Chiruromys Thomas, 1888 Chiruromys forbesi. Conilurus Ogilby, 1838 Conilurus destructor. Crateromys Thomas, 1895 Phlceomys schadenbergi. Craurothrix Thomas, 1895 New name for Echiothrix Gray, 1867. Cricetomys Waterhouse, 1840. Cricetomys gambianus. Dasymys Peters, 1875 Dasymys gueinzii. 260 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. t Echiothrix J Gray, 1867 Echiotbrix leucura. (See Craurothrix.) ? Elomys Aymard. 1848 Etomys priscus. Epimys Trouessart, 1881 ' Gymnomys et Acan thorny s p. Gray, 1867' (57 species, including Mus caraco, decumanus, rattus, etc.). Euchaetomys Fitzinger, 1867. . Mus palmarum, M. novane, M. setifer, M. perchal, M. kok, M. hardwickii, M. rufescens, M. ellioti, M. lepidus, M. vittatus, M. pumilio, M. pardu- leus, M. zebra, Rattus donovani. Golunda Gray, 1837 Golunda ellioti, G. meltada, Mus bar- bara. Gymnomys Gray, 1867 Mus (Gymnomys) celebensis. Hapalomys Blyth, 1859 Hapalomys longicaudatus. f Hapalotis Lichtenstein, 1829. . . Hapalotis albipes. Heliomys Gray, 1873 Heliomys jeudei. Isomys Sundevall, 1842 Mus variegatus (=Lemmus niloticus). t Lasiomys Peters, 1866 Lasiomys afer. (See Lophuromys.) Leggada Gray, 1837. Leggada booduga, Mus platythrix. Lemniscomys Trouessart, 1881. Mus barbarus, pulchellus, zebra, line- atus, lineato-affinis, pumilio, trivir- gatus, dorsalis, univittatus. f Lophiomys Deperet, 1890 Lophiomys pyrenaicus. (See Triloplio- mys). Lophuromys Peters, 1874 New name for Lasiomys Peters, 1866. Malacomys Edwards, 1877 Malacomys longipes. Mastacomys Thomas, 1882 Mastacomys fuscus. Micromys Dehne, 1841 Micromys agilis. Murinus Rafinesque, 1815 Nomen nudum. Mus Linnaeus, 1758 Mus porcellus, M. leporinus, M. lem- mus, M. marmota, M. monax, M. cricetus, M. terrestris, M. amphib- ius, M. rattus, M. musculus, M. avel- lanarius, M. sylvaticus, M. striatus, M. longipes, M. jaculus, M. volans. Musculus Rafinesque, 1814 Musculus frugivorus, M. dichrurus. (Modified form, proposed to super- cede Mus). Nannomys Peters, 1876 Mus (Nannomys) setulosus. Nesokia Gray, 1842 Mus hardwickii. Notomys Lesson, 1842 Dipus mitchellii. Pelomys Peters, 1852 ... Mus (Pelomys) fallax. Fithecheir 2 Cuvier, 1838 Pithecheir melanurus. Pogonomys Edwards, 1877 Mus (Pogonomys) macrourus. 1 Echinothrix Alston, 1876. 2 Emended to Pitcheir (Schinz, 1845), Pithechir (Jentink, 1892), Pith- echirus (Agassiz, 1842), and Pithecochirus (Gloger, 1841). Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 261 Pseudoconomys Rhoads, 1896. Mus (Pseudoconomys) proconodon. Pseudomys Gray, 1832 Pseudomys australis. Rattus Zitnmermann, 1777 Rattas somnolentus, R. migrant. f Saccostomus Peters, 1846 Saccostomus campestris. Spalacomys Peters, 1861 Spalacomys indicus. ? Tenomys Rafinesque, 1815. . . . Nomen nudum. Trilophomys Deperet, 1892 New name for LophiomysDeperet, 1890. Uromys Peters, 1867 Mus macropus. Vandeleuria Gray, 1842 Mus oleraceus. NEOTOM'N/E. Neotominae MERRIAM, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., pp. 228, Sept. 24, 1894. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. ? Bothriomys Ameghino, 1889 Bothriomys catenatus. Hodomys Merriam, 1894 Neotoma alleni. Nelsonia Merriam, 1897 (See page 277.) Neotoma Say & Ord, 1825 Mus floridanus. ? Paciculus Cope, 1879 Paciculus insolitus. Ptyssophorus Ameghino, 1889. . . Ptyssophorus elegans. Teonoma Gray, 1843 Neotoma drummondii (= Myoxus drummondii). Tretomys Ameghino, 1889 Tretomys atavus. Xenomys Merriam, 1892 Xenomys nelsoni. OTOMYIN/E. Otomyinae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, p. 1017 (1897). Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. ? Bury otis Brants, 1827 Mus irroratus. Oreinomys Trouessart, 1881 . . . New name for Oreomys Heuglin, 1877 f Oreomys Heuglin, 1877 Oreon^s typus. Otomys F. Cuvier, 1823 Two species, afterwards named Otomys unisulcatus (Sept., 1829), and 0. bi- sulcatus (Oct., 1829). PHLCEOMYIN/E. Phloeomyinae ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 81. Phloeomys Waterhouse, 1839. . Phlceomys cumingi. RHYNCHOMYIN/E. Rhynchomyinae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, p. 1017 (1897). Rhynchomys Thomas, 1895. . . Rhynchomys soricoides. SIPHNEIN/E. Siphneinae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mammals, Nov., 1872, p. 20. 59 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI. 1897 262 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Myospalax Blyth, 1846 Georychus fuscocapillus. Myotalpa Kerr, 1792 Mus talpinus, M. capensis, M. mari- timus, M. aspalax, Myotalpatypbla. Siphneus Brants, 1827 Mus aspalax. OCHOTONIDAE. J Lagidae SCHULZE, Helios, XIV, p. 82, 1897. JLagomina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. J Lagomyidae LILLJEBORG, Syst. Ofvers. Gnag. Diiggdjuren, pp. 9, 58, 1866. Ochotonidae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, p. 1026 (1897). Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Abra Gray, 1863 Lagomys curzonise. * Amphilagus Pomel, 1854 Amphilagus antiquus. * Lagodus Pomel, 1854 Lagodus picoides. f Lagomys G. Cuvier, 1800 Le pika (Lepus alpinus). Lagopsis Schlosser, 1884 Lagomys oeningensis, L. verus. * Marunsiomys 1 Croizet, 1853 (?) Myolagus Hensel, 1856 Lagomys sardus. Ochotona Link, 1795 Lepus pusillus, L.alpinus, L.ochotomi. * Pika Lac6pede, 1799 Lepus alpinus. * Platyodon Bravard, 1853 Nomen nudum. * Prolagus Pomel, 1854 Lagomys sansaniensis. Titanomys Meyer, 1843 Titanomys visenoviensis. OCTODONTIDJE. 2 J Aulacodina BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologise, 1850. Capromyna GERVAIS, D'Orbigny's Diet. Univ. d'Hist. Nat, XI, p. 204, 1849. 1 Emended (?) to Marcuinomys (Croizet, 1859). 2 Considerable diversity of opinion exists as to the subdivisions of the Octodonts. Some authors arrange the genera in 3, and others in 4 groups. Capromyinae : Adelphomys, Aulacodus, Capromys, Discolomys, Eumy- sops, Graphimys, Guillinomys, Gyrignophus, Isodon, Lomomys, Mastonotus, Jlfomiia,Myocastor,Myopotamus, Mys&teles,Neoreomys, Olenopsis, Ondatra, Orthomys, Paranomys, Plagiodontia, Potamys, Pseudoneoreomys, Scleromys, Spaniomys, Stichomys, Triaulacodus, Trihodon (?), and Thryonomys. Cteiiodactylinae : Ctenodactylus, Massoutiera, Pectinator, Pellegrina, Petromus, and Ruscinomys (?). Echimyinae : Carterodon, Cercomys, Dactylomys, Echimys, Isothrix, Kannabateomys, Lasiomys, Lasiuromys, Loncheres, Lonchophorus, Me- somys, Nelomys Jourdan, Nelomys Lund, Phyllomys, Platythrix, Poeci- lomys, Thrichomys, and Thrinacodus. Octodontinae : Abrocoma, Aconaemys, Actenomys, Ctenomys, Den- d robins, Diecelophorus, Dicolpomys, Octodon, Ptitoramys, Pithanotomys, Platxomys, Poaphagomys, Psammoryctes, Schizodon, and Spalacopns. Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 263 Capromysideae LESSON, Nouv. Tabl. Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 124, 1842. Capromyidae BURMEISTER, Syst. Uebersicht Thiere Brasil., I, pp. 187, 189, 1854. Ctenodactylina GERVAIS, Ann. Sci. Nat., 3 me ser., XX, p. 245, 1853. Ctenodactylinae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 22, Nov., 1872. Ctenodactylidae ZITTEL, Handb. der Paleont,IV,2 te Lief.,p. 542, 1893. Ctenomysideae LESSON, Nouv Tabl. Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 105,1842. Echymyiia GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 341, Nov., 1825. Echymyidae BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologise, 1850. Echinomyidae AMEGHINO, Mam. Fos. Repub. Argentina, in Actas Acad. Nac. Ciencias, Cordoba, VI, p. 131, 1889. Loncheridae BURMEISTER, Syst.TJebers. Thiere Brasil., I, pp. 188,192,1854. J Muriformidae AMEGHINO, Enum. Sist. Especies Mam. Fos. Patagonia, p. 10, Die., 1887. Myiopotamina BONAPARTE, Conspectus Syst. Mastozoologise, 1850. Octodontidae WATERHOUSE, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1839, p. 172. + Psammoryctina WAGNER, Wiegmann's Archiv f. Naturgesch., 1841, I. J Psammoryctidae BURMEISTER, Syst. Uebersicht Thiere Brasil., I, pp. 188, 212, 1854. Spalacopodidae LILL.IEBORG, Syst. Ofversigt Gnag. Diiggdjuren, pp. 9, 44, 1866. (Spalacopodoi'des Brandt, 1855.) Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Abrocoma Waterhouse, 1837.. Abrocoma bennettii, A. cuvieri. Aconaemys Ameghino, 1891. . . New name for Schizodon Waterhouse. Actcnomys Burmeister, 1888 Actenomys cuniculinus. Adelphomys Ameghino, 1887. . . . Adelphomys candidus. J Aulacodus Temminck, 1827. . . Aulacodus swinderianus. (See Thry- onomys, Triaulacodus.) Cannabateomys Lydekker, 1892. Emended form for Kannabateomys. Capromys Desmarest, 1822 Capromys fournieri. Carterodon Waterhouse, 1848. . Echimys sulcidens. Cercomys Cuvier, 1829 Cercomys cunicularius. Ctenodactylus Gray, 1830 Ctenodactylus massonii. Ctenomys Blainville, 1826 Ctenomys brasiliensis. Dactylomys I. Geoffrey, 1838. . Dactylomys typus. Dendrobius Meyen, 1833 Dendrobius degus. Diccelophorus Ameghino, 1888 . . . Diccelophoms totidens, D. simplex, 1) celsus, Ctenomys prisons. Dicolpomys Winge, 1887 Dicolpomys fossor. Discolomys Ameghino, 1889 Discolomys cuneus. Echimys l Cuvier, 1809 Echimys cristatus, E. spinosus. Eumysops Ameghino, 1888 Eumysops plicatus, E. Ixviplicatus, E. robustus. Graphimys Ameghino, 1891 Graphlmys provectus. Guillinomys Lesson, 1842 Guillinomys chilensis. 1 Emended to Echinomys (Wagner, 1840), Enchomys (Gloger, 1841). 264 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Gundi ('Fischer') Lataste, 1881 A common name for Ctenodactylus, erroneously credited to Fischer as a genus. Gyrignophus Ameghino, 1891 . . . Gyrignophus complicatus. Habrocoma Wagner, 1842 Emended form for Abrocoma. Houtia Agassiz, 1842 Nomen nudum. Native name for Capromys, included by Agassiz in list of genera, without reference or mention of species, f Isodon Say, 1822 Isodon pilorides. Isothrix Wagner, 1845 Isothrix bistriata, I. pachyura, I. pa- gurus. Kannabateomys Jentink, 1891 Dactylomys ambtyonyx. Lasiomys Burmeister, 1854. . . . Lasiomys hirsutus. Lasiuromys Deville, 1852 Lasiuromys villosus. Lomomys Ameghino, 1891 Lomomys evexus. Loncheres 1 Illiger, 1811 Loncheres paleacea, Hystrix chrysuros. Lonchophorus Lund, 1839 Lonchophorus fossilis. Massoutiera Lataste, 1885 Ctenodactylus mzabi. Mastonotus Wesmael, 1841. . . . Mastonotus popelairi (=Mus coypus.) Mesomya Wagner, 1845 Mesomys ecaudatus. Morenia Ameghino, 1886. Morenia elephantina. Myocastor Kerr, 1792 Mus (Myocastor) coypus (type), Mus (M.) zibethicus. Myopotamus Geoffrey, 1805. . . Myopotamus bonariensis. Mysateles Lesson, 1842 Mysateles poeppingii (= Capromys prehensilis). Nelomys Joiirdan, 1837 Echimys cristatus. f Nelomys Lund, 1841 Echimys antricola, E. sulcidens. (See Thrichomys.) Neoreomys Ameghino, 1887 Neoreomys austral! s, N. indivisus, A T . dedans*. Octodon Bennett, 1832 Octodon cumingii. Olenopsis Ameghino, 1889 Olenopsis uncinus. * Ondatra Link, 1795 Mus coypus, Castor zibethicus. Orthomys Ameghino, 1881 Orthomys dentatus. Orycteromys('Blainville')Agas- Used by Blainville in 1826, only in siz, 1842. the French form Orycterome,for the genus described as Ctenomys. (See Orycteromys, p. 256.) Paranomys (Scalabrini MS.) Ame ghino, 1889. -. Paranomys typicus. Pectinator Blyth, 1856 Pectinator spekei. Pdlegrina Gregorio, 1886 Pellegrina panormensis. Petromus A. Smith, 1831 Petromus typicus. Phtoramys Ameghino, 1887. ... Phtoramys homogenidens. 1 Emended to Loncherites (London Encyclopcedia, 1845). Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 265 Phyllomys Lund, 1839. Phyllomys brasiliensis (?) Pithanotomys Ameghino, 1887... Pithanotomys columnaris. Plagiodontia 1 F. Cuvier, 1836. Plagiodontia aedium. * Plataeomys Ameghino, 1881 Plataeomys scindens. * Platythrix Pictet, 1842 (?) * Pcecilomys Pictet, 1842 (?) Pcephagomys F. Cuvier, 1834. . Poephagomys ater. Potamys Larranhaga, 1823. Le quyiaof Azara (Myopotamus coypus). Psammoryctes Pceppig, 1835. . Psammoryctes noctivagus (= Spala- copus poeppigii). Pseudoneoreomys Ameghino, 1891 Pseudoneoreomys pachyrhynchus, P. lep- torhynchus, P. mesorhynchus. ? Ruscinomys Deperet, 1890 Ruscinomys europeeus. f Schizodon Waterhouse, 1842. . Schizodon fuscus. (See Aconaemys.) Scleromys Ameghino, 1887 Scleromys angustus. Spalacopus Wagler, 1832 ... . . Spalacopus poeppigii. Spaniomys Ameghino, 1887 Spaniomys riparius, S. modestus. Sticliomys Ameghino, 1887 Stichomys regularis, S. constans. Thrichomys Trouessart, 1881.. Thrichomys antricola, T. inermis, T. brevicauda. Thrinacodus Giinther, 1879. . . Thrinacodus albicauda. Thryonomys Fitzinger, 1867... Aulacodus semipalmatus. Triaulacodus Lydekker, 1896. . New name for Aulacodus Temminck, 1827. (See Thryonomys.) Tribodon Ameghino, 1887 Tribodon clemens. PEDETIDJE. J Halamydae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821 . Pedestina GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 342, Nov., 1825. Pedetidae GILL, Arrangement Fam. Mamm., p. 20, Nov., 1872. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Helamys F. Cuvier, 1817 Mas cafer. Lagotis Blainville, 1817 'La grande gerboise du Cap.' Pedetes Illiger, 1811 Dipus cafer. PSEUDOSCIURIDJE. Pseudosciuridx ZITTEL, Handb. der Palseont.. IV, 2 te Lief., p. 523, 1893. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Adelomys Gervais, 1853 Thendomys vaiUanti. (See Theridomyidse.) ? Decticadapis Lemoine, 1883 Decticadapis sciuroides. Pseiidosciurus Hensel, 1856 Pseudosciurus suevicus. Sciurodon Schlosser, 1884 Sciurodon cadurcense. Sciuroides Forsy th Major, 1873 . . Sciurus rutimeyeri, Sciuroides fraasi, S. siderolithiciis, S. minimus. * Emended to Plagiodon (Alston, 1876), 266 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents, SCIURID-SJ. AUomyidte MARSH, Am. Journ. Sci., 3d ser., XIV, p. 253, Sept., 1877. Arctomydae GRAY, London Med. Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821. Aictomysideee LESSON, Nouv.Tabl. Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 115, 1842. + Campsiurina BRANDT, fide CARUS, Handb. Zool., p. 96, 1868-75. Leithiidx LYDEKKER, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 862 (1896). Nannosciurinae FORSYTH MAJOR, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1893, pp. 187, 189. Pteromidae ANDERSON, Yunnan Exped., p. 278, 1879. Sciuridae GRAY, London Medical Repository, XV, p. 304, April 1, 1821. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Allomys Marsh, 1877 Allomys nitens. Ammospermophilus Merriam, 1892. Tamias leucurus. Amphisciurus (Bravard MS.) Ly- dekker, 1885 Amphisciurus typus. Anisonyx Rafinesque, 1817. . . . Anisonyx brachiura (= Arctomys co- lumbianus). Arctomys Schreber, 1780 Arctomys marmota, A. monax, A. bobac, A. empetra, A. citillus. Atlantoxerus Forsyth Major, 1893. Xerus getulus. Baginia Gray, 1867 Sciurus platani. Callosciurus Gray, 1867 Sciurus rafflesii. Callospermophilus Merriam, 1897. Sciurus lateralis. Citillus Lichtenstein, 1827-' 34. Citillus mexicanus, C. leptodactylus, C. mugosaricus. Colobotis Brandt, 1844 Spermophilus fulvus. Cynomys Rafinesque, 1817 Cynomys socialis, C. grisea. EchinosciurusTrouessart,lSSO. Sciurus hypopyrrhus (type), S. varia- bilis, S. stramineus. Eosciurus Trouessart, 1880. . . Sciurus bicolor (type), S. giganteus, S. indicus, S. maximus, S. macrurus. Eoxerus Forsyth Major, 1893. . Xerus laticaudatus, X. berdmorei, X. tristriatus, X. palmarum, X. insig- nis, X. hosei. Ery thiosciurus Gray, 1867 Sciurus ferrtigineus, S. siamensis. Eupetaurus Thomas, 1888 Eupetaurus cinereus. Eutamias Trouessart, 1880 Tamias asiaticus (type), T. harrisi, T. lateralis, T. laevidens. Farunculus( < Lesson') Gray, 1867. Probably a misprint for Funambulus. Funambulus Lesson, 1832 Funambulus indicus. Punisciurus Trouessart, 1880. . Sciurus lemniscatus. Geosciurus A. Smith, 1834 Sciurus erythopus. Guerlinguetus Gray, 1821 Sciurus guerlinguetus. Heliosciurus Trouessart, 1880.. Sciurus annulatus. Heterosciurus Trouessart, 1880. Sciurus ferrugineus. Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 267 Ictidomys J. A. Allen, 1877... Spermophilus tereticaudus, S. mexi- canus, S. 13-lineatus (type), S. frank- lini. Lagomys Storr, 1780 "An unnatural and undefined com bination of forms with squat bodies [including 24 species], but typified by species of Arctomys." Gill, f Laria Gray, 1867 Sciurus insignis. Leithia 1 Lydekker, 1896 Myoxus melitensis. Lipura Illiger, 1811 Hyrax hudsonius. Macroxus Cuvier, 1823 Le guerlinguet et le toupaye. * Marmota Blumenbach, 1779. . . Marmota alpina, M. cricetus, M. lein- mus, M. typhlus, M. capensis." Meniscomys Cope, 1878 Meniscomys hippodus, M. multiplicatus. Microsciurus J. A. Allen, 1895. Sciurus (Microsciurus) alfari. Monax Warden, 1819 Monax missouriensis (= Cynomys lu- dovicianus). NannosciurusTrouessart, 1880. Sciurus melanotis, S. exilis. Neosciurus Trouessart, 1880. . . Sciurus carolinensis (type), S. arizo- nensis, S. griseoflavus, S. aberti, S. fossor. Otocolobus Brandt, 1844 Synonym of Colobotis (?). Otospermophilus Brandt, 1844. Spermophilus beecheyi. Palseosciurus Pomel, 1854 Sciurus (Palseosciurus)-feignouxii,S.(P.) chalaniati. Falmista Gray, 1867 Sciurus palmarum, S. penicillatus, S. layardii, S. sublineatus. Parasciurus Trouessart, 1880. . . Sciurus niger. Paraxerus Forsyth Major, 1893. Xerus cepapi, X. palliatus, X. pyrro- pus, X. congicus, X. lemniscatus, X. Isabella, X. boehmi. Petaurista Link, 1795 Sciurus volucella, S. volans, S. hudso nius, S. petaurista (type), S. sagitta. Plesiarctomys Bravard, 1848-' 52. Plesiarctomys gervaisii. Plesispermophilus Filhol, 1883. . . Plesispermophilus angustidens. Protoxerus Forsyth Major, 1893. Sciurus stangeri, S. ebii, S. aubinnii. Pteromys G. Cuvier, 1800. Sciurus volans, S. petaurista. Pterotix Rafinesque, 1815. . .. Nomen nudum. Ratufa Gray, 1867 Sciurus indicus. Rheithrosciurus 3 Gray, 1867. . Sciurus macrotis. Rhinosciurus Gray, 1843 Rhinosciurus tupaioides. 1 This genus is only provisionally referred to the Sciuridse. Lydekker has recently suggested a special family, Leithiidas, for it. 2 From the 7th edition of the Handbuch d. Naturgeschichte, 1803. The first edition, 1779, not seen. 3 Emended to Rhithrosciurus (Lydekker, 1891). 268 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Rukaia Gray, 1867 Sciurus macrourus, S. bicolor, S. ephip- pium. Sciuropterus F. Cuvier, 1825. . Sciurus volans. Sciurus Linnaeus, 1758 Sciurus vulgaris, S. niger, S. cinereus, S. flavus, S. getulus, S. striatus, S. volans. Spermophilopsis Blasius, 1884. Spermophilus leptodactylus. Spermophilus F. Cuvier, 1825. Muscitillus. Spermosciurus Lesson, 1836. . . Includes 12 species, mostly from Africa. Stereodectes Cope, 1869 Stereodectes tortus. Tamias Illiger, 1811 Sciurus striatus. Tamiasciurus Trouessart, 1 880. Sciurus hudsonicus. Tenotis Rafinesque, 1817 Tenotis griseus (= Sciurus erithopus). Xerospermophilus Merriam, 1892. Spermophilus mohavensis. * Xerus Hemprich & Ehrenberg, Xerus brachyotus (and X. syria- 1832. cus?). SPALACID^I. 1 J Aspalacidse GRAY, Thomson's Ann. Philos., XXVI, p. 342, Nov., 1825. Aspalomyina WATKRHOUSE, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., X, p. 203, 1842. Rhizomyinae THOMAS, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1896, p. 1021 (1897). Spalacidae GRAY, London Med. Repository, XV, p. 303, April 1, 1821. Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Aspalax Desmarest, 1804 Mus typhlus. * Aspalomys Laxmann (?) Chrysomys Gray, 1843 Bathyergus splendens. Nyctocleptes Temminck, 1832. Nyctocleptes dekan (= Mus suma- trensis). Ommatostergus Nordmann, 1840. Ommatostergus pallasii. Rhizomys Gray, 1831 Rhizomys sinensis, R. sumatrensis. Spalax Guldenstudt, 1770 Spalax microphthalmus (=S. typhlus Pall., 1778). Tachyoryctes Riippell, 1835. . . Bathyergus splendens. * Talpoides Lacepede, 1799 Mus typhlus. 1 yphlodon Falconer, 1868 Noinen nudum (Rhizomys sivalensis Lydekker, 1878?) THERIDOMYIDJE. TJieridomyidx ALSTON, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, pp. 70, 88. Trechomyinx TROUESSART, Cat. Mamm. tarn viv. quam foss, p. 392, 1897. 1 Chrysomys, Nyctocleptes, Rhizomys, Tachyoryctes and Typhlodon belong to the Rhizomyinae; Aspalax, Aspalomys, Ommatostergus, Tal poides, and Spalax to the Spalacinre. Generic and Family Names of Rodents. 269 Name, authority, and date. Type or included species. Addomys Gervais, 1853 Theridomys vaillanti. (See Pseudosciuridx.} Archxomys Laizer & Parieu, 1839. New name for Palxomys Lai/,. & Par. Blainv'dlimys (Bravard MS.) Ger vais, 1848-'52 Theridomys blainvillei. Cournomys (Croizet) Zittel, 1893. Synonym of Issidioromys. Cavierimys Bravard, 1848-' 52. . . . Cuvierimys laurillardi. Dipoides Jiiger, 1835 Species not named. Gergoviomys (Croizet MS.) Blain- ville, 1840 Species not named. * Jsoptychus Pomel, 1854 Theridomys (Isoptychus) jourdani, Isop- tychus auberyi, I. antiquus, I. cuvieri, I. vassoni, TJieridomys aqaatilis (?). Issidioromys (Croizet MS.) Blain- ville, 1840 Issidioromys pseudansema Gervais, 1848, f Neomys Bravard, 1844 Neomys lembronicus (= Theridomys lembronicus). Nesokerodon Schlosser, 1884 Isiodoromys minor. * Omegodus Pomel, 1854 Omegodus echimyo'ides. * Palanxma Pomel, 1854 Palansema antiquus. t Palxomys Laizer & Parieu, 1839. . Palxomys arvernensis. (See Archxomys.) * Perrieromys Croizet (?) Protechimys Schlosser, 1884 Protechimys gracilis, P. major. *~\Txniodus Pomel, 1854 EcMmys curvistriatus. Theridomys Jourdan, 1837 Species not named in first description. Trechomys Lartet, 1869 Trechomys bonduellii. INCERTJE SEDIS. Anotis Rafmesqne, 1815 Nomen nudurn. Archilagus Hseckel, 1895 Hypothetical genus 'Atavns omnium Rodentium.' Asteromys 1 Ameghino, 1897 Asteromys puncius, A. prospicuus. JSMdornysC Croizet') Bravard, 1843 Nomen nuduin. Cephalomys 1 Ameghino, 1897.. . . Cephalomys arcidens, C. plexus. Haplostropha Ameghino, 1891 . . . Haplostropha scalabriniana. Hystriocomys Giebel, 1860 Hystriocomys thuringiacus. ? Mixodectes"* Cope, 1883 Mixodectes pungens, M. crassiculus. Orchiomys 1 Ameghino, 1897 Orchiomys prostans. 1 Cephalomyidse, Ameghino, Bol. Inst. Geog. Argentine, XVIII, p. 592, Oct. 6, 1897. 2 Mixodectidx Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 80, May 22, 1883. " The discovery of some skeleton fragments in good association with a lower jaw of Mixodectus pungens makes it probable that this genus should be removed from the Primates and placed as an extremely primitive Ro dent." Matthew, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. New York, IX, p. 265,1897. 60 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897. 270 Palmer Generic and Family Names of Rodents. Palaiotrogus Jager, 1839 Palaiotrogus steinheimensis. Paradoxomys l Ameghino, 1885. . Paradoxomys cancrivorus. Protechynus Filhol, 1891 Nomen nudum. Protoptychus* Scott, 1895 Protoptychus hatcheri. l Paradoxomyina Ameghino, Bol. Acad. Nac.Cien., Cordoba, IX, p. 79, 1886. Paradoxomydte Ameghino, Mam. Fos. Eepub. Argentina, in Actas Acad. Nac. Ciencias, Cordoba, VI, p. 122, 1889. 2 "The genus is probably to be regarded as the ancestral type of the Dipodidae, and indicates an American origin for this family." Scott, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1895, p. 286. VOL. XI, PP. 271-275 DECEMBER 17, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON CERVUS ROOSEVELTI, A NEW ELK FROM THE OLYMPICS. BY C. HART MERRIAM. For many y'ears naturalists have known of the presence of Elk in the Olympic Mountains and other ranges along the Pa cific coast, but until recently no specimen, so far as I am aware, has found its way to any museum. When in the Olympic Mountains last August I arranged with two trappers who had established a winter camp in the deep canyon of Hoh River, at the north foot of Mt. Olympus, to secure specimens as soon as the animals had put on the winter coat. The first of these a fine old bull with massive antlers has now arrived and is safely installed in our National Museum. Dr. J. G. Cooper, in his report on the Mammals of the 47th and 49th Parallels, published in 1860, states that the Elk was abundant in the dense forests of the Coast Range, and adds : "An intelligent farmer, who formerly hunted Elk in New York State, told me that he considered these a different animal, being much larger and having larger and differently formed horns." * In the same volume Geo. Gibbs states that " Judge Ford, long a settler in Washington Territory and an enthusiastic hunter, says that the Elk of the Pacific coast is not the Elk of the ' plains,' but has a larger and coarser head. He has been through life fa miliar with game and is positive that they are different animals." f John Keast Lord, in his ' Naturalist in Vancouver Island and Brit ish Columbia,' published in London in 1866, says : " The Wapiti on the Oregon coast grows much larger, and differs in color from the animal found on the inland mountains. 1 ' Dr. James C. Mer- * Pacific Railroad Reports, Vol. XII, Pt. II, p. 88, 1860. flbid., p. 133. 61-BioL. Soc. WASH., Vo*. XI, 1897 (271) 272 Merriam A New Elk from the Olympics. rill, Major and Surgeon U. S. Army, informs me that he also has seen numerous heads and antlers of the Olympic Elk, all of which were distinguishable at a glance from the common species. In the Oregon exhibit of the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, in 1893, were several mounted heads of this Elk. They were examined by Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, who told me that they differed from those of the Rocky Mountain animal in being black and in having antlers with relatively straight beams and an irregular cluster of points at the tip instead of the usual incurved terminal prong. Mr. Roosevelt, in his entertaining ' Wilderness Hunter,' describes the Rocky Mountain Elk or Wapiti as " not only the most stately and beautiful of American game, but also the noblest of the stag kind throughout the world ; " and adds : " Whoever kills him has killed the chief of his race, for he stands far above his breth ren of Asia and Europe." These remarks must now be trans ferred from the common Wapiti to the Pacific coast animal. Last summer, when engaged in field-work in the Puget Sound region, I saw several heads and a few hides of this Elk, and was surprised that such a superb species had remained so long un- described. I deem it a privilege to name this splendid animal Roosevelt's Wapiti. It is fitting that the noblest deer of Amer ica should perpetuate the name of one who, in the midst of a busy public career, has found time to study our larger mam mals in their native haunts and has written the best accounts we have ever had of their habits and chase. Cervus roosevelti sp. nov. Roosevelt's Wapiti. Type from Mt. Elaine (on ridge between heads of Hoh, El wall, and Soleduc rivers) near Mt. Olympus, Olympic Mts., State of Washington. Type No. 91579, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Col lected Oct. 4, 1897 by Hans and Chris Emmet. General characters. Size large ; head and legs black (probably only in winter pelage) ; skull and antlers massive ; beams of antlers relatively short and straight, with terminal prong aborted. Description of type specimen (which has nearly completed the molt from fall to winter pelage). Face from between eyes to nose-pad, sooty blackish, somewhat grizzled on cheeks with golden-brown; eyelids black, sur rounded by area of pale fulvous, incomplete anteriorly ; rest of head and neck brown, becoming black along median line and mixed black and reddish on top of head ; back and sides a peculiar grayish brown with incomplete dusky stripe along median dorsal line ; breast and belly dull reddish chestnut ; legs and feet sooty black with space between hoof and A New Elk from the Olympics. 273 dew claws fulvous, the fulvous reaching up a short distance along median line posteriorly ; fore legs abruptly black from body to hoof, with a nar row fulvous patch on inner side of forearm ; hind legs and feet sooty black, the black on inner side of thigh reaching up nearly to groin, and on posterior aspect reaching nearly to rump in a band 40-50 mm. wide which curves slightly outward on each side of lower part of rump patch ; rump patch pale dull buffy-fulvous, deepening between thighs to pale tan ; throat grizzled black and dark golden-brown, becoming darker ante riorly, with a narrow median beard (about 30 mm. broad) of pale fulvous, beginning opposite the angle of the mouth and sharply defined anteriorly and laterally by a blackish border, spreading and fading posteriorly ; chin and lower lip blackish with a sharply defined wedge-shaped mark of buffy fulvous on each side of median line, its base at anterior edge of lip, its apex directed posteriorly. Metatarsal gland (situate 160 mm. below heel on outer side) a conspicuous oval patch of reddish fulvous about 80 mm. in length, enclosing a white central stripe 35 mm. in length, and sur rounded by the black of the leg and foot. Cranial characters. The skull of Cervus roosevelti, compared with that of C. canadensis from the Rocky Mountains, is much larger, broader and more massive. The frontals are not only conspicuously broader but are very much flatter, giving the cranium a different profile. The muzzle also is much broader. The cavities in front of the orbits, on the other hand, are decidedly smaller. Measurements of type specimen. Total length, measured in flesh, 2490 mm. (=8 ft. 2 in.) ; tail in dry skin about 80 mm. ; ears in dry skin: from base posteriorly 225 mm., from base of opening 208 mm. Antlers : Spread 990 mm. (= 3 ft. 3 in.) ; length of left beam from burr to tip 1050 (=41J in.) ; circumference just above burr 285 mm. (= 11^ in.) ; least circumference above bez-tine 190 mm. (= 1\ in.). Antlers. The antlers are large, heavy and relatively short, with the terminal prongs aborted, so that the total length from burr to tip is about 500 mm. (nearly 20 inches) less than in well formed antlers of the Rocky Mountain Elk. The brow, bez, trez, and 4th tine are similar to those of the ordinary Wapiti, but above the 4th the antler is flattened and sub-palmate and ends in 2 or 3 short points the tips of which reach only slightly above the tip of the 4th prong. Whether the aborted condition of the terminal part of the antler in Roosevelt's Wapiti is the result of long residence in the dense Pacific coast forests, where longer antlers would be inconvenient, or is indicative of closer relationship with the stags of Europe and Asia, which normally carry somewhat similar antlers, is an interesting question. Among some black heads in a taxidermist shop in Victoria I saw one, said to have been killed on Vancouver Island, in which 274 Merriam A New Elk from the Olympics. the terminal prong of the antlers is much longer than usual, ap proaching the normal condition of the Rocky Mountain animal. But it by no means follows that the antlers in question belong to the head on which they were mounted, for many taxidermists have a reprehensible habit of grafting handsome antlers on handsome heads irrespective of zoological or geographical ob stacles. During the past three months I have seen more than a dozen mounted heads of Elk, Deer, and Antelope bearing horns which the taxidermists admitted were selected from stock in hand, without reference to the heads on which they grew. Other specimens. In the taxidermist shop of L. F. Richolt & Co., at Centralia, Washington, I examined a very beautiful hide of a Wapiti killed in winter in Chehalis County. The color of the back and sides was a beautiful clear bluish gray, with a tint suggesting lavender, and the legs where they had been cut off were abruptly black. The amount of black on the head varies considerably in different specimens. Probably part of this variation is due to age and part to season. All of the adult winter heads were black from nose to ears, with more or less black on the neck. Some had the entire neck black, the black reaching back to the breast and nearly to the shoulders. The development of the mane seems to be much as in the Rocky Mountain Wapiti. Geographic distribution. Roosevelt's Wapiti inhabits the dense coniferous forests of the humid Pacific coast strip from near the northern end of Vancouver Island southward through the coast ranges of Washington and Oregon to northwestern California, In 1860, according to George Gibbs, it followed the coast "all the way down to San Francisco " (Pacific Railroad Reports, vol. XII, Pt. II, p. 133). This is a very natural distribution, corre sponding with that of many other species. Through the agency of man the southern part of the range has now been cut off, but just how far I am unable to say. Mr. Charles H. Townsend, in his important ' Field Notes on the Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles of Northern California,' published in 1887, says that the Wapiti " still exists in moderate numbers in Mendocino, Humboldt, and Trinity counties, along the upper courses of the Eel, Elk, and Trinity rivers. Two large Elk were shot in Humboldt County in December, 1885, and brought to Eureka, where I saw them."* . IT, S, National Museum, X, pp. 168-169, 1887, A New Elk from the Olympics. 275 But the southern limit of its range is of far less consequence than the eastern limit, for the important question is, Do or do not the ranges of the Rocky Mt. and Pacific coast Wapiti come together? Apparently they do not. Some of the old reports state that the Pacific Elk formerly inhabited the Cascade range in Washington and Oregon. But even in this case the Cascades are separated, except at the north, by the full breadth of the Great Basin and Plains of the Columbia. North of the Columbia River the forest region of the northern Cascades is practically connected with that of the Rocky Mts. by means of the timber- covered parts of southern British Columbia and the Colville In dian reservation of northern Washington. But this region, so far as I can learn, is not, and never has been, inhabited by Elk. Mr. John Fannin, Curator of the Provincial Museum at Victoria, tells me that while Elk are common on Vancouver Island they do not occur anywhere in British Columbia except along its eastern border in the Rocky Mt. region. At the time of my visit to the Olympics the latter part of August the Elk had been recently driven out of the upper Hob and Soled uc canyons by Indians, and the numerous tracks seen were 10 days or 2 weeks old. Well-beaten trails followed the crests of the higher ridges and traversed the principal valleys. Many of these trails, with little labor, can be made available for horses and afford almost the only means of penetrating the region. Mr. W. A. Perry has published the following account of the way Indians kill Elk in these mountains. He says : " The prin cipal Indian method of hunting the Elk, in the Olympic Range, is by driving them over precipices. Selecting a well-known spot, on a well traveled Elk-trail, they will lie in wait for weeks, until a band appears coming down the mountain. The place usually selected is one where the trail curves around some great rock, just at the edge of a precipice a hundred feet or more in height. A scout, stationed high up the mountain, gives notice of the approach of a band, and then the Indians mass at the lower end of the curve, while others conceal themselves above the curve. As soon as the band passes the latter, they spring to their feet, rush down the trail, yelling and firing guns. The Indians at the lower end of the curve do the same, and the Elk. finding themselves surrounded, leap over the cliff and are crushed on the rocks below."* *The Big Game of North America. Edited by G. 0. Shields, p. 53, 1890. VOL. XI, PP. 277-279 DECEMBER 17, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NELSONIA NEOTOMODON, A NEW GENUS AND SPE CIES OF MURINE RODENT FROM MEXICO. BY C. HART MERRIAM. The collection of mammals made in Mexico by Mr. E. W. Nelson still contains many novelties. Recently, in looking at the skull of a large White-footed Mouse from the mountains of Zacatecas, supposed to be a. typical Peromyscus, I was startled to find that it had the flat-topped' prismatic teeth of a Wood Rat, Neotoma. Closer examination of the dentition showed that while the 1st and 2d upper and 1st lower molars agree essen tially with those of Neotoma, the 3d upper and 2d and 3d lower differ so materially that it is necessary to erect a new genus for the animal's reception. The skull also is peculiar and unlike either Neotoma or Peromyscus. The most important difference is in the antorbital slit, which does not notch the upper surface of the maxillary root of the zygoma. Another character is the production of the inferior angle of the antorbital slit to form a distinct process. The tail is large and blunt, much as in Neo toma not tapering to a slender point as in Peromyscus. The new genus may be defined as follows : Nelsonia gen. nov. Type. Nelsonia neotomodon sp. nov., from Plateado, Zacatecas, Mexico. Diagnosis. Cranial characters: Skull in general resembling that of a large Peromyscus but flatter ; zygomata heavier, less depressed, and more spreading anteriorly ; antorbital slits relatively narrow and only faintly notching upper surface of maxillary root of zygoma ; inferior angle of antorbital slit thickened and protruding forward and outward as a dis tinct process ; audital bullse sub-conical as in Peromyscus and Hodumys, 62 Bioi,. Sue. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (277) 278 Merriam A New Rodent Genus from Mexico. not bullate as in Neotoma and Xenomys ; brain case depressed as in Pero- myscus, not elevated as in Neotoma, Xenomys, and Hodomys ; incisive foram ina large and open, broader anteriorly than in Neotoma or Peromyscus ; coronoid process of mandible small, hardly larger than in Peromyscns. Dental characters (Fig. 14). Teeth rooted, large, massive, and prismatic, with flat crowns presenting deep reentrant angles of enamel (enamel of equal thickness throughout) as in Neotoma and Xenomys totally differ ent from the small tubercular teeth (with enamel of unequal thickness) of Peromyscus. Crowns of 1st and 2d upper and 1st lower molars with enamel pattern essentially as in Neotoma, Hodomys, and Xenomys. Crowns of 3d upper and 2d and 3d lower molars with enamel pattern unlike that of any known genus ; 3d upper molar with a single very deep and narrow reentrant angle on outer side, which pushes almost completely across the tooth , dividing the crown into two sub- triangular lobes, the posterior of which is the larger; 2d lower molar with one re en- FIG. 14. Molar teeth of Nelsonia neotomodon and Neotoma trailt angle Oil each desertorum. X 3- sidej the inner deeper a (upper) b (lower) molars of Neotoma desertorum. ^ and pas g in g an _ c (upper) d (lower) molars of Nelsonia neotomodon. tenor to, the outer, dividing the crown into two transverse loops the posterior of which is sometimes deeply notched on the inner side by a secondary reentrant angle ; 3d lower molar with a single and rather open reentrant angle on inner side, reaching only half way across tooth, and a slight projection (without distinct reentrant angle) on outer side. External characters. Size (of only known species) equalling largest species of Peromyscus ; tail large and blunt as in Neotoma, and well haired, with terminal pencil larger than usual in Peromyscus ; feet large, rela tively as in Neotoma decidedly larger than in Peromyscus. Nelsonia neotomodon sp. nov. Type from mountains near Plateado, Zacatecas, Mexico. (Altitude about 2500 meters or 8200 feet.) No. 90891, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 3, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 11625. General characters. Size, coloration, and general appearance similar to the larger species of Peromyscus (as P. calif ornicus) , but whiskers larger and coarser, tail larger and blunter, and feet larger ; ears large and nearly naked ; tail well haired, white- tipped, and with a distinct terminal pencil. Color. Upper parts grayish brown, conspicuously lined with black on rump and posterior half of back, and suffused along the sides with pale dull fulvous, which becomes intensified inferiorly so as to form a fairly distinct band between the gray of the back and white of the belly, reach ing all the way from cheeks to thighs; under parts white, the hairs A New Rodent Genus from Mexico. 279 plumbeous at base; fore and hind feet white ; outer side of hind legs dusky to ankles ; eyes surrounded by a narrow ring of black ; white of upper lip reaching up on sides of nose half way to eye ; tail sharply bicolor; dusky above, white below, and at tip all round. Cranial and dental characters. The cranial and dental characters have been so fully given in the generic diagnosis and are so well shown in the accompanying drawings that it will be unnecessary to describe them further unless a second spe cies is discovered. Measurements. Type specimen, $ ad.: total length, 247 ; tail verte brae, 121 ; hind foot, 29. Average of 6 specimens from type locality : total length, 244; tail vertebra, 121; hind foot, 29. Geographic distribution. Speci mens of this remarkable animal were collected by Mr. Nelson in the higher parts of the Sierra Madre in the western corner of the State of Zacatecas, and about 100 miles farther south in the same range, near Bolanos, Jalisco. Another series was obtained in a detached range, east of the Sierra Madre, near Plateado, Zacatecas. Mr. Nelson informs me that the animals were usually found about ledges or other rocky places in the pine forest, at an altitude of 8,000 feet or upwards. Near Plateado specimens were secured along the upper edge of the oak belt, where the oaks mix with the lower edge of the pines. None were found at lower altitudes. FlG ' '5- -skull ""tomodon. VOL. XI, PP. 281-282 DECEMBER 30, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW RACE OF PINE SQUIRREL FROM THE COAST REGION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Mr. C. A. Allen, of Nicasio, California, has sent me fourteen pine squirrels that were shot at Philo, Mendocino County, Cali fornia, by a friend of his, who sent them to him in the meat, Mr. Allen measuring, sexing, and skinning them. This series shows the pine squirrel of the coast region of northern California, west of the mountains, to be a well-marked race. The region north of its range is occupied by 8. hudsonicus douglasi, and in the mountains to the east is found S. hudsonicus calif ornicus. The present form differs considerably from either of these squirrels, though undoubtedly it intergrades with one or both of them. The pine squirrel of the coast region of northern California may be known as follows : Sciurus hudsonicus orarius subsp. nov. Type from Philo, Mendocino County, California, 9 old adult, No. 4978. Coll. E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Dec. 9, 1895. Skinned, sexed, and measured by C. A. Allen. General characters. Size and proportions of S. hudsonicus douglasi; ear small and low as in that form ; colors above very dark with but little rusty ; colors below varying from ochraceous to ochraceous-buff; tail dark colored with but little rusty in it and conspicuously bordered by a deep fringe of white. Color. Effect of upper parts, owing to the banding of the hairs, deep Olive varied with a fine sprinkling of yellowish olive, a little rust color intermixed at 'base of tail, extending in some specimens onto rump ; more olive gray on cheeks and top of nose ; feet, hands, and underparts vary- 63-BioL Soc. WASH., Voi,. XI, 1897 (281) 282 Bangs A New Race of Pine Squirrel ing from pale ochraceous-buff to (in a few specimens) ochraceous ; a broad black band separating colors of upper and under parts, usually present (in one or two specimens nearly obsolete) ; orbital ring pale ochraceous- buff; tail: hairs of upper surface tawny at base, then black and white tipped ; of lower surface dull tawny olive at base, then black and white tipped ; whiskers, black. Measurements. No. Sex. Date. Total length. Tail ver tebrae. Hind foot. Ear. 4978 type 9 old ad. Dec. 9,1895 320. 134.8 50.8 22.4 4987 topotype. . 9 ad. . . . Dec. 9, 1895 302.2 131. 50.8 22.4 4979 $ old ad. Dec. 9, 1 895 323.8 136.4 50.8 22.4 4984 $ ad Dec. 9, 1895 317.6 133.6 50.8 22.4 4980 9 ad Dec. 9, 1895 317.6 133.6 50.8 22.4 4989 j old ad. Dec. 9, 1895 327.2 139.8 50.8 22.4 4983 9 ad Dec. 9, 1895 316. 134.8 50.8 22.4 4982 9 ad Dec. 9, 1895 319.4 147.6 50.8 22.4 4986 9 ad. . . Dec. 9, 1895 319.4 131. 50.8 22.4 4985 r? VS. . Dec. 9, 1895 306.4 141.6 50.8 22.4 4981 U J&>' ' c?ad Dec. 9, 1895 327.2 139.8 50.8 22.4 5462 9 old ad . Dec. 16,1895 320.4 131. 50.8 20.6 4832 c? ad July 24, 1895 317.6 127. 508 4988 9 yg Dec. 9, 1895 314.2 . 136.4 50.8 "20~. 6 ' Remarks. Compared with S. h. douglasi, S. h. orarius has the same small ear, but differs very much in color, the dark olive shades of the upper parts of orarius, with but little rusty anywhere, being in marked contrast to the ferruginous dorsal region of douglasi. The white fringed tail of orarius, with a broad black subapical band, can always be told from the rusty yellow fringed tail of douglasi. The under parts are, as a rule, much paler, more ochraceous-buff, less ochraceous- rufous than in douglasi. With S. hudsonicus calif ornicus, S. Jiudsonicus orarius scarcely needs com parison, the large ear, white or creamy white under parts, and bright ochraceous-rufous dorsal stripe of cali/ornicus at once distinguishing it. Most of my specimens were taken on December 9, one only being taken in midsummer. The specimens taken December 9 show all the stages from probably the summer to full winter coat, it appearing to be the time at which that change takes place. There seems to be but a slight differ ence in color between the winter and summer pelages, though the black side stripes probably nearly disappear when the full winter coat has been acquired, and the ears are more tufted and the under parts more vermic- ulated with blackish. INDEX New names are printed in heavy type Page Abies shastensis xi Abra 262 Abrocoma 263 Abromys 252 Abrothrix 254 Acantherium 253 Acanthion 253 Acanthochoerus 253 Acanthodes 166 Acanthomys 259 Acathoessus 166 Acaremys 250 Achcea 166 Acomys 259 Aconaemys 262, 263 Acosminthus 259 Acromys 254 Actaea 158 Actenomys 262, 263 Adelomys 265. 269 Adelphomys 262, 263 7K pi n us 163 Aethra 167 Aethusa 167 Agouti 243, 248 Agricola 257 Akodon 254 Allactaga 173, 249 Allomys 266 Alticola 257 Alviceola 257 Amblyrhiza 246 Ammomys. 257 Ammospermophilus 189, 266 Amniospermophilus leucurus 148 Amorphopus 163 Amphiaulacomys 256 Amphilagus 262 Amphinome 166 Amphisciurus 266 Anaptogotiia 257 Anchimys 246 Ancinus 181 Anisonyx 266 Anisopus 158 Ariooma 246 Anomaturus 245 Anotis 269 Anteliomys 257 Anthericum esculentum 64 Antrozouspallidus 180 pallidus pacificus 180 Apias 164 Apiomaia 167 A piomitlirax 164 Apocremnus 163 Aplodontia 245 Apodemus 259 Archseomys 269 Archilagus 269 Arctocephalus australis 177 phillipi 177 towiisendi 178 Arctomys 266 Arctopsis 161 Arenaria aculeata 169 pumicola 169 64 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 Page Arenaria congesta subcongesta .......... 170 Arosethrus .......................................... 245 Arvicanthis .................... 259 Arvicola ......................................... '243,257 Arvicola gappen ....... ........................ I22 oregoni ...................................... 74 Ascomys ..................................... 251 Aspalax ...................................... ".'.'.".'". 268 Aspalomys ....................................... 2 68 Astacus fluviatilis ......................... .."" 160 Asteromys ........................................ \ 2 6g Atelecyclos ................................. "......" 157 Atergatis ............................................. I5 s Atherurus ............................................ 253 Atlantoxerus ................................... 2 66 Aulacodon ..................................... ..."" 2 6 Aulacodus Aulacolambrus Aulacomys ......... 2 6 2 26^5 Avahi Babirussa Baginia Bailey, Vernon : American voles of the genus Hvotomys Baiomys Bandicota Bangs, Outram : Lynxes of eastern North America New red fox Mammals from Labrador New squirrel from California. Bassariscus astutus flavus oregoiius raptor saxicola Bathyergus Batomys Beloprymnus Belostoma colossicum Benaeus griseus Bennettites Benton, Frank : The giant bee of In dia Bicunedens Bifa Blaiiivillimys Blarina fossor niexicana tliomasi Blarinomys Borioikon Bothriomys Brachymys Brachytarsomys Brachyuromys Brachyura Brachyurus Bramus Briaromys Briggs, L. J- : Water movement in soils Budomys Bulbedulis Bunotheria 173 "3 254 259 47 53 235 281 185 186 186 185 245 259 249 x x 9 viii 259 252 267 227 228 227 255 257 261 252 255 255 153 257 257 247 xii 269 63 x 284 The Biological Society of Washington. Page Cselogenus 248 Caenomys 252 Callinectes africanus 149 larvatus africanus 149 bocourti 151 cayennensis 151 diacanthus 149 exasperatus 149 gladiator 150 tumidus gladiator 150 larvatus 149 1 all ma ii us 151 marginatus 149 toxotes 151 trispinosus 151 tumidus 149, 150 Callodontomys 246 Callomys 247 Callorhinus ursinus 175 Callosciurus 266 Callospermopliilas 189, 266 Calodromus 163 Calomys 255 Camassia fraseri angusta 65 cusickii 64 esculenta 63, 64 fraseri 65 howellii 65 leichtliiiii 63 quamash 64 Campicola 257 Cancer antennarius in ant lion* i cornudo dentai us fluviatilis furcatus limbatus pagurus if panope 166 pelagicus 154 in 157 Sf 157 159 phalangium. potamios rostratus Sagittarius sculptus seticoruis squinado superciocisus uca undecim-dentatus Canis cagottis estor frustror latrans lestes in cam si microdon nigrirostris ochropus pa I lid us peiiinsulse vigilis. 162 161 155 61 Cannabateomys 263 Capiguara 246 Caprolagus 254 Capromys 262, 263 Carcinides 164 Carcinus 164 Cardamine bellidifolia 171 bellidifolia pacliypliylla 170 Cardiatherium 247 Cardiodon 247 Cardiodus 247 Cardiomys 247 Page Carleton, M. A.: Separation of Puc- cinia graminis avenae from P. g. tritici viii Climate an element in wheat environment ix Carpomys 259 Carterodon 262, 263 Castor 246 Castoroides 246 Castoromys 246 Caudi volvulus 174 Cavia 247 Caviodon 247 Cephalomys 269 Cercoleptes 174 Ceratodon 247 Cercolabes 250 Cercomys 262, 263 Cerodon 247 Cervaria 48 Cervus canadensis 273 roosevelli 271 Chsetodipus 252 Chsetomys 250 Chalicomys 246 Charybdea 161 Charybdella 166 Charybdis 161 Chelodus 246 Chesnut, V. K.: Exhibition of Cicuta vagans and Nerium oleander vii Poison of black nightshade... x Cases of mushroom poisoning, xi Chilomys 255 Chilotus 73, 257 Chinchilla 248 Chionobates 254 Chiropodomys 259 Chiruromys 259 Chlorogalum leichtliiiii 63 Chlordialla 157 Chlorodius niger 156 Chloromys 246 Chrotomys 257 Chrysomys 268 Chrysothrix 174 Chthonoergus 258 Cicuta vagans vii Citillus 266 Claviglis 252 Cloromis 248 Cobaya 247 Coelogenus 248 Coendou 173, 243, 250 Coetomys 245 Collomia mazama 35 Colobotis 266 Colonomys 253 Colotaxis 253 Colpostemma 248 Condylura cristata 240 Conilurus , 259 Conodontes 246 Conodus 246 Contracavia 247 Cook, O. F.: A new wingless fly xi Cosmonota 166 Cournomys 269 Coville, F. V. : Plant food of ducks in Chesapeake Bay x Water hyacinth x Abies shastensis xi Exhibition of peculiar forma tion of pine needles xii Collomia mazama, a new plant 35 Itinerary of John Jeffrey 57 Name of the Camas plant 61 Index. 285 Page Coville, F. V., and John Iveiberg : New plants from Mt. Mazania 169 Crangonyx ix Crateromys 259 Cratogeomys 251 Craurothrix 259 Cricetodipus 252 Cricetodon 255 Cricetomys 259 Cricetulus 255 Cricetus 255 Cronius 166 Cryptochirus 161 Cryptomys 245 Ctenodactylus 262, 263 Ctenomys 262, 263 Cuandu 250 Cuniculus 249, 254, 258 Cutia 248 Cuvierimys 269 Cyanotis scilloides 65 Cycadeoidea bibbiusi 15 foiitaiiieaiia 13 gouclieriaiia 14 mcgeeaiia 12 marylandica 9 tysouiaiia n Cycas 9 Cycloxaiithops 164 Cycloxanthus 164 Cymopolia caronii 93 sica 97 Cynomys 69 Dactylomys 262, 263 Dasygyius 164 Dasymys 259 Dasynotus 252 Dasyprocta 248 Dawson, C. F. : Dissemination of dis eases by insects viii Decticadapis 265 Decticus 255 Deilemys 255 ! >< i pliitiiu in virid-sr<-i)s 39 De Schweinitz, B. A.: Generation and use of Formaldehyde ix Dendrobius 262, 263 Dendromys 256 Deomys 256 Dewey, L,. H.: Migration of weeds x Diabroticus 246 Uicardia 250 Dicotyles 174 Djcoelophorus 262, 263 Dicolpotnys 262, 263 Dicrostonyx 258 Dicrostonyx hudsonius 237 torquatus 238 Dilocarcinus multidentatus 165 Dinomys 249 Diocartherium 247 Dioxippe 164 Diplostoma 251 Dipodillus 256 Dipodomys 252 Dipodops 252 Dipoides 269 Dipus 249 Discolomys 262, 263 Doclea isg Dolichotis 247 Dorippe dorsipes 163 quadridens 163 Dorynchus 167 Dorynchus thomsoni , 162 Page Draba hyperborea vii Drotnia rumphii 160 Drymomys 255 Dwight, J., Jr.: A shearwater new to North America ix, 69 Echimys 262, 263 Echinomys ^63 Echinoprocta 250 Echinosciurus 266 Echinothrix 250, 260 Echiothrix 260 Egeria 159 Eligniodoiitia 255 Elimodon 255 Eliomys 252 EHurus 255 Ellobius 258 Elomys 260 Enchomys 263 Endecapleura 256 Entoptychus 252 Eocardia 250 Komys 255 Eosciurus 266 Eotheiiomys 258 Eoxerus 266 Epiblema 248 Epimys 260 Episesarma 89, 161 Eremiomys 258 Erethizon 251 Ericara 232 Ei-icara salmonea 232 Ericerotles 164 Ericerus 164 Eriocheir 167 Eriochirus 167 Eriomys 248 Kripliidrs 164 Erythrosciurus 266 Ethusa 167 Ethusa mascarone americana 109 ciliatifrons 109 lata 109 mascarone 109 micropthalma 109 pubescens 109 temiipes 109, no Eucardiodon 247 Eucastor 246 Euchsetomys 266 Enchoreutes 249 Kucritus 253 Eulagos 254 Eumys 255 Eumysops 262, 263 Euneomys 255 Eupetaurus 266 Euphilus 248 Euryotis 261 Eurypanopeus 165 Eurytium 165 Eutamias 266 Eutamias affinis 207 alpinus 207 speciosus callipeplus 202 dorsalis 210 speciosus frater 202 hindsi 196 speciosus iiiyoeiisis 202, 208 merriami 197 minimus 207 townsendi ochrogeiiyg.. 195, 206 oreocetes 207 palmer! 208 286 The Biological Society of Washington. Page Eutamias pictus .................................. 190 quadrimaculatus ........................ 203 quadrivittatus ............................ 209 senex .......................................... 196 speciosus .................................... 202 townsendi ................................... 195 dorsalis utalit iisis ................. 210 Euxaiitliopsis ................................. 166 Euxanthus .................................... 159, 166 Evermann, B. W.: Catfishes of Louis iana ............................................... x Evotomys ..................................... 113, 258 Evotomys brevicaudus ........................ 129 californicus ........................... 71, 133 carolinensis.. ............................ 130 dawsoni ...................................... 121 fuscodorsalis gapped galei gapperi idahoensis gapperi loringi mazama nivarius Goiiiosoma Graphimys Graphiurus Grapsillus Grapsus 122 126 122 131 125 71, 132 136 72, 133 occidentalis .......................... 72, 134 gapperi ochraceus .................... 124 proteus ............................. 137, 239 pygmaeus ............. . ..................... 134 gapperi rhoadsi ......................... 125 rutilus ......................................... 118 gapperi saturatus ....................... 128 nngava .............................. 130, 239 wraiigeli ................................. 120 Fabia 166 Farunculus 266 Felis concolor 219 liippolestes 219 liippolestes olympus 220 Fiber 258 Fiber iiiacrodou 143 obscurus 237 zibethicus 143, 237 Fossor 245 Funambulus 266 Funisciurus 266 Galea 247 Galloway, B. T. : Effects of environ ment on host and parasite in plant diseases x Gecarcinus 161 Gecarcoidea i6r Gelasimus 154 Genyscrelus 243, 248 Geomys 251 Georychus 245 Geosciurus 266 Gerbillus 256 Gergoviomys 269 Gill, Theo.: Insufficiency of the order Bunotheria x Characters of Molinae and Ranzaniinae xii Gill, Theo., and C. H. Townsend: Di agnoses of deep-sea fishes ix New fishes from Bering Sea... 231 Glareolus 258 Glis 252 Golunda .. 260 Goneplat 167 Goneplax 167 Goniopsis 159 Page 161 262, 263 252 165 159 Greene, E. I,.: Development of the idea of a genus viii Exhibition of Viola emargi- nata and V. heterophylla ix Grypheas " viii Guerlinguetus 266 Guillinomys . 262 263 Gundi 264 Gymnomys 260 Gymnoptychus 251 Gymnuromys 255 Gyriabrus 248 Gyrignophus 262, 264 Habrocoma 264 Habrothrix 255 Haliseetus leiicocephalus alas- c-aiuis 145 leucocephalus 145 Halimus aries 157 auritus 158 Hallomys 255 Halticus 249 Haltomys 249 Hamster 243, 255 Hapalomys 260 Hapalpuotus 164 Hapalotis 260 Haplodon 245 Haplostropha 269 Hedymys 250 Helamys 265 Heligmodontia 255 Heliomys 260 Heliophobius 245 Heliosciurus 266 Heliscomys 251 Hemiotomys 258 Hendecapleura 256 Herbstia 165 Hesperomys ' 255 Heterocephalus 245 Heterogeomys 251 Heteromys 252 Heteroscmrus *66 Hill, R. T., and T. W.Vaughan: Lower Cretaceous Grypheas of Texas viii Hill, R. T.: Antillean faunas x Hippoglossoicles robustns 234 Hodomys 261, 277 Holm, Theo.: Exhibition of Fuch's ' Histoire des Plantes ' and ' Flora Danica ' vii The grass embryo ix Holochilomys 255 Holochilus 255 Holonietopus 90, 92, 161 Houtia 264 Howard, L. O.: Parasites of shade- tree insects viii Exhibition of Belostoma co- lossicum x Hyastenus 158 Hydrochaerus 247 Hydrolagus 254 Hydrorays 257 Hyperacrius 141, 258 Hypocoslus 159, 164 Hypocolpiis 164 Hypogeomys 255 Hypopeltarium 165 Index. 287 Page Page Hypudaeus 258 L,eptopodia tenuirostris 155 Hystricomys 269 Leptopus 159 Hystricops 251 Lepus : 254 Hystricotherium 253 I^epus americanus 236 Hystrix .'. 253 arizonse 147 baileyi 148 nuttalli 148 L,euciscus 166 Leucocarciiins 166 Ichthyomys 255 I,eucosia nucleus 160 Ictidotnys 190, 267 Leucosides 160 Idiurus 245 Leurocyclus 164 Inachus cornutus 159 lyimacomys 256 dorynchus 162 Limnolagus 254 longirostris 155 I,insanga 173 phalaiigium 162 I,iocarcinus 155 Indri 173 Lipura 267 Ischyromys 253 I,ispognathus furcillatus 162 Isodelta 258 thotnsoni 162 Isodon 262, 264 I,ithomys 255 Isomys 260 I^ithoscaptus 161 Isoptychus 269 I^omomys 262, 264 Isothrix 262,264 lyoncheres 262,264 Issidioromys 269 I,onchophorus 262, 264 lyophactsea 159 Lophiomys 254, 260 J Lophozozymus 167 lyOphuromys 260 Jaculus 249 I v otus americanus xi Judd, S. D. : Sexual dimorphism in l^oxomylus 246 Crustacea ix I v oxorynchus 167 Antennal circulation in Cran- L,ucas, F. A.: Exhibition of fur-seal gonyx ix skulls vii Protective adaptation of in- Mortality among fur-seals vii sects xii Fossil bison of North America xi Juniperus californica utahensis 210 I.ucas, F. A., andC. W. Stiles : A para site of the fur-seal xi Lupa forceps.. 155 K- smythianus 150 trispinosa 151 Kaempferia 165 I v iipea exasperata 150 Kannabateomys 262, 264 Impella 155 Kerodon 247 Ivyciscus cagottis 27 Kinkajpu 174 Liyeodes coiicolor 233 Kraussia 167 digitatws 232 Kraussina 167 Lynx caiiadensis 48 ruffus floridanus 49 T SMfas 50 Jj runus 49 siibsolaniis 49 I y agidium 248 I^agodus 262 I,agomys 262, 267 -M- L,agopsis 254, 262 L,agos 254 Macdoiialdia alia 232 Ivagostomus 248 louga 232 lyagotherium 254 Macrocheira 165 Ivagotis 248,265 Macrocolus 252 I,agurus 258 Macrogeotnys 251 L,ambrus pisoides 162 Macropodia longirostris 155 lyamprodon 253 rostrata 162 Laria 267 Macrotolagus 254 I^asiomys 260, 262,264 Macroxus 267 I v asiopodomys 258 Macrnrns dorsalis 233 lyasiuromys 262, 264 firmisquamis 234 Iveggada 260 lepturus 233 I,eiberg, J. B. : Delphinium virides- magiins 234 cens and Sambucus leiosperma... 39 sufoorfoitalis 234 L,eiberg, J. B., and F. V. Coville : Two Maia phalangium 155 new plants from Mt. Mazama 169 taurus 157 Leimacomys 256 Maja 159 L,eithia 267 Malacomys 260 Lemmomys 258 Malacosoma 164 Lemmus 258 Malacothrix 256 Lemniscomys '. 260 Mara 247 Lemotrys hyacinthina 65 Marcuinomys 262 I,eptodius 161 Marmosa ntitrina mexicana 44 I/eptomylus 246 oaxacse 43 I/eptopodia phalangium 155 Marmota 267 288 The Biological Society of Washington. Page Marunsipruys 262 Massoutiera 262, 264 Mastacomys 260 Mastonotus 262, 264 Medaeus 159 Megalomys 255 Megamys 248 Melissa 166 Meniscomys 267 Meriones 249. 257 Merriam, C. Hart : The Pribilof hair seal viii New method of weighing species and subspecies x Life zones ot Olympic Mts xi Revision of the coyotes 19 Two new murine opossums. ... 43 Phenacomys preblei, a new vole 45 Two new red-backed mice 71 ThesubgenusChilotus 73 Two new moles 101 Three new jumping mice 103 New muskrat 143 New cottontail rabbit 147 New fur-seal 175 New bat 179 New Bassariscus 185 The genus Eutamias 189 Eight new pocket gophers 213 New mountain sheep 217 Two new pumas 219 Five new rodents 221" New flying squirrel 225 Five new shrews 227 New elk 271 New genus and species of ro dent 277 Mesomys 262, 264 Microcavia 247 Microdipodops 253 Microlagus 254 Micromys 260 Microsciurus 267 Microtus 258 Microtus aitcliisoni 141 arvalis 68 bairdi 74 californicus 221 caiiicuudus 67 enixus 239 fertilis 141 kadiacnisis 222 mogollonensis 68 namis 68 oregoni 74 pennsylvanicus 239 ratticeps 222 serpens 75 sitkeiisis 221 unalasceiisls 222 Micrurus 258 Mictomys 238, 258 Miller, Gerrit S., Jr. : New Oregon vole 67 New bat 139 New vole from Kashmir 141 Misothermus 258 Mitsukuri, Prof.: Science in Japan ... xi Mixodectes 269 Monax 267 Morenia 262. 264 Morris, E. L.: Kxhibition of sections., xi Motter, M. G.: Underground zoology., xi Muriiius 260 Mus 260 Mus rutilus 118 Muscardinus 252 Musculus 260 Page Mussascus 258 Myarion _ 255 Mylagaulus 246 Mynomes 258 Myocastor 258, 2b2, 264 Myodes 258 Myolagus 262 Myolemmus 258 Myopotamus 262, 264 Myoscalops 245 Myospalax 262 Myotalpa 262 Myotherium 255 Myoxomys 255 Myoxus 252 Mysateles 262, 264 Mysops 253 Mystromys 255 N Nannomys 260 Nannosciurus 267 Naxia serpulifera 157 Naxioides 157 Necromys 255 Nectomys 255 Nelomys 262, 264 Nelson, H. W.: New birds from Mex ico vii Nelsouia 261, 277 Nelsouia iteotom xlou 277 Nemausa 166 Nematonurus 234 Neodon 258 Neoepiblema 248 Neofiber 258 Neomys 255 Neoprocavia 247 Neoreomys 262, 264 Neorhynchus 164 Neosciurus 267 Neotoma 261 Neotoma desertorum 278 Neotomys 255 Neptunus 155 Neptunus marginatus 149 Nerium oleander vii Nesokerodon 269 Nesokia 260 Nespmys 255 Notiomys 255 Notiosorex crawfordi 227 evotis 228 gigas 227 Notogastropus 163 Notomys 260 Nyctocleptes 268 Nyctomys 255 Oberholser, H. C. : American golden warblers ix Ochetodoii 255 Ochetomys 259 Ochotona 262 Octodon 262, 264 CEdocephalus 253 CEthra 167 Officers iii, xii Olenopsis 262, 264 Omegodus 269 Ommatostergus 268 Ondatra 259, 262, 264 Onychomys 256 Onychura , , 251 Index. 289 Page Ophthalmias 157 Ophthalmias cervicornis 157 Orchiomys 269 Oreiiiomys 261 Oreomys 261, 253 Oromys 247 Orthogeomys 251 Orthomyctera 247 Orthomys 262, 264 Orthostoma dentata 165 Orycteromys . 256, 264 Orycterus 245 Oryctolagus 254 Oryctoinys 251 Oryzomys 256 Osteopera 248 Othonia 161 Otocolobus 267 Otognosis 253 Otomys 256, 261 Otqspermophilus 267 Ovis dalli 217 IK- 1 SO 111 2l8 stonei.... 217 Oxymycterus 256 Paca 248 Pachyuromys 257 Paciculus 261 Psertuma 163 Pagurus 160 Palseocastor 246 Palseocavia 247 Palaeolagus 254 Palaeomys 246, 269 Palseosciurus 267 Palaiotrogus 270 Palaiisema 269 Palicus 93, 165 Palicus acutifrons 94 alteruatiiM 94, 95 aiigustus 94, 97 bahamensis 94, 98 cristatipes 93 cursor 95 dentatus 94 depressus 94, 97 dilatata 95 faxoiii 94, 96 fragilis 95 gracilipes 94 gracilis 95 granulatus 93 isthmius 94, 97 obesus 94 sica 94, 97 tuberculatus 94 zonatus 94 Palmer, T. S. : Nomenclature of four genera of mammals 173 Names of rodents 241 Palmer, Win.: Type (?) of a new-old species ix Palmista 267 Paludicola 259 Panolax 254 Panopeus 165 Pappogeomys 251 Paradoxomys 270 Paramys 253 Paranqmys 262, 264 Parasciurus 267 Parasesarma 90 Paraxerus 267 Parthenope 159, 160 Pectinator 262, 264 Page Pedetes ................................................. 265 Pedomys .............................................. 259 Pelamys ........... ................................... 256 Pellegrina .................................... 262, 264 Pelocarcinus ....................................... 161 Pelomys .............................................. 260 Peltarion .............................. .............. 165 Pericera .............................................. 157 Perimys .............................................. 248 Perisesarma ....... ................................. 89 Perodipus .......................................... 253 Perognathus ........................................ 253 Peromyscus ............................ 223, 256, 261 Peromyscus californicus ............... 223, 278 macrorhinus ............................... 223 sitkensis .................................. 223 Perrieromys ........................................ 269 Petaurista ........................................... 267 Petromus ..................................... 262, 264 Phaiomys ............................................. 259 Phalangium esculentum ..................... 65 quamash .................................... 64 Phalangipus ........................................ 159 Phanomys ......................................... 250 Phenacomys ............................... ... 77, 259 Phenacomys celatus .......................... 84 iiiteriuedius ................................ 79 latimanus ................................... 83 longicaudus ................................ 85 oramqiitis .................................. 80 orophilus .................................... 80 preblei .................................. 45) 82 truei ........................................... 80 ungava .................................. 84, 239 Philyra.. .............................................. 160 Phloeomys ........................................... 261 Phractomys ......................................... 254 Phtoramys ................................... 262, 264 Phugatherium .................................... 247 Phycodes ............................................. 164 Phyllomys ..................................... 262, 265 Phyllotis ............................................ 256 Piaropus crassipes.. ........................... x Pika ........................................ ; ...... 243) 262 Pinemys .............................................. 259 Pinus jeffreyi ....................................... 57 monophylla ................................ 210 ponderosa scopulorum .............. 210 Pisa .................................................... 161 Pisa aurita .......................................... 157 Pitho .................................................. 161 Pitymys ............................................. 259 Pithauotomys ............................... 262 265 Pithecheir .......................................... \ 260 Pithecochirus ...................................... 260 Plagiodontia ................................. 262, 265 Planes clypeatus ................................. 162 Platacanthomys .................................. 252 Plataeomys ................................... 262, 265 Platycercbmys ................................... 249 Platj'geomys ....................................... 251 Platyodpn ............................................ 262 Platyonichus ....................................... 158 Platypodia .......................................... 158 Platypodia granulosus ........................ 159 Platypyga ............................................ 248 Platythrix .................................... 262, 265 Plectrochoerus ..................................... 251 Plesiarctoni3's ..................................... 267 Plesispermophilus .............................. 267 Pleurolicus .......................................... 23 Plexochoerus Pliolagostomus Podohuenia Podqphthalmus Poecilomys Poephagomys 247 248 165 167 262, 265 262, 265 Pogonomys .......................................... 260 Pollard, C. I,.: Type in botany ............ viii 290 The Biological Society of Washington. Page Pollard, C. L. : A publication problem, xi Portumnus latipes 159 Portunus 155, 160 Portunus pelagicus 160 Potamarchus 248 Potamys 262, 265 Potos 174 Praotherium 254 Praticola 259 Prea 247 Procardia 250 Procardiatherium 247 Procavia 247 Prolagus 262 Prolagostomus 248 Prosopisjuliflora xi Protechimys 269 Protechynus 270 Protoptychus 270 Protoxerus 267 Psammomys 257, 259 Psammoryctes 262, 265 Pseuderiphia 164 Pseudoconomys 260 Pseudomys 260 Pseudoneoreomys 262, 265 Pseudosciurus 265 Pseudostoma 251 Pseudotomus 253 Psoralia tenuiflora xi Pteromys 267 Pterotix 267 Ptyssophorus 261 Puccinia graminis avenae viii graminis tritici viii Puffinus assimilis ix, 69 auduboni 70 elegans 70 obscurus 70 subalaris 70 Putorius cicognani 240 Pygeretmus 249 Pyria 164 Pyromaia.... 167 Quamasia cusickii 64 esculenta 64, 65 howellii 65 hyacinthina 65 leichtlinii 63 quamash 64 Raia obtusa 231 iuterrupta 232 rosispiuis 231 Haplioiiotus 166 Rathbun, M. J.: American Sesarmse... 89 American species of Ethusa... 109 New species of Cancer and note on Sesarma in African crabs of genus Calli- nectes 149 Nomenclature of Brachyura... 153 Rattus 261 Ratufa 267 Reithrodon 256 Reithrodontomys 256 Rheithrpsciurus 267 Rhinpsciurus 267 Rhipidomys 256 Rhithrodon 256 Rhithrosciurus 267 Rhizomys 268 Page Rhodia 165 Rhogeesa mluiitilla 139 tumida 139 Rhombomys 257 Rhynchomys 261 Richardson, Harriet : New species of Sphseroma 105 New genus and species of Sphaeromidse 181 Rithrodon 256 Romerolagus 254 Roosevelt, Theo. : Remarks x Rukaia 268 Ruscinomys 262, 265 Saccomys 253 Saccophorus 251 Saccostomus 261 Saimiri 174 Salacia 164 Sambucus callicarpa 41 leiosperma 40 melanocarpa 41 pubens 41 Scapaims alpinus 102 californicus 101 townseudi 101 trtiei 102 Scapteromys 256 Scarturus 249 Scavia 247 Scilla angusta 65 esculenta 65 fraseri 65 Schistomys 250 Schizodon 262, 265 Sciamys 251 Scirtefa 249 Scirtetes 249 Scirtomys 249 Scirtopoda 249 Sciuravus 253 Sciurodon 265 Sciuroides 265 Sciuromys 253 Sciuropterus 225, 268 Sciuropterus alpinus 225 alpinus fuliginosus 225 alpimis kliiiiiathi-iisis 225 Sciurus 146, 268 Sciurus hudsoiiicus californicus... 146, 282 douglasi 282 fremonti 146 hudsonicus 240 mearnsi 146 mogollonensis 146 orarius 281 Scleromys 262, 265 Scotaeumys 248 Sesarma sequatorialis 112 africana 89 americana 90 angusta 91 angustipes 90 barbimana 90 beuedicti 90 bidentata 89 bromeliarum 90 cinerea 90 crassipes 90 curacapensis 89 guerini 91 liaiist-iii 91, 92 miersii 90, 91 miniata 91 mulleri 9 Index. 291 mic syringe Bacterial diseases of plants Page Sesarma occidentalis 90 recta 90 reticulata 89 ricordi 91 roberti 90 rubripes 90 sesarma 90 stimpsoni 90 sulcata 90 Sigmodon 256 Sigmodontomys 256 Sigmogoniphius 246 Simia sciurea 174 Simotes..... 259 Simpson, C.T.: Classification of Unios. ix Sincetherus 251 Siphtieus 262 Sisyphe 164 Sisyphus 164 Sitocodium esculentum 65 Sitqmys 256 Sminihus 249, 250 Smith, E. F. : Disease of cruciferous plants x Exhibition of a new hypoder- xi xi Sorex caudatus 229 gocimaui 229 macrodon 228 oreopolus 228 personatus 240 salviui 229 sclaleri 228 stizodon 229 ventralis 229 Spalacomys 261 Spalacopus 262, 265 Spalax 268 Spaniomys '. 262. 265 Spermophilopsis 268 Spermophilus 268 Spermosciurus.. 268 Sphseramys 248 Sphseroma 182 Sphseroma destructor 105 vastator 106 Splienomerides 164 Sphenomerus 164 Sphiggomys 248 Sphiggurus 251 Sphodromys 248 Steatomys 256 Steiromys 251 Steneofiber 246 Steneotherium 246 Stenocionops cervicornis '157 Stenopus 159 Stenorynchus , 167 Stenorynchus phalangium 158 seticornis 158 Stereodectes 268 Stichomys 262, 265 Stiles, C. W.: The honorary Ph. D xii International committee on nomenclature xi Stiles, C. W., and F. A. I^ucas : A par asite of the fur-seal xi Strata 247 Strophostephanos 248 Sus sethiopicus 174 tajagu 174 Swingle, W. T.: Exhibition of algse... vii Syllophodus 253 Sylvicola 259 Sylvilagus 254 Synaptomys 259 Synaptomys innuitus 238 Synetheres 251 65 BIOL Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 Tachyoryctes .. Tseniodus Page 268 269 243, 268 203 203 257 Talpoides Tamias 200 Tamias asiaticus 189 dorsalis 210 macrorhabdotes quadrimaculatus Tamiasciurus 268 Tapeti 254 Tapirus americanus 174 Tatera Tatu iiovemcincta Tatusia 173 Tayassu patira 174 pecari 174 Taxymys 253 Tecticeps 181 Tecticeps alascensis 182 Tenomys 261 Tenotis 268 Teonoma 261 Terricola 259 Tetramerodon 259 Tetraodon 161 Tetrastylus 248 Thelphusa fluviatilis 161 Theridomys 269 Tliersaiidrus 164 Thia 166 Thomasomys 256 Thomomys 213, 251 Tliomomys alpiiius 216 angular is 214 bulbivorus 213 fulyus 214, 216 laticeps 215 leucodoii 215 ma za i it s 214 monticolus 214 iiasicns 216 iievadensis 213 operarius 215 quadrat us...* 214 Thrichomys 262, 265 Thrinacodus 262, 265 Thryonomys 262, 265 Tillomys 253 Titanomys 262 Tourteau 160 Townsend, C. H.: Alaskan live mam moth story viii Distribution and migration of the fur-seal viii New eagle and new squirrel... 145 Townsend, C. H., and Theo. Gill : Diagnoses of deep-sea fishes ix New fishes from Bering sea... 231 Trechomys .' 269 Tretomys 261 Triaulacodus 262, 265 Tribodon 262, 265 Tricardia 250 Trichia 166 Trichys-. 253 Tricium 254 Trilophomys 261 Trinodontomys 256 Trogontherium 246 Tucanus 251 Tylomys 256 Tylonyx 259 Tympaiiomerus 164 Typhlodon 268 Typhlomys 252 Typhlpryctes 245 Tysonia marylandica 9 292 The Biological Society 0} Washington. Page Uca una 154 Ucldes 154 Ucides cordatus 154 Unios ix Uromys 261 Vandeleuria 261 Vaughan, T. W.: Eocene corals of the United States ix Vaughan, T.W., and R. T. Hill: Lower Cretaceous Grypheas of Texas viii Vesperimus 256 Vesperomys 256 Vespertilio pallidus 179 Vesperugo parvulus 139 Viola emarginata ix heterophylla ix Page White David : Exhibition of carbon iferous ferns xi Xaiva ocellata 158 Xaiithias 165 Xantho 161 Xanthodes 165 Xanthodius 161 Xenomys 261, 278 Xeromys 257 Xerospermophilus 268 Xerus 268 Yerbua , 250 W Waite, M. B.: Pear blight ix New peach and plum disease., xi Ward, Lester F.: Exhibition of Pro- sopis juliflora, Psoralea tenui- flora, and Lotus americanus xi New species of Cycadeoidea, viii, 1-17 White, David : Type specimens in paleontology vii A new Lycopodineous cone.... viii Exhibition of eroded pebbles., x Zalasius 166 Zalophus 176 Zapus 103, 249, 250 Zapiis limlsuiiiiisalascensis 223 hudsonius 103, 223, 237 triiiotatus moiitaiius 104 pacificiis 104 teuelliig 103 trinotatus 223 Zosimus 167 Zozymus 167 Zygodontomys 256 Zygogeomys 251 > PROCEEDINGS OF THE Biological Society of I ashington VOLUME XII 1898 WASHINGTON PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY 1898 COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS ('.. HART MERRIAM, Chairman T. S. PALMER F. H. KXCUVLTnX ui r , JY. rnrr/ .)U1)1> & 1)K'1'\VK11,KK, I'l'illt.'l CONTENTS Page Officers and committees for 1898 v Proceedings vii-xii Notes on Fishes Collected by E. W. Nelson on the Tree Marias Islands and in Sinaloa and Jalisco, Mexico, by B. W. Ever- mann 1 _3 New Birds from the Tres Marias Islands, by E. W. Nelson 5-11 Mammals of the Tres Marias Islands, by C. Hart Merriam 13-19 A New Species of Evotomys from British Columbia, by Vernon Bailey '. 21-22 A New Deer (Dorcelaphus texanus) from Texas and Northern Mexico, by Edgar A. Mearns 23-20 Three New Fresh-water Crabs of the Genus Potamon, by Mary J. Rathbun , 27-30 Two New Skunks of the Genus Mephitis, by Outram Bangs 31-33 The Newfoundland Otter and Red Fox, by Outram Bangs 35-38 A New Parasitic Isopod of the Genus j<7 from the Southern Coast of the United States, by Harriet Richardson 39-40 The Areturidte in the U. S. National Museum, by James E. Ben edict 41_51 Two New Isopods of the Genus Idotea from the Coast of Califor nia, by James E. Benedict 53-55 New Birds from Mexico, with a Revision of the Genus Dactyl- orti/x, by E. W. Nelson 57-68 Six New Ground Squirrels from the Western United States, by C. Hart Merriam ... 69-71 A New Rodent of the Genus Idinrus, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. . . . The Eastern Races of the American Varying Hare, by Outram Bangs A New White-footed Mouse from the Mount Baker Range, Brit ish Columbia, by Outram Bangs 83-84 Eleven New Species and Subspecies of Voles, by Vernon Bailey. 85-90 A New Raccoon from Nassau Island, Bahamas, by Outram Bangs 91-92 A New Fox from Santa Marta, Colombia, by Outram Bangs. . . . 93-94 A New Murine Opossum from Margarita Island, by Outram Bangs 95-96 A New Rabbit from Margarita Island, Venezuela, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr 97-98 The Earliest Generic Name for the North American Deer, with Descriptions of Five New Species, by C. Hart Merriam 99-104 Two New Subgenera and Three New Species of Microtus from Mexico and Guatemala, by C. Hart Merriam 105-108 Random Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera , by T. S. Palmer 109-114 Twenty New Species and a New Subgenus of Peromyscus from Mexico and Guatemala, by C. Hart Merriam . . 115-125 A New Genus (Neotomodon) and Three New Species of Murine Rodents from the Mountains of Southern Mexico, by C. Hart Merriam 127-129 Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia, by OutramBangs 131-144 New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America, by E. AV. Nelson 145-156 (iii) iv Contents and Illustrations. Page Birds from Pueblo Viejo. ( 1 ia, by Outram Hangs 157-160 New Mammals from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colom bia, by Outram Bangs 161-105 A New Race of the Little Harvest Mouse from West Virginia, by Outram Bangs 167-1 68 A New Weasel from the Queen Charlotte Islands, B. C., by Ed ward A. Preble 169-1 70 Birds from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, by Outram Bangs 17 1-182 Sciurus variabilis from the Santa Marta Region of Colombia, by Outram Bangs ". 183-186 A New Rock Vole from Labrador, by Outram Bangs 187-188 A New Sigmodon from the Santa Marta Region of Colombia, by Outram' Bangs '. . . . 1 89-190 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES I. Potamon abbotti Rath bun. II. Potamon macropux Rathbun and /'. lei-icerric Rathbun. TEXT FIGURES I'MiiV Figure 1 . -Ega eearumta 39 2. Legs of JEga, ecarinata 40 3. A returns feildeni 44 4. Arcturus lonaispinit. 45 5. A returns glabrus 46 6. Arcturns bcrinyicnius 40 7. .-I rrfiiriix h'Hiiixpinis 47 8. .-1 return* innltispini* 48 9. .-I return* )iinrdochi 49 10. Astacilla diomedeic 51 1 1 . Astue'dlu. cceca , 51 12. Idotea rostrata 54 1 3. Idotea stenops 54 14. Bills of Guiraea cJiiapensis and Guiruca eceridea eurhyncha. 62 15. Front foot of Idiurus macrotis 74 10. Base of tail of Idiurus macrotis 74 17. Ear of Idiurus macrotis 74 . 18. Skull of Tdiurus macrotis 75 19. Teeth of Idiurus macrotis 75 20. Skull of Megadontomys (Jtotnaxi . . 125 OFFICERS AND COUNCIL OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON For 1898 (ELECTED DECEMBER 18, 189?) OFFICERS President L. O. HOWARD Vice- Presidents RICHARD RATHBUN B. E. FERNOW CHAS. D. WALCOTT FREDERICK V. COVILLE Recording Secretary CHARLES L. POLLARD Corresponding Seer eta ry F. A. LUCAS Treasurer F. H. KNOWLTON COUNCIL WM. H. ASHMEAD GEORGE M. STERNBERG* WILLIAM H. DALL* CH. WARDELL STILES THEODORE GILL* FREDERICK W. TRUE EDWARD L. GREENE M. B. WAITE C. HART MERRIAM* LESTER F. WARD* CHARLES A. WHITE* STANDING COMMITTEES 1898 Committee on Communications B. E. FERNOW, CJi((irian FREDERICK V. COVILLE M. B. WAITE E. A. DE SCHWEINITZ W. H. ASHMEAD Committee on Publications C. HART MERRFAM, Chairman T. S. PALMER F. H. KNONVLTON * Ex-Presidents of the Society. (V) VOL. XII, PP. vn-xii DECEMBER 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PROCEEDINGS, The Society meets in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club on alternate Saturdays at 8 p. m. Brief notices of the meetings, with abstracts of communications, are published in Science. January 7, 1898 Special Meeting. The President, Dr. L. 0. Howard, delivered the annual address at Columbian University on the topic, ' The Gypsy Moth in Massachusetts: A Great Experiment in Economic Entomology.'* January 15, 1898 285th Meeting. The President in the chair and 51 persons present. C. Hart Merriam discussed a recently issued biography of Audubon. The program for the evening consisted of a symposium on the topic, k Recent Additions to our Knowledge of the Cell,' with the following speakers: Frank Baker, D. G. Fairchild, H. J. Webber, and W. T. Swingle. The communications were illus trated by diagrams and lantern slides. January 29, 1898 2B6th Meeting, The President in the chair and 24 persons present. The following communications were presented : William Palmer: The Birds of the Pribilof Islands.f *Bull. No. 11, New Series, Division of Entomology, U. S. Dept. of Agri culture. f Avifauna of the Pribilof Islands,' to be published as a chapter in the Report on the Fur Seal Islands, by David Starr Jordan, U. S. Treasury Department. (vii) viii The Biological Society of Washington. L. 0. Howard: The European Hornet in America. The remainder of the evening was occupied with an informal discussion on the classification of birds, F. A. Lucas, Theodore Gill. \V. H. Ashmead, and William Palmer participating. February 12, 1898 287th Meeting. The President in the chair and 27 persons present. L. O. Howard exhibited specimens of Mantidse and Locus- tidae collected by Dr. W. L. Abbott at Trong, Lower Siam, com menting particularly on the prevalence of aggressive resem blances among tropical Mantids. The following communications were presented : E. A. De Schweinitz : The Treatment of Animal Diseases with Antitoxic Serums.* 0. P. Hay: The Protospondyli and Aethiospondyli of A. S. Woodward.f Theodore Gill : Classification of the Astacoidean Crustaceans. February 26, 1898 288th Meeting. The President in the chair and 57 persons present. The evening was devoted to a symposium upon the topic, ' The Teaching of Biology,' with the following speakers : E. L. Morris, W. H. Dall, Erwin F. Smith, Theodore Gill, H. J. Web ber, B. W. Evermann, Ch. Wardell Stiles, and Edward L. Greene. March 12, 1898 289th Meeting. The President in the chair and 26 persons present. Theodore Gill exhibited and discussed a new text-book on zoology by Parker and Haswell. M. B. Waite gave an illustration of fasciation in the black locust. The following communications were presented : Ch. Wardell Stiles : Practical Suggestions in Regard to Trichi nosis. Erwin F. Smith : Migula's ' System der Bakterien.' F. C. Kenyon : Some Recent Advances in our Knowledge of the Nervous System. *To be published as a Import of the Bureau of Animal Industry, f Am. Nat, XXXII, No. :-',77, pp. 341-349, May, 1898, under the title, ' Classification of the Amioid and Lepisosteoid Fishes. Proceedings. ix March 26, 1898 290th Meeting. The President in the chair and 45 persons present. The evening was devoted to a symposium on ' The Compara tive Value of Factors Influencing the Distribution of Life,' with the following speakers : C. Hart Merriam, L. O. Howard, W. H. Dall, F. V. Coville, Theodore Gill, B. E. Fernow. B. W. Ever- mann, and F. W. True. April 9, 1898 291st Meeting. Ex-President Theodore Gill in the chair and 28 persons present. Vernon Bailey exhibited specimens of sticks cut by beavers, explaining the methods pursued by the animal in this operation. The following communications were presented : O. P. Hay : Observations on the Cretaceous Fishes called by Professor Cope ' Portheus.' 1 * W. H. Osgood : Notes on the Natural History of the Farallon Islands. (Illustrated by lantern slides.) William Palmer: A Phase of Feather Repigmentation. April 23, 1898 292d Meeting. Ex-President W. H. Dall in the chair and 65 persons present. Charles L. Pollard exhibited the fruit of Poinciana regia and of Cvesalpinia bonducella, commenting on their occurrence in south Florida. The following communications were presented : C. Hart Merriam : Life Zone Conformities in the Distribution of Oregon Ground Squirrels. Ernest Seton Thompson : The Personality of Some of Our Wild Animals. (Illustrated by lantern slides.) May 7, 1898 293d Meeting. Vice-President B. E. Fernow in the chair and 60 persons present. The topic for the evening was ; The Fauna and Flora of the Florida Keys,' illustrated by lantern slides, the speakers being O. F. Cook, E. L. Morris, and Charles L. Pollard.f * Zoological Bull., 2, No. 1, pp. 25-54, 1898. f A portion of the topics discussed in this communication will form the basis for a report to be published in Contr. U. 8. Nat. Herb. IT BIOL. Soc. WASH., You XII, 1898 x The Biological Society of Washington. May 24, 1898 294th Meeting. The President in the chair and 20 persons present. The following communications were presented : F. C. Kenyon : Recent Experiments on the Nervous System of Arthropods, their Significance, and the Problems that Remain Unsolved. Nathan Banks: The Scorpions of the Eastern United States.* Gilbert H. Hicks : The Vitality of Seeds. H. J. Webber: Researches on the Reproduction of Cycada- ceous Plants. October 22, 1898 295th Meeting. The President in the chair and 37 persons present. E. L. Morris commented on the frequency with which speci mens of Colocasia esculenta in cultivation in Washington had bloomed during the past summer. He also cited a case of morn ing flowering in Cereus grandiflorus. T. A. Williams noted the occurrence of a rare lichen, Hydro- thyrid mwsa, at several localities in the West. T. S. Palmer spoke of Neomylodon, an alleged living representa tive of a family of extinct edentates. The following communications were presented : J. N. Rose: Proposed Rearrangement of the Subfamily Aga- vese. (Illustrated by numerous living plants.) f F. A. Lucas: The Fossil Bison of North America, with De scription of a New Species. J A. J. Pieters : Problems of Aquatic Vegetation. Gilbert H. Hicks : The Effect of Certain Fertilizers on the Germination of Seeds. November 5, 1898 296th Meeting. The President in the chair and 42 persons present. F. V. Coville exhibited a piece of lava from Mt. St. Helens? bearing the impression of the bark of a pine. *To l>e published probably in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. t To be published in Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb, t To be published in Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. \ To be published as a Bulletin of the Division of Botany, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture. Proceedings. xi Albert F. Woods exhibited some leaves skeletonized by the small fresh-water crustacean Cypridopsis. H. J.Webber noted the occurrence of seed production in some seedlings from a sport of Clarkia pulchella. The following communications were presented : D. G. Fairchild : The Dutch Botanical Gardens at Buiten- zorg, Java. (Illustrated by numerous photographs.) L. 0. Howard : The Outbreak of the Fluted Scale in Portugal and Its Results .* Chas. T. Simpson : The Destruction of the Pearly Fresh-water Mussels. f F. A. Lucas: The Occurrence of Mammoth Remains on the Pribilof Islands. J November 19, 1898 297th Meeting. The President in the chair and 31 persons present. E. L. Morris gave an account of the ascent by a small snake of the polished nickel surface of a vertical stand-pipe. F. W. True exhibited a copy of an entomological journal pub lished in Japan, stating that it was probably the first journal of this nature issued in that country. L. 0. Howard exhibited posters prepared by the German gov ernment describing and figuring the Colorado potato beetle and the San Jose scale, and also one issued by the Russian govern ment describing a destructive Russian grain beetle, Anisoplia austriaca. The following communications were presented : Cleveland Abbe: Climate and the Corn Crop. H. J. Webber: A Comparison of Types of Fecundation of Flowering Plants. December 3, 1898 298th Meeting. The President in the chair and 40 persons present. Upon invitation Professor A. D. Hopkins, of West Virginia, addressed the Society briefly, explaining a new method of illus trating specific and generic relationships by means of diagrams. *Tobe published as Bull. 18, New Series, Division of Entomology, T)ept. of Agriculture. t Substance embodied in a paper to be published by the U. S. Fish Commission. J To be published in Science. xii The Biological Society of Washington. The following communications were presented : Charles L. Pollard : Floral Asymmetry in Chamsecrista. H. J. Webber: The Affinities of Casuarina. 0. F. Cook : Four Categories of Species.* December 17, 1898 299th Meeting. (NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING.) The President in the chair and 32 persons present. The annual reports of the Recording Secretary and Treasurer for the year 1898 were presented, and officers for the year 1899 were elected as follows : President Frederick V. Coville. Vice-Presidents Wm. H. Ashmead, Ch. Ward ell Stiles, B. W. Evermarin, F. A. Lucas. Recording Secretary H. J. Webber. Corresponding Secretary O. F. Cook. Treasurer F. H. Kn owl ton. Additional Members of the Council C. L. Marlatt, T. S. Palmer, Charles L. Pollard, F. W. True, M. B. Waite. The following standing committees were appointed by the Chair : On Communications}?. A. Lucas, chairman : Wm. H. Ash- mead, L. H. Dewey, E. A. De Schweinitz, A. F. Woods. On- Publications C. Hart Merriam, chairman ; T. S. Palmer, F. H. Knowlton. To be published in the American Naturalist VOL. XII, PP. 1-3 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON FISHES COLLECTED BY E. W. NELSON ON THE TRES MARIAS ISLANDS AND IN SINALOA AND JALISCO, MEXICO. BY BARTON WARREN EVERMANN, Ichthyologist, U. S. Fish Commission. While engaged in collecting other objects of natural history in Mexico during the summer of 1897, Mr. Nelson obtained a few fishes, which were submitted to the writer for identification and report. The collection contains four species, one of which proves to be new. The specimens were obtained at Rosario, Ixtapa, La La- guna de Juanacatlan and the Tres Marias Islands. Rosario is situated about 80 miles southeast from Mazatlan and about 18 miles from the sea. The specimens from that place were obtained from freshwater pools left by the drying up of that portion of the Rosario River. The exact locality was about 15 miles above tide. Ixtapa is in the State of Jalisco, on the Ixtapa River, about 12 miles above the head of the Bay of Banderas. The specimens from Maria Magdalena Island came from the interior about 250 feet above tide level, from a small stream which communicates with the sea during the rainy season. Those from Maria Cleofa came from a small freshwater stream close to the sea, but com municating with it only in wet weather. Maria Magdalena and Maria Cleofa islands are the two most southern of the Tres Marias group, situated about 60 miles off the coast of Jalisco. La Laguna de Juanacatlan is in the Sierra de Juanacatlan, in west ern Jalisco, at an altitude of 6,500 to 7,000 feet. 1 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (I) 2 Evermann Notes on Fishes of Mexico. This collection, though small, is of interest, in that it increases our knowledge of the distribution of the species, and probably indicates a close relation between the freshwater fish fauna of the Tres Marias Islands and that of the adjacent mainland. - LIST OF SPECIES. Family Atherinidse. The Silversides. 1. Chirostoma humboldtianum (Cuvier & Velenciennes). The collection contains 5 specimens of this species. They do not differ materially from specimens from the City of Mexico, the type locality. Head 3J to 4 in length of fish ; depth 4 to 5 ; eye 3f to 4 in head ; snout 3 to 3J. Dorsal IV-I, 10 to 12 ; Anal I, 10 to 19; scales 46, 13 to 15 in a transverse series. Family Mugilidae. The Mullets. 2. Agonostomus nasutus Giinther. The collection contains one specimen from Ixtapa, 3 from Maria Mag- dalena, and 2 from Maria Cleofa. The specimen from the mainland agrees well with those from the islands. The specimens are from 2| to 4^ inches in length and present the fol lowing measurements: Head 3i to 4; depth 3f to 4 ; eye 3J to 4 in head ; snout 3| to 4 ; interorbital width 2| to 3i ; maxillary 3}- to 3. Dorsal IV-I, 8 ; Anal II, 9; scales 42 or 43, 11 in transverse series. Type locality, Rio Geronimo, Central America. Family Cichlidae. The Cichlids. 3. Heros beani Jordan. Kleven specimens of this common species obtained at Rosario, July 27, in the same pools from which the specimens of Aivaous nelsoni were taken. Head 2| ; depth 2 ; eye 4; snout 2 r 9 . Dorsal XV, 11 ; Anal V, 7; scales 6-30-11; pores in lateral line 19 -j- 11. Type locality, Mazatlan, Sinaloa. Family Gobiidae. The Gobies. 4. Awaous nelsoni, new species. The collection contains 8 specimens of a goby which proves to be an undescribed species of Awaous. Type locality, Rosario River, at Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico. Collector, E. W. Nelson, July 27, 1897. Type No. 48836, U. S. Nat. Mus. Cotypes Nos. 48837, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; 533 U. S. Fish Comm. ; and 5793, L. S. Jr. Univ. Mus. Collector's No. 839. Notes on Fishes of Mexico. 3 Awaous nelsoni Evermann. Head 3| ; depth 6 ; eye 5| in head ; snout 3 ; maxillary 2|. D. VI-11 ; A. 11 ; scales about 63. Body long, compressed, and tapering posteriorly ; head large, quadrate ; mouth large, nearly horizontal, lower jaw in cluded ; snout abruptly decurved ; top of head flat, the interorbital with a slight median groove with a thin, raised edge on each side ; maxillary reaching about to vertical of anterior edge of pupil. Teeth in bands on jaws, very small, the outer somewhat enlarged. Pectoral rays normal, the longest 1J in head ; ventrals completely united, the disk free from belly, If in head. Dorsal fins separated by a space about f diameter of eye ; dorsal spines slender, weak, about If in head ; soft dorsal and anal similar, each free from caudal ; caudal fin rather short and rounded, its middle rays about Ij- in head. Inner edge of shoulder girdle with 3 der mal papillae ; gill-membranes broadly united to the isthmus ; eye mod erate, high up, the interorbital width equal to the eye's diameter. Scales ctenoid, very small, and irregularly crowded anteriorly, much larger posteriorly, about 15 rows counting from origin of soft dorsal downward and backward to the anal fin ; head naked, but with slight indication of a few minute embedded scales on opercles. Color grayish ; head mottled and blotched w r ith dark ; side with 7 or 8 black blotches, the largest under middle of pectoral fin ; dorsals pale, crossed by several lines of black spots ; caudal pale, with about 6 or 7 dark cross-bars ; ventrals and anal pale ; pectorals pale, dusted with dark specks and with a small dark blotch at base of upper rays. Length, 4 inches. The 7 specimens taken as cotypes do not show any considerable varia tions from the type. The more important variations are indicated in the following description : Head 3f to 3f ; depth 5 to 6 ; eye 5 to 6 in head ; snout 2| to 3. D. VI-11 ; A. 10 or 11 ; scales 60 to 70. The number of scales seems to be the most unstable character, but this is partly due to the difficulty of counting them accurately. They are so crowded and irregularly arranged anteriorly as to make definite counting impossible. Awaous nelsoni seems most closely related to A. taiasica (Lichtenstein), from which it differs in the larger scales on posterior part of body, the broader interorbital, the longer snout, and the darker coloration. I take pleasure in naming this interesting species for Mr. Edward Wil liam Nelson, the well-known ornithologist, in recognition of his early work upon the fishes of Illinois, in 1874-'5. VOL. XII,. PP. 5-11 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BIRDS FROM THE TRES MARIAS ISLANDS, WESTERN MEXICO. BY E. W. NELSON. The specimens upon which the present paper is based were obtained by myself and my assistant, Mr. E. A. Goldman, on the Tres Marias Islands, off the west coast of Mexico, during May, 1897. Our visit there was a continuation of the work carried on in Mexico by the Biological Survey of the Department of Agri culture. Special efforts were made to secure series of the resident land birds, in which we were quite successful. The study of these series, in connection with our collection from the adjacent main land during the same season, indicates that most of the resident land birds of the islands, not already described, differ in a more or less marked degree from their nearest mainland relatives. In most cases the island birds cannot be considered more than geo graphical races, .although a few differ sufficiently to be treated as species. Not a single species has been found on the islands which has not a closely related form on the mainland. The bird fauna as a whole will be treated in detail in a paper now in course of preparation. Previous work on the Tres Marias may be briefly summarized as follows : In 1865-1867 the group was visited three times by Colonel A. J. Grayson, who made extensive collections of birds for the Smithsonian Institution. From these collections a number of new species and subspecies have been described at various times by Baird, Cassin, Lawrence, and Ridgway. In addition, Von 2-Bioi, Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (5) 6 Nelson New Birds from Western Mexico. Madarasz has described a Vireo from a collection made there in 1881 by Mr. A. Forrer. Mr. Xantus is supposed to have visited the islands during his stay on the west coast of Mexico, but we have no definite information in regard to his trip. I am indebted to Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Biological Survey, for the opportunity to prepare the present paper. My thanks are due also to Mr. Robert Ridgway, Curator, and Dr. Chas. W. Richmond, Assistant Curator, of Birds in the U. S. National Museum, for continued favors during the progress of my work on Mexican birds. All of the birds described below, except the Magdalen a Wren, which seemed to be restricted to Magdalena Island, were taken on Maria Madre Island, and probably occur on the other islands also. All measurements are in millimeters. Columba flavirostris madrensis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Pigeon. Type No. 156698, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., $ ad., Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 13, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description. Differs from typical C. flavirostris in somewhat larger size ; decidedly larger and longer bill and generally paler colors ; lower border of greater wing coverts broadly margined with white as in Columba gym- nophthalma. Dimensions of type: wing, 209; tail, 138; culmen, 17; tarsus, 26. Average measurements of Columba flavirostris. <$ (4 specimens) : wing, 195.5; tail, 123.5; culmen, 13.7; tarsus, 24.7. 9 (3 specimens): wing, 193; tail, 120.6; culmen, 14.1; tarsus, 25.3. Average measurements of C. flavirostris madrensis. tf (4 specimens) : wing, 202.7; tail, 129; culmen, 15.7; tarsus, 27.1. 9 (3 specimens): wing, 201; tail, 127; culmen, 16.6; tarsus, 26.3. A single specimen from the islands lacks the white margins on the greater wing coverts, but has all the other characters of the insular race, such as the large bill and pale colors. This is the only one among a do/en or more specimens examined which lacked this marking. The mainland yellow-billed pigeon not infrequently has a narrow margin of white on the borders of the greater coverts, but I have never seen one in which this character is so striking as on the ordinary island birds. Leptotila capitalis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Dove. Type No. 156709, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 18, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 11040. Characters. Size rather large ; tail long and scant haired ; ears medium ; color dull pale fulvous; skull without superciliary ridges. In general, similar to P. spidlegus Allen, but much larger, with longer tail and shorter ears. Color. Upper parts pale dull fulvous (almost ochraceous buff) with an indistinct darker dorsal band on posterior half of back ; under parts, lips and feet white ; a salmon or fulvous pectoral spot or streak usually pres ent; a dark spot on upper side of ankle ; eyelids dark; ears essentially same color as body ; tail dark above and at tip all round ; whitish below. Cranial characters. Skull rather flat and smoothly rounded; rostrum elongate ; no supraorbital ridges. Compared with P. spidlegus, its nearest known ally from the mainland of Mexico, the skull of P. madrensis is larger, the brain case decidedly broader and flatter ; the molar series of teeth actually of the same length (relatively shorter) and somewhat broader. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 222; tail vertebrae 119; hind foot 26. Average of 12 specimens from type locality : Total length 224 ; tail vertebra 120 ; hind foot 26. Remarks This mouse, according to Mr. Nelson's notes, is the most com mon rodent on the islands. He says: " Specimens were taken on all three islands. They were generally distributed in the forest above the shore belt which is infested by land crabs, and were found more com monly about the fig trees on the high interior ridge of Maria Madre than elsewhere." Specimens from Cleofa Id. are larger than those from Maria Madre Id. (average of 3: total length 229.5; tail vertebrae 120; hind foot 27.8) and have larger and heavier skulls. Two specimens from Magda- lena Id. have a pale saffron-yellow wash on the belly, probably due to staining. Mus rattus Linn. Introduced Rat. Mr. Nelson states that this introduced rat, of which he brought back two specimens, was found in small numbers over most parts of Maria Madre Id., where it lives in the forest like the native mice. Lepus graysoni Allen. Tres Marias Cottontail. Lepus graysoni Allen, Monog. N. Am. Rodentia, 347-348, 1877. Type from Tres Marias Ids. , Mexico. Mr. Nelson obtained 16 specimens of this very desirable rabbit. He states that the species occurs abundantly on the two larger islands, Maria Madre and Magdalena, and the small San Juanito, and is reported to occur on Maria Cleofa Island also. Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. 17 Procyon lotor insularis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Raccoon. Type from Maria Madre Island, Tres Marias Ids., Mexico. No. 88978 cT old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 10, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 10985. Characters. Similar to P. lotor and hernandezi but smaller and paler ; ears smaller and only slightly marked at base ; top of head grayer. Cranial characters. Skull in general similar to those of P. lotor and her- nandezi but relatively shorter ; frontals at and behind plane of postorbital processes broader ; squamosal arm of zygornatic arch more expanded ver tically; mastoid processes decidedly shor er and thicker; pterygoids squarely truncate anteriorly and of even breadth throughout (as seen from below), instead of tapering anteriorly to a thin point or scale as in both lotor and hernandezi ; audital bullse slightly smaller than in hernan dezi, decidedly smaller and less inflated than in lotor. Dental characters. Premolars somewhat larger and more crowded than in lotor ; upper carnassial as in lotor smaller than in hernandezi; first upper molar about the same size as in lotor and similar in form, smaller than in hernandezi and much less quadrate. Measurements. Type specimen $ ad. : Total length 854 ; tail vertebrae 286; hind foot 132. An adult ? : Total length 735; tail vertebra 232; hind foot 126. Average of 5 adult males from type locality : Total length 841 ; tail vertebra 287 ; hind foot 131. Remarks. Mr. -Nelson found the Raccoon common on the two larger islands, Maria Madre and Maria Magdalena, but saw no signs of them on Maria Cleofa although told that they occur there sparingly. ? Zalophus callfornianus (Lesson). Sea-Lion. la the absence of positive knowledge as to the identity of the Tres Marias seal, it is referred provisionally to the above species. It is of course possible that the Guadalupe fur-seal ( Arctocephalus townsendi) may occur here also. Mr. Nelson's notes contain the following: "A large seal or sea-lion, called lobo marino or sea wolf by the Mexicans, was reported to occur at several places on the rocky shores of Maria Magdalena and Maria Cleofa Islands. We heard of them first before leaving San Bias and again when we reached the islands. From the accounts received it was evident that they had been hunted for sport by various visitors until they had become comparatively scarce. We made careful inquiries, and, after learning of the location of the places most frequented by them on both islands, vis ited these places under the guidance of a tortoise-shell hunter who was very familiar with the shore. Only a single seal was seen ; it was on a rocky islet off the shore of Maria Cleofa, and took to the water and dis appeared before we could get a shot. Our guide informed me that at times the seals disappear from the islands for a few days, and this may account for our failure to find them in their usual haunts. The consensus of opinion among the residents of Maria Madre Island was that these animals are now very scarce. Formerly they were found at many places, 18 Merriam Mammals from Tres Marias Islands, but at present a rocky point on the northwest side, and a jutting reef on the south side of Maria Magdalena Island, and some islets off the west shore of Maria Cleofa, are the landing places used by the remnants of the considerable number that once lived here. They are doubtless doomed to speedy extinction." Rhogeessa parvula H. Allen. Tres Marias Rhogeessa. Rhogeessa parvula H. Allen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 285, 1866. Type from Tres Marias Ids., Mexico. A single badly mutilated specimen of this little known bat was shot on Maria Madre Id., where, according to Mr. Nelson's notes, it is " not un common in the forest." Myotis nigricans (Maximilian). Maximilian's Black Bat. Mr. Thomas states that " a specimen of this species was obtained by Mr. Forrer in the Tres Marias Islands." (Biologia Central!- Americana, Mammalia, 206. 1881.) Otopterus mexicanus (Saussure). Big-eared Bat. Macrotus mexicanus Saussure, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 2e ser. XII, 486-487, 1860. Type from Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico. This large long-eared bat is very common on Maria Madre Id., where Mr. Nelson collected 52 specimens. He found it in the daytime in two or three caves, and also in an old unused warehouse. The females were heavy with young at the time of his visit (May, 1897). I have compared Mr. Nelson's Tres Marias specimens with specimens collected by him near the type locality of Saussure' s l Macrotus mexicanus' in the State of Morelos, Mexico, and find no tangible differences except that the ears of the island specimens are slightly the larger. I have also compared both series with a fine series of topotypes of Otopterus bnlleri (H. Allen) from Bolaiios, Jalisco, and am unable to find any characters on which the latter form can stand. Glossophaga mutica sp. nov. Tres Marias Glossophaga. Type from Maria Madre Id. , Tres Marias Ids. , Mexico. No. 89271 $ ad. , U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 8, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Grig. No. 10976. Characters. Similar to G. soricina (Pallas) and G. truei H. Allen, but differing in proportions and color reddish brown instead of gray or sooty. Color. Fur of upper parts with basal | dull white ; apical J dull cinna mon brown ; underparts similar but much paler. Cranial and dental characters. In the absence of authentic skulls of G. soricina and truei for comparison it is impossible to differentiate the cranial characters of G. mutica. The rostrum is rather broad, flat, and swollen ; a rounded protuberance over each orbit marks the junction of the rostrum with the braincase ; the braincase is abruptly elevated and Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. 19 strongly inflated and arched ; the basisphenoid is strongly keeled along the median line and its posterior fourth is abruptly elevated and has a pocket or fossa on each side between the audital bullse, and on the same plane with the basioccipital ; the zygomatic arches are slender, nearly parallel, rods ; the upper canines divaricate so strongly that they are con spicuous when the skull is viewed from above ; the premolars are narrow and well spaced ; the molars are small and weak. Measurement* of type specimen, $ ad. : Total length (in flesh) 65 mm. ; tail vertebrae (in flesh) 8 ; [following measurements from dry skin] fore arm 35.5 ; metacarpal of 3d (longest) digit 35.5 ; tibia 14 ; ear from ante rior basal angle 9 ; tragus from outer base 4.5. Remarks. Mr. Nelson obtained 37 specimens of this new Glossophaga on Maria Madre Id., where he found it inhabiting caves. Many of the females contained partly developed embryos. Choeronycteris mexicana Tschudi. Tschudi's P>at. Cheer onycteris mexicana Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, I, 72-73, 1844. Type from Mexico. "An immature specimen of this somewhat rare species is contained in Mr. Ferrer's Tres Marias collection." (Mr. Thomas in Biologia Centrali- Americana, 207, 1881). As already suggested, it would be worth while to reexamine this specimen with reference to the possibility of its being Glossophaga mutica. Lasiurus borealis mexicana (Sauss.). Mexican Red Bat. Atalapha mexicana Saussure, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 2e ser. XIII, 91, March, 1861. Type from Mexico. This species was not obtained by Mr. Nelson, but is recorded by Thomas (under the old name Atalapha frantzii) as collected by Forrer on the Tres Marias. (Biologia, Mammalia, 205, 1881.) ? Phocaeiia communis Lesson. Common Porpoise. Mr. Nelson states that "a porpoise, supposed to be this species, was common around the shores of the Tres Marias Islands, and also in bays and at the mouths of streams or lagoons along the coast of the mainland. They were always seen in the belt of shallow discolored water within a short distance of shore. As soon as the blue water was reached, with a depth of over 40 fathoms, the other species, Prodelphinus longirostris, was encountered. The present species was seen in schools of from ten to thirty or forty individuals swimming in loose order. At Maria Madre they came into the bay and close along shore early in the morning." Prodelphinus longirostris (Gray). Long-nosed Porpoise. Mr. Goldman shot a porpoise 12 to 15 miles off the islands, which Mr. F. VV. True has kindly identified as Prodelphinus longirostris (Gray). Mr. Nelson states that there were probably 200 in the school from which this specimen was secured, and that a number of such schools were seen between San Bias and the islands. VOL. XII, pp. 21-22 JANUARY 27, 1698 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW SPECIES OF EVOTOMYS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA. BY VERNON BAILEY. Since the publication of my revision of the genus Evotomys in the Proceedings of the Biological Society last May,* a large series of specimens has been collected in the Pacific Coast region from northern California northward into British Columbia. The known ranges of several species have been considerably extended, and one form, inhabiting the low coast country of southern British Columbia, proves to be undescribed. It seems to be entirely dis tinct from neighboring species and worthy of full specific rank. In external characters it most nearly resembles E. wrangeli, but in cranial characters shows the opposite extreme of develop ment in the short, wide skull. With its geographically nearest neighbors, E. occidentalis and E. saturatm, on the south, it shows no close affinities, being distinguished from them at a glance by its very short tail and smaller size. Evotomys caurinus sp. nov. Type from Lund, east shore of Malaspina Inlet. British Columbia. No. 89460, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 18, 1897, by Edward A. Preble. Original No. 2147. Geographic distribution. The coast region of British Columbia east of the Strait of Georgia and south to the Frazer River. General characters. Size rather small ; colors dark ; tail very short ; skull short and wide, with narrow rostrum and rather small audital bullse. Color. In summer : dorsal area well denned, dark, rich, chestnut dark- *Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XT, 113-138, May 13, 1897. 4 HIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII. 1898 (21) 22 Bailey New Species of Evotomys from British Columbia. ened with black tipped hairs; sides sepia gray tinged with pale buff; spots over side glands of males whitish or dusky ; face clear dark gray ; belly washed with whitish or rarely buffy ; ears dusky, scantily haired ; tail bicolor, chestnut or dusky above with blackish tip, buffy below ; feet soiled whitish or slightly dusky. In winter: dorsal area brighter, more rufescent than in summer ; sides clearer gray. Young : darker than adults, with dusky bellies, feet and tails. Cranial characters. Skull short and wide with spreading zygomata and very narrow nasals and rostrum ; nasals truncate posteriorly and ter minating even with ends of premaxillae ; audital bullse small and flat tened compared with those of occidental is or saturatus, about equal to those of wmiigeli but wider and flatter ; incisors small and slender ; molars small and crowded longitudinally ; anterior loop of second and third upper molars usually indented ; middle pair of triangles usually confluent in each lower molar. Measurements of type specimen. (Measured in flesh by E. A. Preble) : total length, 135 ; tail vertebrae, 34 ; hind foot, 18. Average of 5 adults from type locality: total length, 135; tail vertebrae, 36; hind foot, 18. Skull of type: basal length, 21; nasals, 6.2; zygomatic breadth, 13.3; mastoid breadth, 10.8 ; alveolar length of upper molar series, 4.9. Remarks. The type series of 10 specimens shows only summer pelage and young; a specimen taken at Agassiz, B. C., Dec. 6, is in nearly full winter pelage. VOL. XII, PP. 23-26 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW DEER (DORCELAPHUS TEXANUS) FROM TEXAS AND NORTHERN MEXICO. BY EDGAR A. MEARNS. The small white-tailed deer of Texas differs so materially in size, proportions, coloration, and cranial characters from the other members of the Dorcelaphus americanus* group as to necessitate its separation. It may be known by the following description : Dorcelaphus texanus new species. Texan Deer. Type from Fort Clark, Kinney County, Texas. No. 4288, author's col lection.! Adult male. Collected December 25, 1897, by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns. General characters. Size small; ears relatively small, with black on edges and tip ; horns small and strongly incurved ; limbs relatively short ; molar and premolar teeth very large; general color pale; coat fine and long. *In the Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, vol. X, February, 1896, page 25, Mr. Outram Bangs reverted to the specific name americanus with the following remark : " The name Cervus virginianus Boddaert is so well known and has stood for our eastern deer so long that it seems like sacrilege to change it, but it is antedated by seven years by Erxleben's name Cervus dama americana. Erxleben proposed this name on page 312 of his Syst. Regni Animalis, Mammalia, 1777. In a separate paragraph at the end of his article on Cervus dama he asks if americanus is different, as supposed by Pennant (Differtne vere americanus vti Pen. nanto videtur ?). He quotes a part of Pennant's description and gives synonomy , so that the name will have to stand. He gives its distribution as Virginia and Carolina." t The type and other specimens collected will be placed, as soon as pos sible, in the collection of the U. S. National Museum, at Washington, D. C. 5 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (23) 24 Mearns A New Deer from Texas and Northern Mexico. Color. In the type, which is in complete winter coat, the upper sur-. face is superficially a pepper-and-salt mixture of black, yellowish white, and gray. A distinctly blackish area begins anteriorly on the crown, be tween the horns and ears, and extends posteriorly almost to the root of the tail. The color gradually pales to light yellowish ash on the sides. All of the hairs of the upper surface are white at extreme base, plumbe ous ash in the middle, black apically, and subterminally ringed with yel lowish white, these whitish annuli increasing in width from the verte bral area downwards. Under surface pure white 011 the axillee, inner surface of thighs, and abdomen; fuliginous on the chest. Tail white below, black above, the black of the upper surface much obscured by broad yellowish brown subterminal annuli to the hairs. Head, with naked nose-pad, and front of under lip, plumbeous-black. Iris yellowish hazel. Upper jaw white anteriorly, next to the naked muffle, becoming light ash further back, with an intervening area of black, which latter forms a triangular area, with its base applied to the posterior margin of the nostril and its apex crossing the middle of the upper lip and extend ing over the under jaw to form a small black spot behind the pure white chin. Throat white, mixed with ash where the basal coloring of the hair is exposed, between the white tips. Upper side of head black, much obscured on the forehead by dirty white and reddish subterminal annuli. Orbits and base of ear externally whitish. Concavity of ear densely clothed with long white hair; convexity tipped and bordered by black, except at base anteriorly, the black enclosing an area of pepper-and-salt gray ; base of ear posteriorly clear ash-gray. Sides of head ash-gray, thickly annulated with whitish. Brows and bristles about eyes all black ; those about muzzle black and white. Limbs reddish fawn, more or less mixed with gray and black anteriorly, whitish or pale fawn color pos teriorly, and white around hoofs and between toes. Hoofs plumbeous, horn color where worn off at apex. The metatarsal gland, which meas ures 15 mm. in length, is surrounded by a tuft of reversed hair, which is white in the middle, bordered by dark brown. A young male, an old female, and a young female (Nos. 4289, 4290, and 4291, author's collection) killed with the type December 25, 1897, and also in full winter pelage, agree essentially in coloration with the adult male described above, except that the ears and crown of head are blacker, and the light annulations on the upper side of the tail nearly or quite wanting, leaving that part clear black. The summer coat, as usual, is reddish. Horns. The horns of the type approach those of the Sonoran deer, Dor- celaphus couesi (Cones and Yarrow), in size and form. There are two basal snags, one directed upward and backward (length 75 mm.), and one for ward (length 37 mm.), with four additional points to each horn, making twelve points in all. The length of the beam, measured to end of anterior point, following the curves of the horn, is 440 mm. The horns are symmet rical, their longest points measuring 175 mm. in height. The beam is strongly curved upward, forward, and inward, the tips of the anterior tines A New Deer from Texas and Northern Mexico. 25 approaching within 70 mm. of each other. The total expanse of the horns is 330 mm. ; the circumference of beam, at base, 80 mm. Measurements of type. Length, measured from end of muzzle to end of last caudal vertebra, 1585 mm. ; tail vertebrae, 265 (to end of hairs 345) ; ear from crown, 160 ; ear from base of opening, 140 ; girth of chest, 800 ; from tip of nose to angle of mouth, 90; to eye, 152; to center of pupil, 170 ; to base of ear, 225 ; to base of horn, 220 ; to occiput, 280 ; diameter of eye, 26 ; fore limb, from coracoid process of scapula to end of hoof, 700; from olecranon, 575; length of manus, 325; hind limb, from knee- joint to end of hoof, 625 ; length of pes, 430 ; height of animal at shoulder, 880; height at hips, 900; from great trochanter to coracoid, 710. Cranial and dental characters. The skull is narrow, with elongate nasals. That of the type, an old male in which the permanent premolars are con siderably worn, presents the following measurements : basilar length (basion to front of premaxillary), 244 mm.; zygomatic breadth (across middle of orbits), 114; occipito-nasal length, 208; least interorbital breadth, 71 ; greatest length of nasals, 81 ; greatest breadth of nasals, 31 ; least breadth of nasals, 18.5; greatest diameter of orbit, 38 ; length of upper lateral tooth-row, 24. The skull of an old female (No. 4290, author's collection) presents these dimensions : basilar length, 241 mm. ; zygo matic breadth, 96; greatest length of nasals, 81; greatest breadth of nasals, 26 ; greatest diameter of orbit, 35. In the type specimen the nasal and premaxillary bones are separated by a space of 10 mm., which is occupied by a forward arm of the maxillary. In a young male (No. 4289, author's collection), having three points and a basal snag to each horn, the nasal and premaxillary bones barely meet. In an old female (No. 4290, author's collection) and a yearling female (No. 4291, author's collection), the premaxillaries articulate broadly with the nasals. Remarks. Numerous skins of this deer from Texas, and Mexico south to San Luis Potosi, have been examined and found to agree in size and coloration with those above described. The horns vary within ordinary limits; but those of the type represent the usual size and form, except that there is more often but one basal snag. The bucks weigh in the neighborhood of 100 pounds, and the does about 75 pounds. While the Texan deer differs sufficiently from the white-tailed deer of southern Mexico and Central America, as well as from the forms recog nized in the United States, to warrant its separation, the available mate rial is insufficient to furnish a reliable indication as to its intergradation with them. Therefore, for the present, it is proper to regard it as a species. Comparisons. The type locality of Dorcelaphus americanus (Erxleben) was given as Virginia and Carolina. Compared with specimens from that general region, D. texanus is found to differ in being much smaller and paler, with actually as well as relatively heavier dentition. Between the ranges of these two, a very different form is interposed in the low lands of Louisiana. The Floridan deer, Dorcelaphus osceola (Bangs) is even darker in color than D. americanus. Compared with the present form, it is larger, with 26 Mearns A New Deer from Texas and Northern, Mexico. relatively longer limbs, larger horns, smaller teeth, and more elongate rostrum. DorccfaphxM macrourus (Rafinesque) is a large pallid form of the northern plains region, characterized by restriction of the dark, and corresponding expansion of the light areas. It has widely branching, often scraggy horns, very different from those of D. texanus. The only remaining deer of the United States requiring comparison with the small Texan species is the Sonoran deer, Dorcelaphus couesi (Coues and Yarrow), a still smaller and more pallid animal, having much larger ears, on which the black edging and tips were wanting. The den tition of D. texanus is much heavier, and the tail considerably shorter, than in D. couesi. The only Mexican deer with which the present form requires compari son is the animal that has been known by the specific name mexicanx*. This name was first applied by Gmelin.* According to Dr J. A. Alien,! " the Cervus mexicanus of Gmelin, however, is a vague composite species, only in part referable to Deer from Mexico, and in all probability has no relation to the little Sonoran Deer described by Baird.".| The name mexicanus may, however, be regarded as fixed to a deer of southern Mex ico, very different from the Texan deer, by Lichtenstein, who described and figured the species g from specimens sent alive to Berlin, in 1825, by Herr Graf, from ' Mexico,' without indication of the exact locality at which they were taken. *Syst. Nat., I, 1788, p. 179. fBull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist, VII, June 29, 1895, p. 200. J Kept. Pacific R. R. Expl. and Surveys, VIII, Mammals, 1857, pp. 653-655, pi. XXIV, fig. 2. g Darstellung, 1827-34, pi. XVIII. PR06. BIOL 606. WASH., XII, 1898 PL. I Potamon abbotti Rathbun. VOL. XII, PP. 27-30 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW SPECIES OF FRESH WATER CRABS OF THE GENUS POTAMON* BY MARY J. RATHBUN, Of the three species here described, one is a typical Potamon, in which the postfrontal crest is. developed but interrupted ; the other two belong to the subgenus Geothelphusa^ without a post- frontal crest. The first, P. abbotti^ is from the Malayan Peninsula, and is related to a group of Indian species described by Wood- Mason. The second, P. (Geothelphusci) levicervix, was taken at the Loo Choo Islands with P. (.) dehaanii (White) and P. ((7.) oblusipes (Stimpson), by a Japanese collector, Mr. F. Sakamoto, and forwarded to the U. S. National Museum by Mr. Garrett Droppers. The third species, P. (6r.) macropus, is notable as being the first member of the subgenus taken on the west coast of Africa. The other African species of Geothelphusa are Potamon (Geothelphusa) berardi (Savigny) from Egypt, P. (6r.) socotrensis (Hilgendorf) from Socotra, and P. ((7.) emini (Hilgendorf) from Victoria Nyanza. This last has faint indications of a crest, but so also has P. dehaanii (White), which is one of the two original species of Geothelphusa. On account of the presence of this feeble crest in P. dehaanii, it were better to consider P. obtusipes (Stimpson) as the type of the subgenus Geothelphusa. Potamon abbotti sp. nov. PI. I. Cervical suture obsolete ; sabbranchial regions distended Laterally ; merus oj maxillipeds as long as wide. * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti tution. 6 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (27) 28 Ratlibun Three New Species of Fresh-water Crabs. Carapace rather narrow, about four-fifths as long as broad, very con vex in an antero-posterior direction, nearly level transversely in the widest part. Surface granulate and punctate, anterior and antero-laterul portions tuberculate or rugose. Cervical suture obsolete, except its poste rior third. Postfrontal crest interrupted, tuberculate. Protogastric lobes oval, depressed, in advance of the remainder of the postfrontal crest and separated from it by a sulcus behind the inner angle of the orbit ; the outer portion of the crest is concave forward and subparallel to the orbital margin, and terminates laterally in an acute epibranchial tooth, 2 mm. behind the orbital tooth. Behind the epibranchial tooth there is a raised tuberculate and convex margin extending half-way back on the carapace. The carapace is swollen laterally outside of and beneath this margin. Front (fig. 2) about one-fourth the entire width of the carapace ; lower margin straight, sides oblique. The median suture is not continued in front of the protogastric lobes. Frontal and orbital margins strongly rimmed. Superior orbital margin sinuous ; outer tooth broad, acute, separated from the crenulated inferior margin by a deep rounded sinus. Subbranchial regions crossed obliquely by short tuberculated rugse which extend up to the postero-lateral margins. Suborbital region sparsely tuberculated on its posterior half. The sides of the penultimate segment of the abdomen of the male are convex; terminal segment with slightly sinuous margins (fig 3). Maxillipeds (fig. 4) with merus as long as wide, outer margins oblique, converging anteriorly. Chelipeds unequal in both sexes, very rough. Outer surface of merus rugose ; margins with blunt teeth. Carpus rugose, a very strong inner tooth with denticles beneath . Hands very rough on the outer side, less so on the inner side. Fingers bent down, those of larger hand gaping a little at base. Ambulatory legs long and narrow. Dimensions. Male, length 35.5 mm., width 44, width between margins 41.5, inferior width of front 10.4; female, length 30 mm., width 37.5, width between margins 36, inferior width of front 9.5 mm. Type locality. Trong, Malay Peninsula ; Dr. W. L. Abbott, 1896 ; one male, three females (U. S. Nat Mus. No. 20641). This species approaches nearest to P. pealianus (Wood-Mason) of Sib- saugor, Assam, but is separated from it by a number of prominent charac ters, viz., obliteration of cervical suture, swollen subbranchial area, elon gate merus of the maxillipeds, slenderer legs, and narrower carapace. Potamon (Geothelphusa) levicervix sp. nov. PL II, figs. 5-8. Postfrontal crest and cervical suture obsolete ; epibranchial tooth blunt ; legs long and narrow. Carapace about three-fourths as long as broad, thick, very convex in a longitudinal direction, and less convex although distinctly and regularly so in a transverse direction. Surface smooth and punctate, with a few larger depressions on the anterior half. Cervical suture obsolete. Branchio- cardiac depressions deep. Postfrontal crest absent ; protogastric lobes in- PROC. BIOL. SOC. WASH., XII, 1898 PL. II FIGS. 1-4. Potamon macropus Rathbun. 5-8. Potamon leviccrvix Rathbun. Three New Species of Fresh-iuater Crabs. 29 dicated only by depressions in front of their normal position. Epibran- chial tooth 7 mm. from the orbit, very broad, obtuse, its outer margin a curve continuous with the curve from the tooth to the orbit, tooth bounded anteriorly by a broad notch. Equidistant from this notch and from the orbital angle and directly behind the latter is a deep transverse and some what triangular depression. Antero-lateral margin tuberculate ; subbranchial region visible outside the margin as a narrow rim. Front about one-fourth the width of the carapace, margin nearly straight and not visible in a dorsal view ; the median suture does not extend to the margin. Orbits oblique in a front view (fig. 6), superior margin sinuous, directed outward and forward in a dorsal view, outer angle prominent, acute. Inferior regions of the cara pace smooth, punctate ; subcervical groove very deep. In the abdomen of the male (fig. 7) the sides of the sixth segment are oblique, of the seventh sinuous. The merus of the outer maxilliped is broad, with regularly rounded antero-lateral outline (fig. 8). Chelipeds very unequal. Merus with outer surface and upper and outer margins somewhat rugose ; inner and lower surfaces and inner margin smooth. Carpus slightly roughened, with a stout, triangular, blunt inner tooth, below which is a low swelling ; anterior half marked by an irreg ular longitudinal depression. Larger hand very wide and thick, slightly rough, the raised lines forming reticulating lines which are punctate, the punctae connected by minute impressed lines ; space enclosed by the lines of a darker color; fingers long; pollex bent at an angle of 45 with the palm ; fingers gaping to the tips. Smaller hand punctate, almost smooth and without conspicuous color marks ; fingers slightly bent and little gaping. Ambulatory legs very long ; surface slightly rough ; merus joints with entire margins ; carpal joints with a few spinules at the distal extremity ; propodal joints with upper margins spinulous in the first and fourth pairs, distal and lower margins more or less spinulous in all. Dimensions. Male, length 48.5 mm., width 63.3, width between mar gins 61.5, width 'of front below 14.2. Type locality. Loo Choo Islands ; F. Sakamoto ; one male (IT. S. Nat. Mus. No. 20642). This species comes nearest to P. (G.) transversus von Martens, but is so different that they cannot be confused. The form of the abdomen and legs alone sufficiently differentiates them. Potamon (Geothelphusa) macropus sp. iiov. PI. II, figs. 1-4. Postjrontal crest obsolete ; cervical suture present ; epibranchial tooth acute ; ambulatory legs long and narrow. Carapace very convex antero-posteriorly, slightly so transversely ; about one-third broader than long ; branchial regions much swollen laterally ; posterior width greater than exorbital width. The surface is very finely granulate, and covered with small punctae visible to the naked eye. The sutures of the carapace are shallow and the surface along their 30 Rathbun Three New Species of Fresh-water Crabs. boundaries is drawn in fine wrinkles. The cervical suture if continued would cross the orbital margin at its middle. The protogastric lobes are small but prominent. The front is about one-fourth the width of the carapace, deflexed, deepest in the middle, margin sinuous. The orbits are inclined obliquely downward and outward (fig. 2) ; superior margin sinuous and directed forward and outward, terminating at the outer angle in a prominent acute tooth. Margin of front and superior margin of orbit strongly rimmed. Inferior margin of orbit crenulate. Epibranchial tooth small, tuberculate, situated as far from the tip of the>orbital tooth as half the width of the orbit; and succeeded on the lateral margin by small irregular tubercles for about half the length of the branchial region. Subbranchial region visible laterally outside the branchial margin and cov ered with short oblique granulated ridges. Suborbital area comparatively smooth, but with fine scattered granules ; jugal area coarsely tuberculate. The ischium of the outer niaxillipeds (fig. 3) has a deep median furrow and large punctse ; merus rougher, slightly longer than wide, and its an- tero-lateral margin is obtusely rounded. The sixth abdominal segment of the male (fig. 4) is longer than the seventh and its proximal margin is convex, so that the fifth segment is longer laterally than in the middle. Chelipeds very unequal. Meri elongate; margins armed with strong teeth ; lower surface near antero-distal angle furnished with a stout down ward-projecting tooth. The carpi are covered with granulated rugse and the inner margin is spiiious, the distal spine much the larger; outer in ferior angle with a dow T nward-pointing tooth. The propodi are covered with minute scabrous granules, among which are scattered larger gran ules set in punctse ; inner surface rougher than the outer. Pollex bent down. Both fingers deeply grooved ; prehensile edges armed with very irregular blunt teeth ; little gaping, the projections of the one finger in general fitting into the cavities of the other. Ambulatory legs very long ; meral joints compressed, upper margins spinulous ; both margins of the propodal joints spinulous. Dimensions. Length 23.5, width 32, exorbital width 20.2, posterior width 23.2, width of front 8.8 mm. Type locality. Mouth of Mesurado River, Monrovia ; O. F. Cook ; one male (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 20643). EXPLANATION OF PLATES. PL. I. Potamon abbotti. Fig. 1. Dorsal view, X f . 2. Front view, X |. 3. Abdomen of male, X If. 4. Outer maxilliped, X If. PL. II. Potamon macropus and levicervix. Fig. 1. P. macropus, dorsal view, X f. 2. Front view, X f. 3. Outer maxilliped, X 1J. 4. Abdomen of male, X 1. 5. P. levicervix, dorsal view, X J. 6. Front view, X *. 7. Abdomen of male, X f . 8. Outer maxilliped, X f. VOL. XII, pp. 31-33 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SKUNKS OF THE GENUS MEPHITIS. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Mephitis spissigrada sp. nov. Type from Sumas, B. C. No. 3699, $ adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected September 30, 1895, by Allan C. Brooks. General characters. Externally, with much the general appearance of M. hudsonica and M. occidentalis, large size and long tail, peculiar to all the skunks of this group. Heel densely hairy ; skull differing from that of either M. hudsonica or M. occidentalis in having a very short palate, the end falling at or forward of a line across posterior alveoli of last upper molars ; palate ending in an even curve (like that of M. hudsonica and M. mephitica mephitica) without reentrant notch (as in M. occidentalis) or median spine (as in M. mephitica scrutator and M. elongata). Color. As usual in the hudsonica group. Black all over, with white frontal stripe, nuchal patch, and lateral stripes extending from nuchal patch to and down sides of tail ; the long white hairs of sides of tail over lie the shorter hairs and fall to the end of the blunt brush-like terminus of the tail. Measurements. Total length. Tail vert. Hind foot. No. 3699, type, 9 adult 640 240 75 No. 3700, topotype, $> adult 610 230 75 No. 5548, topotype, j 1 old adult ... 270 85 Skull. Type, 9 a( i- Basal length 68 ; occipi to nasal length 69.6; zygo- matic breadth 49. 6; mastoid breadth 41 ; greatest length of single half of mandible 50. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of M. hudsonica and M.. occi dentals, but differing from both these in being shorter and broader and having shorter rostral region and shorter palate, the end of palate falling at or anterior to a line drawn across posterior alveoli of last upper molars 7 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XIg68l '] (31) 32 Bangs Descriptions of Two New Skunks. (in M. hndsonica and M. occidentalis the end of the palate falls well behind such a line). From M. occiden/alis it differs still farther in having larger, rounder audital bullae and the palate ending in an even curve (M. occi dentalis having a reentrant median notch), and from M. hudsomca in having much shorter, broader rostrum, wider nasals, and wider, flatter frontals. Remarks. Mr. Allan C. Brooks has sent me three skins and skulls and one extra skull (tf old ad.) of this form, all collected by himself at Sumas,* British Columbia. The species belongs to the very distinct //m/.so/m-a group, but seems different enough from either hudsonica or 'occidentalis to merit separation, though it may intergrade with both of them. Mephitis avia sp. nov. Type from San Jose, Illinois, No. 5747, $ adult, coll. of E. A. & 0. Bangs. Collected March 10, 1897 ; skinned, measured, and sexed by H. H. & C. S. Brimley. General characters.- Size rather small ; tail very short ; foot of medium length ; heel clothed with long hairs along the sides, a narrow medial strip naked ; colors as usual. Skull peculiar. Color. Black all over, except white frontal stripe, nuchal patch, and two lateral stripes extending back from nuchal patch. Tail very short and bushy, black externally, most of the hairs white at base. Measurements. Total length. Tail vert. Hind foot. No. 5747, type, tf adult 675 190 65 No. 5783, topotype, $ adult 607 177 65 Skull. The type tf adult. Basal length, 62 ; occipito nasal length 65 ; zygomatic breadth 44.6; mastoid breadth 35.4; greatest length of single half of mandible 46.4. Cranial characters. Skull short and heavy ; highly arched in frontal region; palate broad at end and without median spine; zygoma broadly expanded at posterior end, then slanting abruptly forward (very different in shape from the more even curve seen in M. mephiticr, M. scntfatoo, etc.) ; mastoid and paroccipital processes very much reduced ; mastoid bullse very large and much inflated ; (these two last characters give this part of the skull somewhat the appearance of the skull of Spilogale.) Sagittal crest high ; dentition normal, with the exception of upper carnassial tooth, which is unusually large. Remarks. Mephitis avia needs comparison with but one form, its nearest geographical ally, M. mephitica scrutator. It differs very much from that form in many ways. The short tail, the broad palate without median spine, the large much inflated mastoid bullse, and peculiarly shaped zygoma distinguishing it. I have a fine adult female skunk from Denver, Indiana, that is in every way exactly like examples of M. mephilcia scrutator from Massachusetts Descriptions of Two New Skunks. 33 and Connecticut. So that it is probable that the range of M. avia does not extend very far to the east of the type locality. Undoubtedly it is the form of the central prairie region, being replaced in the north by M. hudsouica and in the east by M. mephitica scrutator. Scrutator apparently reaches the height of differentiation in Louisiana. The series of skunks from Cartville and Point aux Loups Springs, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, from which I selected the type of M. mephitica scrutator, shows about the proportion of tail to total length found in specimens from the central Atlantic States. They are smaller, however, than ex amples from Massachusetts and Connecticut, and have smaller, lighter skulls and weaker dentition. Although they do not approach very nearly the larger, shorter-tailed M. avia with its heavy peculiar skull, still it is possible that intergradation may take place somewhere. VOL. XII, PP. 35-38 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF THE NEWFOUNDLAND OTTER AND RED FOX. BY OUTRAM BANGS. The following descriptions of the otter and the red fox of New foundland are based on material collected by Ernest Doane, now in the Bangs collection. Of the otter, he has sent a fine pair of adult skins with skulls, and two extra skulls; of the fox, six skins with skulls, and nine extra skulls. In addition to these I have examined a large series of unsexed otter skulls from New foundland in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge. Lutra degener sp. nov. Type from Bay St. George, Newfoundland, No. 6965, tf young adult, Coll. of 1C. A. & O. Bangs. Collected April 23, 1897, by Ernest Doane. General characters. Size small, tail short, skull small and weak, with very light zygoma and narrow frontal and rostral regions. Color. Deep, lustrous seal brown to black all over, except cheeks, upper lips, chin, and under side of neck, which are grizzled brown, palest on cheeks ; under fur light grayish brown at base and gradually darkening to deep rich brown at tips. Cranial characters. Skull as compared with that of L. hudsonica small and weak ; whole frontal and rostral region narrow ; postorbital pro cesses long and slender ; distance from last upper molar tooth to end of pterygoid process short; zygoma short and very slender ; audital bullje small ; dentition normal. Measurements. tf young adult (type) ; total length 998; tail vertebrae 358 ; hind foot 126. $ old adult, (topotype) No. 6966. Total length 990 ; tail vertebrae 352 ; hind foot 109. Skull, tf young adult, (type); basal length 94.6; zygomatic breadth 66.8; mastoid breadth 60; interorbital constriction 22,2; greatest con- 8 BIOI,. Soc. WASH., Voi,. XII, 1898 (35) 36 Bangs- The Newfoundland Otter and Red Fox. striction behind postorbital processes 18.8; distance across postorbital process 32.4; last upper molar to end of pterygoid process 26 ; foramen magnum to end of palate 46.4 ; greatest length of single half of mandible 63.2. 9 old adult (topotype) No. 6966; basal length 95. 4; zygomatic breadth 70; mastoid breadth 63; interorbital constriction 22.8 ; greatest constric tion behind postorbital processes 19.4; distance across postorbital pro cess 33.6 ; last upper molar to end of pterygoid process 26.8 ; foramen magnum to end of palate 46.6; greatest length of single half of mandible 65.8. Remarks. The characters that separate Lutra hudsonica and Lutra degener are constant and well marked so far as my series goes. I have fine skins and skulls of L. hudsonica from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, but unfortunately have seen but one skull, an imperfect one, from Labrador, though otter are common there. I believe the Newfoundland otter is an island species, though I cannot be sure of this; possibly it occurs also in Labrador, as otter might easily swim the distance that separates Newfoundland from the continent if they so chose. Henry Reeks, however, says of the Newfoundland otter:* "Both traders and settlers make two varieties or species (?) of the Newfound land otters: one, which is called the 'country otter/ and principally fre quents inland brooks and rivers, has the fur of a beautiful shining dark liver-brown, almost black on the back, while the other variety, called the 'salt-water' otter, is said (for I was unfortunate in not getting a specimen) to have the fur of a rusty brown color and to be considerably larger tban the 'country otter,' although the skin is not nearly so valu able, rarely realizing more than three or four dollars, whereas good skins of the smaller and darker variety fetch from five to seven dollars." Perhaps the ' salt-water ' otter may be true L. hudsonica that occa sionally visits the shores of Newfoundland and does not intermingle with the resident form there, L. degener. Vulpes deletrix sp. nov. Type from Bay St. George, Newfoundland. No. 6967, 9 middle-aged adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected April 24, 1897, by Ernest Doane. General characters. Size rather small ; tail short; hind foot very large; feet and hands densely hairy beneath and armed with extremely long and stout claws ; ears large, very woolly, and rounder than the ears of V. pennsylvanica. Color very variable ; in ' red phase ' pale ocher yellow (like the prairie fox). Skull but slightly different from that of V. pennsyl vanica; dentition very strong, the carnassial tooth in particular being very large. * Zoologist, March, 1870, page 2037. The Newfoundland Otter and Red Fox. 37 Color.* Type in ' red phase.' Pelage extremely long and loose. Upper parts pale ocher yellow, to straw color, becoming darker and more rusty oh inside of flanks, about shoulder, and on sides of face. Under parts dull white, including a narrow border to upper lip, the color of the upper parts extending down over sides and nearly meeting across middle of belly ; chin dull brown ; feet and hands black above as far as ankles and wrists, dull brownish yellow below, and densely haired with long loose hair, entirely obscuring the pads. Tail short, pale, dull yellow with white tip, and irregularly overlaid in places with black tipped hairs ; ears large and more rounded than in V. pennsylvanica , very thickly covered with woolly hairs, dull black above, yellowish white inside, and yellow at base. Under fur dull yellowish gray at base and yellow at tips, darker on flanks, rump, and under side of neck, and paler on back, shoulders, and belly. No. 1178, 9 very old ; is a fine silver gray, being black all over except the back, which is beautifully variegated with silvery hairs. No. 6969, 9 young adult, is a patch fox, being dark reddish brown all over, includ ing tail, legs, and arms, except sides, top of head, parts of middle of back, and base of tail, where it has some yellow hairs intermixed. No. 6968, old nursing 9 > is about intermediate in color between the type and No. 6969, but has base of tail, inside of flanks, and region about fore shoulders a bright orange ochraceous. It is in w r orn pelage, with much of the long hair gone. A young, about one-third grown, No. 1180, is uniform deep black all over, tip of tail white, and a young, about one-half grown, No. 1179, is dull brownish ferruginous, with much black on legs, arms, tail, and under parts. Cranial characters. The skull differs but little from that of typical Vulpes pennsylvanica, except in being slightly wider and heavier and in having the whole rostral portion rather heavier and the audital bulhe constantly though slightly larger. The dentition is very much heavier throughout, the carnassial teeth in particular being very large and strong. Measurements. Type, 9 middle-aged adult. Total length 959 ; tail vertebrae 336 ; hind foot 161 ; ear from notch 79. Average of four adult females : total length 958.5; tail vertebrae 342.5 ; hind foot 158 ; ear from notch 78. Skull. Type, 9 middle-aged adult. Basal length 123.4; zygomatic breadth 72; mastoid breadth 47; least interorbital width 26.2; greatest length of single half of mandible 99.8. No. 6968, 9 old adult topotype. Basal length 123 ; zygomatic breadth 72.8; mastoid breadth 46; least in terorbital width 26.6; greatest length of single half of mandible 99.6. C? young adult topotype. Basal length 127.2; zygomatic breadth 70.2; mastoid breadth 46 ; least interorbital width 26 ; greatest length of single half of mandible 101.4. *A11 red foxes are somewhat brighter and more ferruginous in their fresh autumnal coats than they are in the spring. The hairs seem to be come rather lighter and more yellowish as the tips wear off. This dif ference is slight, however, and even in full autumnal pelage the ' red phase ' of the Newfoundland fox must be very pale. 38 Bangs The Newfoundland Otter and Red Fox. Remarks. The Newfoundland fox is easily distinguished from either typical V. pennsylvanica or V. pennsylvanica rubricosa by its very large hind foot, with long strong toes and tremendous claws. No. 1178, a very old 9> taken June 9, 1894, at Codroy, is in worn summer pelage, and the long hairs on the under sides of the feet have worn down so that one pad on each foot can be seen. The long toes and heavy long claws are brought into great prominence, and make indeed a singular foot for a fox. As regards size and proportions, it needs no comparison with either V. penn sylvanica or the large, long-tailed, dark red form of Nova Scotia, V. penn- sylvanicus rubricosa. In color, the type and only specimen I have in the red phase (which I suppose to be normal) nearly matches many skins of the light yellow fox* of the northern prairies, from which form V. deletrix can be distin guished by much shorter tail, smaller size, proportionately larger foot, and heavy claws. Vulpes deletrix is probably an island form, although there are occasion ally times when it might cross from the mainland of Labrador to New foundland, or vice versa, on the ice ; and as foxes do not hesitate to travel such distances on the open ice, it would not be surprising to find this form existing also in Labrador. * Whether the yellow fox of the northern and central prairies is iden tical with Vulpes macroura, which Baird originally described from a specimen from Great Salt Lake, Utah, is doubtful, although Baird him self, in 1857, included many specimens of the yellow form from Nebraska, Oregon, and Wyoming under that specific name. Vulpes macroura has also been applied to the yellow prairie fox by both Dr. Allen and Dr. Merriam, when either has had occasion recently to mention this animal. VOL. XII, PP. 39-40 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW PARASITIC ISOPQD OF THE GENUS ^EGA FROM THE SOUTHERN COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.* BY HARRIET RICHARDSON. Two specimens of a species of Mga,, heretofore undescribed, were obtained by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer 'Albatross' during its cruises in 1885 and 1886 one off Little Bahama Bank and the other between the delta of the Missis sippi and Cedar Keys, Florida. They present no unusual characters, but differ from any of the known species of 2Bga ecarinata sp. nov. Body elongate and narrow. Length more than three times greater than breadth. Surface punctate. Frontal margin of head Insinuated, the acumen sepa rating the first pair of antennae. Eyes large and ob long and situated at a small distance apart. First pair of antennae extending almost to the flagellum of the second pair of antennae ; the first two joints of pedun cle very broad ; second joint extending anteriorly over the third joint, reaching almost to the extremity of that joint ; third joint two-thirds narrower than first and second ; the flagellum containing nine articles. Second pair of antennae extending to the middle of the first thoracic segment ; flagellum containing ten articles. Epimera of all the thoracic segments narrow, the FIG. 1. JEga ecarinata (X 2 ). first two being rounded, the other four more acute at their extremities. First two pairs of prehensile legs rather stout; third * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti tution. 9 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898. (39) 40 Richardson Description of a New Parasitic Isopod. pair less so, and the propodus of this pair is furnished with a large cultri- form process. Five spines are present on the merus of all three pairs. Gressorial legs slender and sparsely spinulose. All the abdominal segments are visible in a dorsal view. Terminal segment broad and posteriorly bi- sinuated, forming three teeth with rounded extremi ties ; its surface entirely smooth. Outer branch of uropods narrower and somewhat shorter than the inner branch ; its extremity is rounded. Inner branch obliquely truncate and crenu- late on posterior margin. Uropods and terminal ab dominal segment all fringed with a few hairs. Two individuals of this species were found one be tween the delta of the Mississippi and Cedar Keys, Fio.2. ^Ega ecarinata Florida, Station 2403, depth 88 fathoms; the other, (X53). the type (No. 2L001, U. S. Nat. Mus.), off Little Ba- o. Leg of 1st pair. hama Bank, Station 2655, depth 338 fathoms. 6. Leg of 3d pair. Thig gpec j es is c i os ely related to A. tridens* Leach, c. Leg of 7th pair. . . but presents many specific differences : in the relative length and breadth of the body, the length being more than three times greater than the breadth in A. ecarinata, while in A. tridens Leach the length is only two and one-half times greater than the breadth ; in the number of joints in the 1st and 2d pairs of antennae, ten in the 1st pair and nineteen in the 2d pair being characteristic of A. tridens Leach, nine in the 1st and ten in the 2d pair being true of our species ; in the presence of a cultriform process on the propodus of the third pair of pre hensile legs, which process is entirely wanting in A. tridens Leach ; and in the perfectly smooth surface in the present species of the terminal segment of the abdomen, which in the other species is tricarinated. *For synonymy, see Naturhistorisk Tidsskrift, vol. XII, 1879-'80, Schicedte & Meinert, 'Symbolic ad Monographium Cymothoarum, Crus- taceorum Isopodum Familire,' p. 340-341. VOL. XII, PP. 41-51 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE ARCTURED^ IN THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.* BY JAMES E. BENEDICT, Assistant Curator, Division of Marine Invertebrates, U. S. National Museum. When Mr. Beddard wrote the Report on the Isopoda collected by the 'Challenger' in 1886, but five species of Arcturus had been recognized. He added thirteen. Since his report no addi tional species have been described. In this paper five species taken by the 'Albatross ' and one by the Point Barrow Expedi tion are described as new and a subspecies is raised to specific rank. The structure and habits of the Arcturidse are such that deep- water species are likely to occupy only restricted areas. The young are few in a brood and are cared for by the parent until well able to care for themselves, clinging to the mother's antennae until ready to undertake a more independent existence, perhaps on the very object on which the mother is foraging for herself and brood. With habits of this kind the chances of a wide dis tribution for any one species must be very much less than is the case where free-swimming young are produced in large numbers. The character of the marsupium of Arcturus is sufficient to separate this genus from A.stacilla. The dactyls of some species of Arcturus are biungulate as in Astacilla. Two species of Astacilla are described as new, one from the Straits of Magellan and a blind species from deep water (1,825 fathoms) off Martha's Vineyard. The finding of a blind Astacilla in deep water is a matter of no little interest. Mr. Beddard * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu tion. 10 BIOL Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (41) 42 Benedict Arcturidse in the U. $. National Museum. truly says of deep-sea Isopoda : * "Although the number of deep- sea species which have well-developed eyes is so large, they nearly all (all except three) belong to the two allied genera Arc- turns and Astacilla, which thus form almost the only exception to the general statement that deep-sea Isopoda are blind." Of Astacilla he says : f " Unlike Arcturus, Astadtta is almost exclu sively an inhabitant of the shallow waters, only one species, in deed, Astacilla granulata, ranging into deep water." KEY TO THE SPECIES OP Arcturus. a. End of the abdomen notched, as seen from above. b. Body smooth and free from spines beriitganus. b 7 . Body spiny. c. Head and six segments of the thorax each with a pair of spines on the dorsum longispinis. c,'. Head and segments of the thorax with not less than two pairs of spines to the segment, d. Second and third articles of the antennae with out spines except at the articulations hystrix. d 7 . Second and third articles of the antennae with spines on the bodies of the articles. murdochi. a 7 . End of the abdomen without notch. b. Thorax without spines above the epimera. c. Abdomen acute or subacute at extremity. d. Eyes elevated on peduncles oculalus. d 7 . Eyes not elevated on peduncles. e. Extremity of abdomen notched in a lat eral view. f. Thorax very tubercular stebbingi. f 7 . Thorax not tubercular abymcola. e 7 . Extremity of abdomen without notch, f. Fourth segment of the thorax much longer than the preceding segments . glabrus. f 7 . Fourth segment of the thorax but little longer than the preceding segments, g. Thorax with large swellings or tubercles tuberosus. g 7 . Thorax without tubercles myops. c 7 . Abdomen rounded at extremity. d. Abdomen notched at its extremity in lateral view spinifrons. d 7 . Abdomen without notch at its extremity. e. Epimeral spines present anna. e 7 . Epimeral spines wanting coppingeri. * Report on the Isopoda collected by the ' Challenger,' p. 166. f Op. tit., p. 107. Arcturidse in the U. S. National Museum. 43 b x . Thorax with spines above the epimera. c. Spines present in front of the ocular space. d. Spines, spinules, or spiny tubercles very nu merous on the thorax. e. Spines all long and slender multispinis. e'. Spines all short or with a few long ones, f. All spines short. g. Third segment of antenna? spinu- lose furcatus. g / . Third segment not spinulose .... glacialis. f . Spines long and short. g. With three spines extending back from the abdomen spinosus. g'. With two spines extending back from the abdomen americanus . d 7 . Spines of the thorax comparatively few." e. Last segment of the abdomen with a cari- nate median line, f. Second segment of abdomen with spines cornutus. '. Second segment without spines tenuispinis. e'. Last segment without carina. f. Abdomen armed with a long median spine which projects beyond the end of the segment, g. Upper surface of abdomen smooth . purpureus. g 7 . Upper surface spinulose studeri. f ' . Abdomen without median spine brunneus. c 7 . Spines absent in front of the ocular space. d. Head free from spines feildeni. d x . Head with spines present between the eyes. . baffini. Arcturus baffini (Sabine). Idothea baffini Sabine, Appendix to Parry's First Voyage, p. 50, pi. i, figs. 4-6, 1824. Arcturus tuberculatus Latreille in Cuvier, Regne Animal, ed. 2, IV, p. 139, 1829. Arcturus baffini Westwood, Trans. Entom. Soc. Lond., vol. I, p. 72, 1836. Milne-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Crust., Ill, p. 123, pi. xxxi, fig. 1, 1840. Sars, Crust. Norw. North Atlantic Expd., p. 97, pi. ix, figs. 1-21, 1885. Beddard, Report on the Isopoda collected by the ' Challenger,' pi. xx, fig. 12, 1886. The best figures of this species are, in my opinion, those of Professor Sars. It is the oldest and best known species of the genus, and has been taken over a larger range than any other. Its characters are so well marked that it can be readily separated from any other species in the collection, 44 Benedict Arcturidse in the U. S. National Musenm. Arcturus feildeni Miers. Arcturus baffini var. feildeni Miers, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (4), XX, 64, 1877. The head is a little broader than long when the length is measured on the side ; the surface presents three areolations, two circular ones a little in front of the line of the eyes and a long transverse one behind the eyes. The antennae are equal to the body in length 36 mm. ; the fourth and fifth joints are each 11 mm. The four anterior segments of the thorax are without spines or tubercles ; two slight areo lations near the anterior border of the second and third segments do not correspond to the spines of baffini, as they exist on that species in addition to the spines. The fourth segment is equal in length to the two preceding. The three posterior segments of the thorax and the two anterior segments of the abdomen are each provided with a pair of small blunt spines. The middle surface of the abdomen is with out any indication of the prominent spiny pro jections oibaffini; the median line, on the other hand, shows when dried a slight irregular me dian groove. The conical lateral projections of baffini are altogether wanting in this species. The epimera are also much modified in feildeni ; they are much less pointed, and are directed downwards, making them inconspicuous from a dorsal view. The surface of the body is gla brous. The above description is based on a single specimen labeled ' Camp Clay, Cape Sabine; Lieut, [now General] A. W. Greely.' (No. 12416, U. S. N. M.) A much larger and less typical specimen is labeled l Arcturus baffini var. tuberosus, Davis Straits.' This is identical with the Cape Sabine specimen, except that the spines of the posterior seg ments are reduced to very low tubercles. The range of variation, as in dicated by the two specimens, is easily within specific limits; both are far removed from A. baffini. Length of specimen from the front to the abdomen 50 mm. (No. 20333, U. S. N. M.). Arcturus longispinis sp. nov. This species, though well marked, partakes strongly of the characters of baffini, the type of the genus. The head is deeply concave in front ; the margin does not form a true curve, but shows slight projections between the median and outer an tennae. The eyes are triangular and conspicuously protruding. The FIG. 3. Arcturus feildeni. (X 1K-) Arcturidse in the U. S. National Museum. 45 basal joints of the median antennae are oblong and flattened ; the outer antennae are 52 mm. in length ; the first two joints are but little longer than broad, while the three distal joints are long; all are unarmed; the flagellum is composed of about 12 short segments. The spines of the head and dorsal region are placed like those of baffini ; with the exception of those on the posterior portion of the thorax, they are much longer than in any specimen of baffini that I have seen ; the spines of the head are 6.5 mm. in length, while those of the second, third, and fourth segments are but little shorter. The spines on these segments are united at the base by a low ridge which curves up on the spines, giving them the appearance of parts of a single structure. Be tween the anterior spines and the epimeral projections on their respective segments are low protuberances ; ridges also run from the bases of the spines along the margins to the posterior angle of the segments, leaving a deep transverse groove below the spine. The spines of the first thoracic seg ment are very small and inconspicuous ; it is possible that this segment may not be normal in regard to the spines, as it is partially over grown by a colony of Polyzoa. The epimera of the second, third, and fourth segments increase in size posteriorly ; they are flattened on the exposed surface and evenly rounded below ; there is a depression on the exposed face, Viewed from above, the epim eral projections *are covered by large rounded tubercles on the lower margins of the seg. ments. The epimera of the fifth, sixth, and seventh segments decrease in size posteriorly, and are broad and wedge-shaped ; the spines of these segments are the same in character as those of the anterior segments, but are much smaller, measuring on the fifth 3 mm., the sixth 2.3 mm., seventh 2 mm. The first abdominal segment is very short, with two small spines above and two conical projections below ; the second segment has two long spines above, pointed backward, and FIG. i.Arcturus longispinis. none below; the terminal segment has two (X i%.) spines pointing backward inserted at about the middle of the dorsal sur face ; at this point the segment is rapidly depressed to the terminal points; the lower margin has two pairs of triangular projections ; A. baffini has but one pair. Station 3599, latitude 52 05 r 00" N., longitude 177 40' 00" W., 55 fathoms. Type (No. 20530, U. S. N. M.). 46 Benedict Arcturidse in the U. S. National Museum. Arcturus glabrus sp. nov. The head is wider than long, measured in the constriction in front of the eyes and on the median line, but longer than wide if the side of the head is taken. The antennae are longer than the body in both sexes ; much longer in the female than in the male. There are no spines or tubercles on the head or posterior to it. The segments of the thorax and abdomen are smooth to the eye and are finely reticulated under a lens. The fourth segment differs in the sexes ; in the male it is a little longer and more slender than the two preceding segments taken together; in the female it is shorter and stouter ; so different is the appearance that the sexes can be readily separated in a dorsal view. The anterior margins of the second, third, and fourth segments are notched on the median line. The abdomen is composed of two segments, an- chylosed, the usual second segment being only in dicated by a swelling above and a short suture at the side. There are no lateral projections on the abdomen ; the epimera of the posterior part of the thorax cannot be seen from above. The dactyls of the posterior feet are bi ungulate. The length of the body of a male is 31 mm. ; of the antennae 38 mm. ; female, body 28 mm. ; antennae 45 mm. ; female, body 24 mm. ; antennae 39 mm. A number of specimens of this species were taken by the 'Albatross ' at Station 3599, in Bering Sea, lat/N.5205 / , long. \V. 17740 / ,in 55 fathoms (No. 20529 U.S.N. M.). Arcturus beringanus sp. nov. The head is excavated in front ; the lateral projections are broad ; deep constrictions or depressions exist both in front and behind the eyes. The antennae when laid off on the body reach the base of the abdomen ; the fourth and fifth articles are very long; the flagellum is composed of seven or eight articles ; the anten- nulae reach to the end of the second article of the antennae. The first and last three seg ments of the thorax are near ly equal in length ; the fourth segment is a little more than FIR- r>. Arcturus beringa***- (X 2%.) twice as long as any of the others. The posterior margins of the seg ments are concave on each side of the median line to the posterior angle of the segments, making a more or less acute point at the middle of the segment and lobate posterior angles. FIG. 5. Arcturus glabrus, (X 1%.) Arcturidas in the U. S. National Museum. 47 The abdomen is elongated and slender ; the first and second segments are clearly defined ; a third is indicated by a deep and irregular constric tion ; the terminus is incised. A large number of specimens show a light line running along the me dian line of the dorsal surface and along the sides in line with the eyes. The dark colored or shaded portions of the surface are made up of nu merous black spots. Now and then a large female is veiy light in color, the lines being but slightly indicated. The largest specimens are 18 mm. in length. Station 3252, lat. 57 22' 20" N., long. 164 24' 40" W. ; depth 29J fathoms; specimens very numerous. (Type, No. 20529, U. S. N. M.) Station 3253, lat. 57 05' 50" N., long. 164 27' 15" W. ; depth 36 fathoms ; four specimens. Station 3637, lat. 57 06' 30" N., long. 170 28' 00" W. ; depth 32 fathoms; one female with a single young clinging to the an tennae. Arcturus tenuispinis sp. nov. This species is very close to A. cornutus Beddard. The head is deeply excavated in front ; a pair of spines arise in front of the interocular space and extend forward, diverging a little more than those of A. cornutus. The first segment of the antennae extends be yond the lateral projections of the head not more than 0.2 of a mm. ; the second joint measures about 1.4 mm. on the upper surface, the third joint 5 mm., and the fourth 13 mm. in length ; the fifth joint is lost or broken in both spec imens. The antennulse reach the mid dle of the third segment of the antennae. The first and second thoracic segments are both armed with epimeral spines and a pair farther back and higher up on the segment ; the other segments of the thorax have epimeral spines only ; the first segment of the abdomen has a pair of spines in line with the epimeral spines of the thorax ; the second seg ment is altogether unarmed; the last segment has two paired spines and one unpaired ; the latter is at the terminus of a dorsal carina which can only be made out with difficulty. The largest spines on the body are the pair at the . J FIG. 7. Arcturus tenuispinis. (X 2.) sides on the proximal end ; the spines at the distal end are slender ; the terminal outline of the segment is rounded. A. tenuispinis can be distinguished from cornulus by the more slender spines, by the lack of the extra pair on the third and fourth segments of the thorax, the unarmed second segment of the abdomen, the lack of 48 Benedict Arcturidse in the U. S. National Museum. spines on the joints of the anterior series of ambulatory legs, and by the outline of the abdomen. Length of the largest specimen 23 mm. Station 2756, off Cape St. Roque, Brazil, lat. 3 22' 00" S., long. 37 49' 00" VV., 417 fathoms; two males (No. 21252, U. S. N. M.). Arcturus americanus Beddard. Arcturus americanus Beddard, Report on the Isopoda collected by the 'Challenger,' p. 104, pi. xxiii, figs. 5-8, 1886. Color of specimens in alcohol : Body light straw color ; the head is shaded with purple ; this shade continues in two broken lines to the sixth segment, where the lines are united, spreading again on the abdomen. Another broken line runs along the second, third, and fourth segments at a little distance above the epimera ; on the posterior segments the line is continued close to the epimera. There are two purple rings on the third joint of the antennae and a broad band near the distal ends of the fourth and fifth joints. Specimens were obtained at two stations off the east coast of Patagonia : Station 2768, lat. 42 24' 00" S., long. 61 38' 30" W., 43 fathoms; Station 2770, lat. 48 37' 00" S., long. 65 46' 00" W., 58 fathoms ; four specimens. Arcturus multispinis sp. nov. The head is a little elongated ; the front is concave. The eyes are round and stand out from the sides of the head as hemispheres. Two spines are placed near the front in advance of the line of the eyes and a trans verse line of six a little behind the eyes ; the terminal spines of the row are much smaller than the others. The antenna? are 28 mm. in length and slender in comparison with those of the Arctic forms ; there are two spines on the second segment and two on the third segment of one, and three on the other; the fourth segment is armed with a single spine at its articulation with the fifth seg ment ; the fifth segment is consid erably longer than the fourth ; the fiagellum is short and without joints. The two spines near the front form the anterior ends of two rows that extend to the last segment of the abdomen ; the first four segments of the thorax have a transverse con striction making them in appearance double segments ; both the anterior FIG. 8. Art-turn.* ,/;/>///x/m//.s\ (x 2%.) an d posterior portions of these seg ments furnish a pair of spines for the Lateral dorsal lines of spines ; after Arcturidse in the U. S. National Museum. 49 the fourth segment there is but a single pair to a segment ; the lines are not continued on the last segment, but are here replaced by a row of five spines on the median line of this elongated segment. The second segment of the thorax is soldered to the head as in other species, otherwise its dorsal armature is like that of the three following segments. The epimera of the four anterior segments of the thorax are moderately extended and bear from two to four spines ; between the epimera and the lateral dorsal lines are two spines ; there is another spine just behind the epimera. The three posterior thoracic segments are much shorter and narrower than the preceding segments; the epimera bear but a single spine; the spines of the lateral dorsal lines are smaller than the anterior spines of the line; on the fifth segment, between the line and the epimera, are three spines; on the sixth two spines, on the seventh one spine. The first two segments of the abdomen are dorsally like the last segment of the thorax ; the last segment is elongated and bears five rows of spines one on the median line and two on each side ; there is a longitudinal row of five spines on each valve of the operculum. Length of body 23 mm. Station 2807, off the Galapagos Islands, lat. 24' 00" S., long. 89 00' 00" W., 812 fathoms. One female with eggs (No. 21253, U. S. N. M.). Arcturus murdochi sp. nov. Arcti.iras hystrix Harger in Murdoch, Report Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, p. 142, 1885. This species is closely related to A. hystrix, Sars, from off Flelgoland and Lofoten, from depths ranging from 350 to 457 fathoms. Both specimens of A. murdochi came from 13J fathoms 10 miles west of Point Franklin, Alaska, collected by the Point Barrow Expedition. The head is deeply concave in front ; the sides of the head extend forward in front of the eyes and end in bifurcate projections. On the front margin of the head is a single spine, conspicuous in being the only spine occupying the median line throughout the length of the animal. A spine on each side of the median spine divides the space between the eyes, making a row of three spines on the front of the head Justin ad vance of the anterior line of the eyes. The median spine is a little in advance of the other two. A row of eight spines occupies the posterior part of the head ; four of them are higher up than the eyes one pair behind the eyes and one below on the margin of the head ; the spines behind the eyes are the smallest. The antennulse are very short and small, hardly reaching the antepenultimate joints of the large an- FIG. 9. Arcturus mur- tennse; the basal joints are wider and shorter than those shown by Professor Sars in his figures of hystrix. The basal joints of the antennae are small and are con cealed from a dorsal view by the lateral projections of the head. 11 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 dochi. (X 3 50 Benedict Arcturidee in the U. S. National Museum. The second joint is about as broad as long and is armed with three short spines ; the third joint is armed with two spines pointing outward and upward ; the fourth and fifth joints are long and slender, unarmed ; the flagellum has but three joints. The first thoracic segment, as in ////*///.<, has a transverse row of eight spines; the thin sides of the segment ex tend forward under the head; the second and third segments also have eight spines arranged as in the first. The fourth segment is so constricted in the middle as to give it the appearance of two segments anchylosed ; this segment has a double row of eight spines ; between the two median spines of the posterior row and the constriction are twq additional spines ; these spines are smaller than those of the median rows, taking the ar rangement longitudinally. The fifth, sixth, and seventh segments have spines regularly placed on each side of the median line ; next farther down on the segment are two spines longitudinally placed; next, on the margin, are three spines united at the base, the middle one largest. The first abdominal segment is very short, with a transverse row of six spines ; on the second segment spines are placed on the two median lines only ; these are doubled and crowded. On the terminal segment there are t\vo rows of small spines regularly placed on one specimen and disarranged on the other. The abdomen is terminated by two blunt divergent spines. The specimens are sparsely set with short, stiff hair. All of the legs are armed with a single spine on the basal joint. This species can readily be distinguished from hystrix by the median spine of the head, by the extra pair of spines on the fourth segment of the thorax, by the armature of the antennae, and by the arrangement of the spines on the abdomen. As Professor Sars suggests, hyslrix may be made the type of a new genus; it will then be necessary to place this species with it. (No. 7915, U. S. N. M.) Astacilla granulata (G. O. Sars). Leachia granulala G. 0- Sars, Arch. Math. Nat.. II, p. 351, 1877. Astacilla. americana Harger, Am. Journ. Sci., (3) XV, p. 374, 1878. Astacilla granulala Harger, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., II, p. 161, 1879. Astacilla granulata Sars, Nor. N. Atlan. Expd., Crust., p. 107, pi. ix. figs. 27-35, 1885. One specimen from the Gloucester fishermen, Grand Banks. Astacilla diomedeae sp. nov. The head is excavated in front, nearly rectangular, a little broader be hind than in front. The eyes are but little swollen, are round, and are situated a little anterior to the middle of the margin. The antennre are closely like those of Astacilla nodosa (Dana). The first segment of the thorax has the same width as the head ; the second and third segments are successively wider and also shorter than the first ; the fourth segment is very wide at the anterior end, as in nodosa ; like the latter, it tapers gradually backward to the fifth segment. The segments posterior to the fourth are longer than the first three and are successively narrower. Arcturidse in the U. S. National Museum. 51 FIG. 10. Afitacilla diomedece. (XC.) The abdomen is constricted at the base and has sub- parallel sides ; from the slight postero lateral protuber ance it narrows rapidly to the apex. The animal is throughout smooth and glabrous ; the median line is light in color; on the fourth segment the light color broadens out and the sides are blotched with dark shadings made up of small black spots ; all the articles of the antennal peduncles have a narrow ring of black at the distal ends, except the fifth. Described from a single female dredged by the 'Al batross ' in the Straits of Magellan from a depth of 17 fathoms (Station 2774). The marsupium is filled with eggs (No. 21251, U. S. N. M.). Astacilla caeca sp. nov. The head is deeply excavated to receive the anten- nulse ; the excavation is deeper at the sides than on the median line ; a rostriform point extends between the antennulse. The lateral prolongations of the head have two paired digital processes near the lower margin ; one pair only can be seen from above. The antennae reach back to the end of the sixth segment. As in other species of the genus, the first thoracic segment is solidly united to the head ; the lower margins of the segment are tubercular. The second thoracic segment is short and narrow ; the third is a little longer and wider ; the fourth or long segment is yet wider at the anterior end, caused by the swellings at the insertions of the legs ; after this it tapers gradually to near the posterior end, where the taper is more rapid. The fifth, sixth, and seventh segments are successively narrower. The median line of the head and thorax is tubercular; the head has one tubercle near the front and another on the postcephalic lobe ; all thoracic seg ments have a tubercle on the line ; the lateral mar gins of all are angular ; above the epimeral projections of the fifth segment are four paired tubercles. The first segment of the abdomen is narrow and forms a neck between the thorax and the broad and angular terminal segment. The terminal segment has a pair of angular projections on each side of the margin ; between the angles the margin is but little arcuate ; posterior to the last angular projection the outline is that of an equilateral triangle. Attached to the carapace are several specimens of Foraminifera which Dr. Flint tells me belong to the genus Truncatnlina. Both specimens have been repeatedly examined for a trace of eyes with out success. Length of the large specimen (female) 9 mm., measured from the front. Station 2714, lat. 38 22' 00" N., long. 70 17' 30" W., 1825 fathoms (No. 12026, U. S. N. M.). FIG. 11. Astacilla cceca. (X 3.) VOL. XII, PP. 53-55 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON TWO NEW ISOPODS OF THE GENUS IDOTEA FROM THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA.* BY JAMES E. BENEDICT, Assistant Curator, Division of Marine Invertebrates, U. S. National Museum. The two species described in this paper come within the limits of Idotea as recognized by E. J. Miers in his monograph of the Idoteidse.f If several more species are found with the epimeral characters of Idotea carinata Lucas and I. rostrata here described, the former species may become the type of a distinct genus. At present the division would, in my opinion, be unwarranted. Idotea rostrata sp. nov. This species is probably more nearly related to Idotea carinata Lucas t than to any other described Idotea. The head is excavated in front ; the antero-lateral angles are rounded and upturned. The eyes are lateral, large and very slightly projecting. Above the eyes the head is elevated. The head projects forward on the median line forming a tubercular rostrum. In the larger specimen the occipital suture is an irregular impressed line ; the entire surface of the head is minutely rugose. The articles of the peduncle of the antenna are short and stout ; the length of any article not being more than two or two and one-half times its greatest width. The flagellum on one side is com posed of seven stout and distinct segments, on the other side of six. * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu tion. t Journ. Linn. Soc. Lond., XVI, pp. 1-88, 1883. J Lucas, Hist. Nat. des Anim. in Expl. Sci. Algerie, Crust., p. 60, pi. vi, fig. 1, 1849. Miers, Journ. Linn. Soc. Lond., XVI, p. 58, 1883. 12 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (53) 54 Benedict Two New Isopods from Coast of California. FIG, 12. Idotea rostrata. (X3.) The antennulse reach the distal margin of the third segment of the an tennae ; their basal joints are broad. The thorax is convex and nearly smooth ; the first, sixth, and seventh segments are about equal in length ; the third, fourth, and fifth are broadest ; the second is intermediate; the first segment, as in carinata, is deeply excavated, the antero-lateral lobes reaching to the eyes ; both lateral angles of the other segments are about equally rounded. The epimera show only on the three posterior segments ; on the fifth it shows slightly on the middle of the margin ; on the sixth it occupies the posterior two- thirds and is quite broad posteriorly ; on the sev enth its occupies one-half the margin and is tri angular in form. The legs are moderately slender. With the ex ception of the first pair, the basal articles of all have a small tubercular protuberance. The abdomen tapers with the body and is evenly rounded behind ; it consists of a single segment with a suture near the base as in Synidotea. The operculum is not crossed by an oblique line. There is a broad shad ing of purple along the dorsum. The margins of the articles of the an tennae and the dactyls are rosy. This description is made from two females from San Pedro, California, presented by Mr. S. J. Holmes. The larger specimen is 12 mm. in length. The sides of both are arcuate as is usual in the females of Idotea. Idotea stenops sp. nov. A single large female Idotea is in the collection from Monterey, Cali fornia, where it was taken by Mr. Henry Hemphill. In general appearance the species closely resem bles /. ochotensis,but more careful examination shows it to be specifically distinct. The outline of the body is similar to that of the female of ockotensis. The head is more deeply excavated on the anterior margin than in that species. The posterior margin is concave. The eyes are situated a little behind the middle of the exposed lateral margin and are five times longer than broad, placed transversely just anterior to the eye, the surface and margin excavated. The antennae are similar to those of ochotensis, but the flagelluni has 15 articles. The thorax is widest at the third and fourth seg ments. The epimera of the second segment reaches the postlateral angle and is much wider in the FIG. 13. Idotea stenops. (Natural size.) anterior portion. The epimera of the third and fourth segments are Two New Isopodsfrom Coast of California. 55 widest in the middle and cover the ends of the segments with the ex ception of the apex of the posterior angles. The epimera of the fifth, sixth, and seventh segments cover the ends of the segments and are very wide on their posterior margins. The epimera of ochotensis are strikingly different. In the second seg ment they occupy the anterior half of the margin, in the third about three-fifths, and in the fourth the anterior three-quarters. The epimera of the fifth segment covers all but the apex of the posterior angle. The margins of the sixth and seventh segments are covered by the epimera. In the last three segments the anterior part of the epimera is narrow where in stenops it is wide. The abdomen of stenops is composed of three segments. Another seg ment is indicated by a suture. The basal half of the abdomen is taper ing ; the posterior half has parallel sides ; the posterior angles are rounded and very slightly produced behind. The apex is acute. The surface of the body below the median line is flattened, forming an obtuse ridge from the base of the head to the apex of the abdomen. VOL. XII, PP. 57-68 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF NEW BIRDS FROM MEXICO, WITH A REVISION OF THE GENUS DAGTYLORTYX. BY E. W. NELSON. Further study of the Mexican birds in the collection of the Biological Survey, U. S. Department of Agriculture, reveals the presence of several apparently undescribed species and sub species. These new forms, like those already described from this collection, were obtained by Mr. E. A. Goldman and myself dur ing our explorations in Mexico for the Biological Survey. Our work has covered a large portion of that country, and although far from exhaustive has been conducted systematically, with the desire to secure series of specimens from various altitudes and areas with a view to determining the faunal relationships of the different sections. Up to the time our work began, some six years ago, ornithologists had given little consideration to the fact that Mexico has various well-defined climatic areas aside from the two main divisions of highland or temperate, and lowland or tropical. The fact is that the highlands contain several definite faunal areas, and the same is true of the lower tropical lands. Faunal work in the United States has shown very clearly the differentiation produced in wide ranging species by varied cli matic conditions. In many instances this variation is so gradual that the different extremes are given subspecific rank ; in others the resultant forms are sufficiently segregated to be accepted as full species. Precisely the same state of affairs exists in Mexico. The material collected illustrates these conditions, and will aid materially in working out the subordinate faunal areas of that country. 13 KIOT,. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (57) 58 Nelson Description of New Birds from Mexico. I have to acknowledge again my indebtedness to Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Biological Survey, for his interest in the work on Mexican Birds, and to Mr. Robert Ridgway, Curator, and Dr. Chas. W. Richmond, Assistant Curator, of Birds in the National Museum, for continued favors at their hands. All measurements are in millimeters. Heleodytes brunneicapillus obscurus subsp. nov. Mexican Cactus Wren. Type No. 142789, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Ad. ri and wholly naked both within and with out, except on the external basal third, which is covered with fur similar to that of the head. With a lens a few very small hairs may be de tected on the anterior border, but these are in visible to the unaided eye. In form the ear is very simple and strongly suggestive of that of FIG. 16. Base of tail (under side) of (X !%) FIG. 17. Ear of Idiurus ma croti*. (X l%.) ' Description of a New Rodent. 75 some of the smaller bats. Near the base of the auricle on the inner side are three well developed cross- ridges, and a fourth which is less distinct. Skull. The skull (fig. 18) is in general similar to that of Idiurus zenkeri. The bony palate, however, is at its widest point scarcely wider than the first molar, while at its narrowest point it is decidedly narrower than this tooth. In 1. zenkeri the palate is about double as wide as the tooth row.* Surface of frontals slightly and evenly convex, with scarcely a trace of the six protuberances mentioned in the description of /. zenkeri ; orbital edges knife- like and slightly overhanging. Incis ive foramen a narrow slit, 1 mm. long and about one-third as wide. Mandible very short and deep, the greatest depth con tained only one and one-half times in greatest length. Cor- onoid process joined with artic ular process by a thick bridge, FlG - is. Skull of Idiurus macrotis. (x 1%). below which the bone is thin and semitransparent, but not fenestrate as in the type of/, zenkeri.^ Teeth. Upper molar rows slightly convergent anteriorly. Combined length of three true molars equal to antero- pos terior diameter of incisor. Premolar about three- fourths as large as first molar, which is the largest upper tooth. Second molar distinctly smaller than first and about twice as large as third. The crowns of the premolars and the first and second 7 molars are each crossed by two ridges of enamel, isolating three narrow depressions, the posterior of which is so narrow as to be practically invisible to the unaided eye (fig. 19, a). Third molar with one ridge and two depressions in the type, two ridges and three depressions in an older specimen with very much worn teeth. First and second lower molars (fig. 19, b.) essentially equal in size, but second slightly the larger. Third molar considerably smaller than second * " Gaumenbein fast doppelt so breit wie die Zahnreihe . . ." t The fenestration in J. zenkeri may be due to injury during prepara tion of the specimen. FIG. 19. Teeth of Idiurus macrotis; a upper, b lower. (X 7/4) 76 Miller Description of a New Rodent. and about equal to premolar. Enamel pattern essentially as in the max- llary teeth, but less regular. General remarks. The type of Jdiurus zenkeri is an old adult female ("eiu sehr altes Weibchen "), while the two specimens of 1. mucrotin are males, one young adult, the other old. Yet the differences between the two forms are too great to be ascribed to sexual variation. That two or more species of a genus so peculiar as Idiunis should occur in the Came roon district is not at all improbable. Neither can it be wondered at that animals so perfectly protected by color and form (the general appear ance is well shown in Mr. Matschie's figure) should successfully escape notice, especially if, as is probably the case, they are strictly nocturnal in habits. Measurements of Idiurus macrotis and I. zenkeri. 1. zenkeri. I. macrotis. Number . . . . 83625 83626 228 Sex 9 Total length Head and body . 65 100 30 15 12.5* Tail vertebrae ... 133 36 21 18 16 10.6 123 38 22 17 15.5 10 Pencil ... . . Hind foot . . . Ear from meatus from crown width Skull Basal length 17 22 13 9 6 5 3.25 8.75 6 2.8 Greatest length 26 15 9.6 7 7 3.25 10 6 3.8 2.2 1.2 1.4 15 10 4 27 16 9.8 7 7 3.3 9.8 6.8 4 2 1.2 1.6 16 10.6 4 Zygomatic breadth Length of frontals Least width of frontals Length of nasals Greatest breadth of nasals Tip of nasals to gnathion Incisor to premolar Upper tooth row Greatest distance between inner border of molars (m 3) Least distance between inner border of molars (m 1) 2f Width of first true molar Mandible : Greatest length Greatest depth Lower tooth row 11.5 8 2.5 * By ' Ohr ' Mr. Matschie may mean ear from crown. t " Entfernung der inneren Riinder der beiden Reihen." VOL. XII, pp. 77-82 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE EASTERN RACES OF THE AMERICAN VARYING HARE, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBSPE CIES FROM NOVA SCOTIA. BY OUT RAM BANGS. The American Varying Hare (Lepus americanus), with its various forms, occupies the whole of the northern part of North America north to the limit of trees. It is distinctively an in habitant of the cool, damp, coniferous forest, differing in this respect from its congeners that prefer more open and grassy country. Its food consists principally of the young, tender shoots of conifers spruce, fir, etc. but it also eats the twigs and buds of the alder and other shrubs. In summer, grasses, reeds, and her baceous plants form part of its diet; but even at this season the young branches and leaves of conifers are generally found in its stomach. Its flesh usually has a strong and, to me, unpleasant sprucy taste. In eastern North America the Varying Hare may be divided into three geographical races : 1. Lepus americanus americanus Erxl., occupying Labrador. 2. Lc.pus americanus virginianus (Harlan), occupying the cool, damp forests and swamps of the Hudsonian, Canadian, and Transition zones. In, the Alleghanies it extends south to Virginia and West Virginia. 3. Lepus americanus struthopus Bangs, occupying the peninsula of Nova Scotia. In all three races a white pelage, which is more complete in 17 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (77) 78 Bangs The American Varying Hares. northern than southern localities, is assumed at the approach of winter.* The three eastern races are as follows : Lepus americanus americanus (Erxleben). Lepus americanus Erxl. Syst. Anim., p. 330, 1777. Type locality. Hudson Strait, south side. Geographic distribution. Labrador and perhaps the higher Hudsonian regions of central North America. Subspecific characters. Hind foot large; general color of upper parts (in summer pelage) shades of light yellowish brown and drab ; a conspic uous white border to ear, all around, even in the young; skull short and broad, not deeply constricted behind postorbital processes; incisor teeth very slender and slightly projected outward. Color. Adult in summer pelage: upper parts varying individually from hair-brown and drab to tawny clay color, many black tipped hairs * This peculiarity of not turning completely white in winter has been given as one of the principal characteristics of the southern race (L. amer icanus virginianus), but it does not seem a difference of any great impor tance and surely not one on which a subspecies could be based. The problem of how the winter coat, is acquired has given rise to a good deal of discussion among naturalists, some taking the view that it is due to a change in the color of the hair itself, and others that it is brought about by a moult. Dr. J. A. Allen (Bull. Am. Mus. of Nat Hist, vol. VI, p. 107, 1894), who studied the question carefully and with considerable material, is firmly convinced that the latter view is the correct one. It seems to me that the bottom of the question has not yet been reached. In spring the case is clear enough, and the change from the white winter to the brown summer dress is wholly due to a moult. The long white hairs fall out, leaving the animal clothed in a coat consisting mainly of the under fur, through which can be seen patches of the in coming brown hairs of summer. The case is not so clear in autumn. In late summer we find the adult hares in such short and worn pelage that in places the skin often shows through. When the cool weather of autumn conies and the hares stop breeding, a moult begins, in which the change is not to a white winter dress, but to a long full coat of brown, like that of summer. Before this moult is complete, however, the animal gradually begins to turn white. During this process many of the new hairs are white from the time they first appear, but what happens to the new brown hairs that have just been grown is a question. Does it seem that in the economy of nature these should again be shed before they have served their purpose? If hair and feathers can change color, as many suppose, does it not seem reasonable to assume that the American Varying Hare comes by his winter coat in two ways ? Some hairs are white from the time they first appear, but others, which at first are brown, grow to their full length and then change to white. The American Varying Hares. 79 intermixed along back and on top of head ; flanks, arms, pectoral band, and often lower sides, rather brighter, more tawny ochraceous ; belly and chin to pectoral band dull white ; ears dusky toward tips, bordered by a very conspicuous white band ; legs and feet (sometimes hands also) dull white irregularly blotched by patches of tawny and ochraceous-buff ; soles dusky, often stained, sometimes having an olivaceous cast. Young not essentially different, except that the legs and feet are not white, but pale tawny or ochraceous-buff. Winter pelage : pure white. Cranial characters. Skull short and broad, not deeply constricted be hind postorbital processes ; nasals wide and flattened on upper surface ; incisor teeth very slender and slightly projected outward. The skull is difficult to tell from that of L. virginianus, except by its much more slender incisors, which in all I have examined have never failed to distinguish it. Measurements. Averages of nine fully adult specimens of both sexes from Hamilton Inlet (near Rigoulette), Labrador: Total length, 471.33; tail vertebrae, 34.22; hind foot, 146.77. (For individual measurements see table. ) Remarks. Lepus americanus americanus has a more northern and I think a more restricted distribution than has usually been attributed to it. I have seen no specimens except from Labrador. However, it may occur around the shores of James Bay and thence westward into the in terior. One specimen collected by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., at North Bay, Ontario, is apparently an intergrade, though much nearer virginianus, since it has the broad incisor teeth and more constricted interorbital re gion characteristic of that subspecies. In color it is nearer true ameri canus, but the white border of the ears is not as pronounced as in that form. Specimens from Mt. Forest, Ontario, and Lake Edward, Quebec, are nearly alike and differ widely from true americanus. In March, 1893, Mr. Will C. Colt collected a series of varying hares for me at Osier, Saskatchewan. All of these specimens are in winter pelage. They are not true americanus, and perhaps represent still another race. They are small, with small skulls, having rather narrow nasals and very broad and strong incisor teeth. It thus appears that if true americanus finds its way far into the interior of the country, it must be restricted to the high Hudsonian regions near the limit of trees. . L. americanus americanus is very abundant throughout the wooded re gion of the Labrador peninsula. I have a series of fourteen specimens collected near Rigonlette, Ham ilton Inlet, in the summer of 1895, by C. H. Goldthwaite. Lepus americanus virginianus (Harlan). Lepus virginianus Harlan. Fauna Americana, p. 196, 1825. Type locality. Blue Mountains, Pennsylvania. Geographic distribution. Lower Hudsonian, whole of Canadian and much of Transition zones of eastern North America, except Nova Scotia. From Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, it ranges south Oil the coast 80 Bangs The American Varying Hares. to southern Massachusetts and northern Connecticut and formerly, per haps, even to New Jersey ; in the Alleghany Mountains to Virginia and West Virginia. Subspecific characters. - Size of or slightly larger than L. americanus ameri canus ; hind foot shorter; skull longer and more deeply constricted be hind postorbital processes; incisor teeth much broader and more curved backward; general color of upper parts (in summer pelage) shades of rich reddish brown, russet, and dull ferruginous ; white border of ear narrow and inconspicuous, often wanting. Color. Adult in summer pelage : upper parts varying individually from russet to dull, deep ferruginous, generally with a copious intermixture of black tipped hairs along back and on top of head ; belly and chin white ; pectoral band colored like back, but without black tipped hairs; ears without white border or with a narrow and inconspicuous one ; legs, feet, hands, and arms seldom white, though sometimes irregularly blotched with white or buff. Young, similar to adults. Winter pelage: white, the under fur and some of the longer hairs often retaining part of their color throughout the winter, especially in more southern localities. Cranial characters. Skull longer and narrower than that of L. america- nus americanus; more deeply constricted behind postorbital processes; nasals narrower, longer, and less flattened ; incisor teeth broad and strong and more curved backward. The character of the incisor teeth will always serve to distinguish skulls of L. americanus americanus from those of L. americanus virginianus. Measurements. Average of nine fully adult specimens, males and fe males, from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts : total length, 475 ; tail vertebrae, 41.22 ; hind foot, 140.55 (for individual measurements see table). General remarks. Lepus americanus virginianus has an extensive distri bution, being the form found over the greater part of the range of the species in eastern North America. In the southeastern part of its range, in Massachusetts and Connecticut where it was formerly very common, it is year by year becoming rarer and more local. In this region it is only found in cool, dark woods, extensive tracts of white cedar and white pine being its favorite home. Gradually but steadily, as spots suited to its needs become fewer and smaller, it is being replaced by its more pro gressive and adaptive cousin, the cotton-tail. Farther north, where the continuous forest of spruce and fir affords it an immense range, it still occurs in great abundance. Unfortunately, I have seen no specimens from Pennsylvania, nor from the southern Alleghany Mountains. Mr. Thaddeus Surber writes me that it still occurs in the heavy hemlock and spruce forests of some of the higher mountains near White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Lepus americanus virginianus varies but little in the large area it occu pies. Specimens from New Brunswick are exactly like those from Mas sachusetts, and some of the most extreme and richly colored examples I have seen came from Mt. Forest, Ontario, and Lake Edward, Quebec. This is easily accounted for by the animal's peculiar requirements and The American Varying Hares. 81 mode of life, which are the same throughout its range. In Transition country it only occurs in deep, dark, moist woods, where the conditions are the same as those offered by a much more northern climate. That it has but a weak hold upon a place in the fauna of the Transition zone is shown by the rapidity with which it disappears when the conditions that enabled it to exist there are slightly changed. I have specimens from Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Lepus americanus struthopus subsp. nov. Type from Digby, Nova Scotia. No. 2025, 9 ad., coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected^ August 4, 1894, by Outram Bangs. Geographic distribution. Province of Nova Scotia. Subspecific characters. Size of L. americanus virginianus ; hind foot much smaller ; color (in summer pelage) darker and duller, rarely showing the reddish brown shades seen in virginianus ; otherwise similar to virginianus. Color. Adult in summer pelage : Upper parts varying individually from raw umber to bistre, sometimes shaded about head, neck, and on flanks with dull ferruginous ; black tipped hairs not numerous, often arranging themselves into a narrow dorsal stripe; belly and chin to pectoral band dull white ; ears dark brown above, becoming dusky or black at tips, narrowly bordered by a yellowish brown band ; hands and feet irregu larly marked with dusky and sometimes with whitish blotches. Young similar to adults. Winter pelage, white. Cranial characters. The skull of L. americanus struthopus is in all essen tial characters like that of L. americanus virginianus. The audital bullae are constantly a little smaller. Measurements. Average of nine fully adult specimens, males and females, from Nova Scotia : Total length, 474.77; tail vertebrae, 49.83; hind foot, 127.38. (For individual measurements see table.) Remarks. Lepus americanus struthopus is a peninsular form confined to the Province of Nova Scotia. It probably intergrades with L. americanus virginianus, though I have seen no specimens from that part of Nova Scotia adjoining New Brunswick. The principal character that distin guishes the Nova Scotia hare is its remarkably small hind foot. The color of the summer pelage is usually much darker and duller than in L. americanus virginianus. In my series of twelve in full summer pelage one specimen only is about the color of average specimens of virginianus, all the others being much darker. The dusky markings on feet, hands, nape, and top of head so common in struthopus are rarely, if ever, present in virginianus. Lepus americanus struthopus is exceedingly abundant throughout the Province of Nova Scotia, except on the hard-wood ridges. Within a few years this form has been introduced into Newfoundland, and finding there a region exactly suited to its needs, with no indigenous competitor, it has increased with great rapidity, so that now it is quite generally distributed throughout the southern part of the island. I am 82 Bangs The American Varying Hares. told that these hares were caught near Halifax. It will be interesting to watch their career in Newfoundland and see how long it will take the modifying influences of the new island home to work a change. If I might hazard a guess, this will he in the direction of still darker color ation. Measurements of the eastern races of Lepus americanus (adult specimens). Locality. No. Sex. Total length. Tail ver tebrae. Hind foot. Lepus americam Labrador Hamilton Inlet -is amer 4152 4153 4160 4164 4154 4156 4161 4155 4163 Virginia 1730 5815 5814 4245 4195 4963 4967 4966 7273 1785 1786 3821 3822 s struth 2028 120 121 123 124 119 122 2025 2026 icanus 9 ..$ cZ I nus (H 9 I c? 1 opus BJ 9 $ c? Erxl. 476 475 483 486 475 466 463 463 455 arlan). 452 465 505 462 475 490 463 490 473 485 457 481 482 ings. 483 511 469 461 464 479 467 474 465 36 40 33 37 35 37 33 '25 32 46 44 44 46 35 50 53 50 43 47 46 44 49 32 50 54 48 51 54.5 55 54 50 155 150 142 152 146 143 150 142 141 137 141 146 131 140 149 139 142 140 147 133 153 143 131 137.5 125.5 129.5 118 125 129 125 126 ( U t 11 : ( ' Lepus americanu Nova Scotia, James River Nova Scotia Digby. it (i " tvoe VOL. XII, PP. 83-84 MARCH 24, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE FROM THE MOUNT BAKER RANGE, BRITISH CO LUMBIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Several mice from the northwest belonging to the very distinct austerus-canadensis group of the genus Peromyscus have already been brought to notice. The subject of the present description is another that seems entitled to recognition. The group to which it belongs is a boreal one, and is distinguished from the leucopus group externally by a long hairy, sharply bicolored tail (as long or longer than the head and body), with decided pencil, and cranially by a broad flattened braincase and elongate slen der rostrum. It probably has a transcontinental range and its members are all forest-dwellers. The recognized forms are as follows : Peromyscus austerus (Baird). Coast lowlands and valleys of Washington and British Columbia ; Transition Zone. P. keeni (Rhoads). Queen Charlotte Islands, B. C. P. macrorhinus (Rhoads). Skeena River, B. C. P. sitkensis Merriam. Sitka, Alaska. P. oreas Bangs. ^ Cascade Mountains of Washington and southern British Colum bia ; Boreal Zone. P. canadensis canademis (Miller). Cool, dark forests of Canadian and Transition Zones in eastern North America. 18-BioL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (83) 84 Bangs Description of a New WJiite-footed Mouse. P. canadensis abietorum Bangs. Hudsonian and upper Canadian Zones of eastern North America. P. canadensis umbrinus Miller. North shore of Lake Superior. P. canadensis nubiterrte Rhoads. Higher Alleghany Mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and northward to Pennsylvania. Peromyscus oreas* sp. nov. Type from Mt. Baker Range, 49th parallel, British Columbia. Altitude, 6500 ft. No. 3696, 9 ad., coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected August 29, 1896, by Allan C. Brooks. General characters. Size medium (smaller than P. macrorhinus} ; color of upper parts rich reddish-brown ; skull smaller and less exaggerated in character than that of P. macrorhinus. Color. Upper parts in adult, rich brown (varying from Fronts' brown to russets), slightly darkened along middle back by the admixture of black- tipped hairs, forming an indistinct darker dorsal stripe; orbital ring black, narrow, and inconspicuous ; under parts dull white, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; feet and hands white; ears large, dusky, in fresh pelage with narrow white edges; tail long, sharply bicolor, black above, white below, a long pencil at end. Younger individuals are somewhat darker and less reddish brown above. (Cranial characters. The skull is smaller than that of P. macrorkinutt, but has the flat, broad braincase and long slender rostrum peculiar to the group. These characters are rather less pronounced in P. areas tl\nn in P. macrorhinus. Measurements. Type, 9 ad. I total length, 200; tail vertebrae, 101; hind foot, 24. Topotype, No. 3694, $ ad. : total length, 207 ; tail ver- tebrse, 114; hind foot, 24. Skull of type, 9 a ^- : basilar length of Hensel, 20.6 ; zygomatic breadth , 13.4; incisors to postpalatal notch, 10.8; length of nasals, 11.8. Remarks. P. areas appears to be specifically distinct from P. auslcrn.^ the smaller and very much darker form of the adjacent lowlands. Mr. Brooks took P. austerus at Sumas, B. C. ; while in the higli moun tains of the Mount Baker range he got P. areas. I have also a series of fifty specimens of P. areas taken in the mountains above Hope, B. C., in 1894, by Will C. Colt. These are exactly like the Mount Baker exam ples, and it is therefore probable that P. areas occupies all the higher mountains of northern Washington and southern British Columbia. It is probable that P. areas intergrades with P. macrorhinus. It is dis tinguished from that form by smaller size, more reddish brown color, and smaller skull, with the peculiar characters less exaggerated. With the enormous P. sitkensis, it needs no comparison, nor does it with P. keeni, the type of which I have examined and found to be quite close to P. austerus. *Oreas = a mountain nymph, Oread. VOL. XII, PP. 85-90 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF ELEVEN NEW SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF VOLES. BY VERNON BAILEY. The following brief descriptions of new species and subspecies of Microtus are here published in advance of a more extended paper on the group, in which all the known American species are discussed. All of the new forms here described are in the Biological Survey Collection and the private collection of Dr. C. Hart Merriam, both in the U. S. National Museum. Microtus dutcheri* sp. nov. Type from Big Cotton wood Meadows, near Mt. Whitney, Calif. (10,000 ft. alt.). No |f Iff, c? ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Col lected July 10, 1891, by B. H. Dutcher. Orig. No. 69. General characters. Size rather small ; tail short ; ears small, nearly con cealed by fur ; colors dark above and below ; lips (and usually nose) white ; hip glands present in adult males. Color. Summer pelage : Above, dark bister with brown tips to the long hairs ; below, dull cinnamon or buffy-brown ; feet whitish or plumbeous- gray ; tail bicolor, whitish below, brown or blackish above ; lips and usu ally tip of nose white. Winter pelage unknown. Young, dull brown above and scarcely lighter below ; feet and tail blackish ; lips and nose usually white. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of M. montanus, but differing in many details ; rostrum slightly longer ; bullae smaller and less glob ular ; lateral pits of palate shallower ; dentition the same. Measurements. Type, $ ad. : Total length 167; tail vertebrae 35 ; hind foot 20. Average of 10 adult specimens from type locality : Total length * Named in honor of Dr. B. H. Dutcher, who collected the type series. 19 BIOT,. Soc. WASH., VOT,. XII, 1898 (85) 86 > Bailey New Species and Subspecies of Voles. 163; tail vertebrae 37; hind foot 20.6. Skull of type : Basal length 27.4; nasals 8; zygomatic breadth 16.7; mastoid breadth 12.2; alveolar length of upper molar series 6.5. Microtus insularis sp. nov. Type from Great Gull Island, New York, No. f f{j|, $ im., Merriam Coll. Collected Aug. 6, 1888, by B. H. Dutcher. General characters. Size of pennsylvanicus ; colors darker ; skull shorter and wider with spreading zygoma and deep prezygomatic notches. Color. August pelage: Above, dark yellowish bister heavily mixed with black hairs, darkest on nose and face ; belly dusky, washed with cinna mon; feet blackish ; tail black above, color of belly below. Cranial characters. The skull differs from that of pennsylvanicus in shorter, wider brain case ; wider and more abruptly spreading zygomatic arches ; broader zygomatic shield ; smaller audital bulke ; palate short with a median point or spur and deep lateral pits. Posterior upper molar with second inner and outer angles approximately opposite and conflu ent ; dentition otherwise similar to that of pennsylvanicus. Measurements. Type, measured from dry skin: Tail 29; hind foot 20- Skull, No. 43969, from Little Gull Island: Basal length 26; zygomatic breadth, 16.2; mastoid breadth 12.3; alveolar length of upper molar series 6.8. Microtus angusticeps sp. nov. Type from Crescent City, California. No. HW> cT ad. , U. S. Nat. Mus. , Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 16, 1889, by T. S. Palmer. Orig. No. 151. General characters. Smaller and darker than typical mordax, with very narrow, slender skull and small audital bnlUe. Color. Summer pelage : Upper parts dark bister, lined with black hairs, darkest on face and nose ; sides paler; belly washed with creamy white ; feet plumbeous-gray; tail distinctly bicolor, blackish above, soiled white below. Cranial characters. Skull small and very narrow, distinctly ridged in adults; nasals projecting in front of incisors; incisive foramina short; audital bullse very small and constricted ; coronoid notch of mandible narrow ; incisors slender ; molars small with narrow, sharp angles ; enamel pattern as in M. mordax. Measurements. Type, tf ad. : Total length 170 ; tail vertebrae 56 ; hind foot 22. Skull of type: Basal length 23.4; nasals 7.6; zygomatic breadth 13.5; mastoid breadth 10.8; alveolar length of upper molar series 6. Microtus nevadensis sp. nov. Type from Ash Meadows, Nye Co., Nevada. No. ff|f, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 2, 1891, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 577. New Species and Subspecies of Voles. 87 General characters. Size large ; ears small ; tail rather short ; fur coarse and lax ; colors dark ; hip glands conspicuous in adult males. Skull mas sive and angular; incisive foramina narrow and closing to a point pos teriorly. Color. March specimens: Above dark sepia or bister, much obscured by blackish hairs; sides lighter; belly smoky gray; feet dark gray; tail in distinctly bicolor, blackish above, gray or brownish below; lips usually white; tip of nose in adult usually whitish. Young with a blackish dorsal stripe and dusky feet and tail. Cranial characters. Skull heavy, angular, and much ridged ; frontals high; rostrum bent downward; incisive foramina short, rather narrow and constricted to a point posteriorly; dentition heavy; upper incisors curved abruptly downward; first upper molar with 5 closed triangles; second with 4 triangles in 8 out of 16 specimens; in the other 8, with a slight inner lobe or loop at base of posterior triangle ; third with anterior crescent, three closed triangles and a posterior loop with two inner lobes or horns. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 210; tail vertebrae 55 ; hind foot 25.5. Average of 8 specimens from type locality : Total length 176; tail vertebrae 47 ; hind foot 23. Skull of type : Basal length 32 ; nasals 10.2 ; zygomatic breadth 19.3; mastoid breadth 14.3; alveolar length of upper molar series 8. Microtus nevadensis rivularis subsp. nov. Type from St. George, Utah, No. y|*, g ad., Merriam Coll. Collected Jan. 6, 1889, by Vernon Bailey. Orig. No. 493. General characters. Smaller and lighter colored than its nearest rela tive, M. nevadensis; skull less rigid and angular; bullse larger ; incisive foramina longer and narrower; ears small, nearly concealed by fur. Color. Winter pelage : Upper parts dull bister, darkened with blackish tipped hairs (similar to californicus) ; sides scarcely paler; belly washed with whitish ; feet dull grayish ; tail bicolor, grayish below, blackish above. Young darker than adults, but not black backed. Cranial characters. Skull smaller and slenderer than skulls of nevadensis of equal age ; audital bullae much larger and fuller ; anterior end of basi- occipital narrower ; incisive foramina narrower and actually as well as relatively longer ; angular process of lower jaw longer and slenderer ; in cisors much slenderer ; molar pattern essentially the same. Measurements. Type : Total length 179 ; tail vertebrae 48 ; hind foot 23. Skull of type: Basal length 28.2 ; nasals 8.3 ; zygomatic breadth 17 ; mas toid breadth 13.3 ; alveolar length of upper molar series 7.3. Microtus nanus canescens subsp. nov. Type from Conconully, Washington. No. 90577, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 12, 1897, by J. Alden Loring. Orig. No. 4654. 88 Bailey New Species and Subspecies of Voles. General characters. Like nanus but paler, clearer gray; skull with larger bullte and greater mastoid breadth ; zygomatic arches less widely spreading; upper incisors bent more abruptly downward. Hip glands conspicuous in adult males. Color. /Summer pelage : Above, clear dark grayish, formed by pale buffy and black tipped hairs ; sides shading to lighter gray and belly to white; feet dark gray; tail bicolor, grayish below ; blackish above. Cranial characters. Skull slightly narrower and more elongate than in nanus ; interparietal averaging longer ; bullae decidedly larger and fuller ; mastoid breadth relatively greater; incisors scarcely reaching beyond nasals ; molar pattern as in nanus. Measurements. Type: Total length 149 ; tail vertebrae 42 ; hind foot 20. Skull of type : Occipital condyle to anterior base of molars 17.4; posterior tip of nasals to foramen magnum 19.2; zygomatic breadth 15; mastoid breadth 12.3 ; alveolar length of upper molar series 6.3. Microtus montanus arizonensis subsp. nov. Type from Springerville, Arizona. No. fHt> c? ad -> U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 7, 1890, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 153. General characters. Similar to M. montanus, but brighter and more fer ruginous ; lateral pits of palate shallower. Color. October and November pelage: Above, yellowish or rusty brown; belly washed with white; feet dark grayish; tail bicolor, gray ish below; blackish above ; lips whitish. Slightly immature specimens are a little duller in color than adults. Cranial characters. Skull very similar to that of montanus, but easily distinguished toy the natter palate with shallower lateral pits, and by thicker pterygoids ; condyloid process of mandible slightly shorter ; dentition not different. Measurements. Type : Total length 184 ; tail vertebrae 55 ; hind foot 20. Average of 7 specimens from type locality : Total length 158 ; tail verte bra 41 ; hind foot 20.6. Skull of type : Basal length 27.3 ; nasals 8 ; zygo matic breadth 16; mastoid breadth 12.2; alveolar length of upper molar series 6.5. Microtus pennsylvanicus labradoiius subsp. nov. l\/pefrom Ft. Chimo, Ungava, Labrador. No. |ff, 9 ad., Merriam Coll. Collected Nov. 15, 1882, by L. M. Turner. General characters. Size and proportions approximately as in Microtus drummondi. Skull natter with much smaller audital bullae and more protruding upper incisors. Color. (Much changed by alcohol) : Above, dark brownish ; belly whitish ; tail bicolor ; feet pale. Cranial characters. Skull flattened, not much ridged or angled ; post- orbital ridge prominent; nasals short, cuneate, and scarcely reaching Neiv Species and Subspecies of Voles. 89 base of incisors ; audital bullse small ; incisive foramina short ; first upper molar usually with a posterior lobe on inner side; molar pattern other wise as in penmylvanicus. The skull is readily distinguishable from either driimmondi or fontigenus by the protruding incisors and small audital bulla). Measurements. Type, $ ad., measured from alcohol : Total length 139 ; tail vertebrae 39 ; hind foot 20. Average of 7 specimens from type local ity, measured from alcohol: Total length 137; tail vertebrae 37; hind foot 19. Skull of type: Basal length 24.3 ; nasals 6.7 ; zygomatic breadth 14.4 ; mastoid breadth 11 ; alveolar length of upper molar series 6.2. Miciotus californicus vallicola subsp. nov. Type from Lone Pine, Inyo Co., California. No. fffff, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 23, 1890, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 149. General characters. Similar to M. californicus but averaging slightly larger and darker ; proportions the same. Color. Summer pelage : Upper parts dull sepia, darkened by black tipped hairs darker and with less yellowish suffusion than in californicus; below dull grayish or smoky plumbeous ; feet dusky ; tail bicolor, grayish below; blackish above. Winter pelage : darker throughout, with black hairs of back longer and more conspicuous. Cranial characters. Skull like that of californicus, but audital bull^e usu ally smaller; occiput more abruptly truncate; nasals reaching nearer to tips of premaxillse ; middle upper molar with lobe at base of 4th triangle often developed into a loop. Measurements. Type, 9 ad.: Total length 200 ; tail vertebra 57 ; hind foot 23. Average of 7 specimens from type locality: Total length 188; tail vertebra 56 ; hind foot 23. Skull of type: Basal length, 29.4; nasals 9.5; zygomatic breadth 17.6; mastoid breadth 13.4; alveolar length of upper molar series 7.4. Microtus pinetorum nemoralis subsp. nov. Type from Stilwell (Boston Mts.), Indian Territory, No. 87246, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Museum, Biological Survey Coll. Collected April 7, 1897, by J. Alden Loring. Orig. No. 3905. General characters. Size, largest of the subgeims Pitymys in the United States ; ears large ; fur long and coarse ; colors duller than in pinetorum, but not so dark as in scalopsoides. Color. Upper parts dull chestnut, slightly lined with blackish tipped hairs on back and rump, becoming paler on sides ; belly washed with cinnamon rufous over the plumbeous underfur; tail indistinctly bicolor, agreeing with dorsal and ventral colors of body ; feet thinly clothed with pale buffy or sometimes dusky hairs. Cranial characters. Skull large and relatively elongated ; supraoccipital sloping ; interparietal narrow ; mastoids and au.dital bulke large and pro- 90 Bailey New Species and Subspecies of Voles. jecting farther back than in pinetonim ; palate often with a posterior point projecting into the U-shaped interpterygoid fossa; molar series long; third upper molar with three tightly closed triangles and an irregular posterior loop ; first lower molar with opposite reentrant angles meeting behind the anterior loop. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 130; tail vertebrae 24; hind foot 18. Average of five females and five males from type locality : Total length 135; tail vertebne 25 ; hind foot 18.1. Skull of type : Basal length 25.3; nasals 7.7; zygomatic breadth 16.5; mastoid breadth 13.4; alveolar length of upper molar series 7. Microtus pinetorum auricularis subsp. nov. Type from Washington, Miss., No. ffffi cT ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biolog ical Survey Coll. Collected May 26, 1892, by Vernon Bailey. Orig. No. 3649. General characters. Size small, about equalling pinetorum; ears very large for a Pitymys and conspicuous above fur ; colors dark and rich ; fur short and dense like that of pinetorum. Color. Upper parts dark rich chestnut darkened by dusky tipped hairs ; under parts washed with paler chestnut over dark under fur ; projecting tip of ear with scattered dusky hairs ; tail not bicolor, scarcely darker above, like the back or slightly darker; feet dull brownish. Cranial characters. Skull like that of pinetorum in general form and char acters, but interpterygoid fossa normally U-shaped instead of V-shaped ; third upper molar with three closed triangles ; first lower molar with first pair of reentrant angles meeting behind anterior loop. Measurement. Type: Total length 120; tail vertebrae 22; hind foot 16. Skutt of type: Basal length 22.3; nasals 7 ; z>gomatic breadth 15.2; mas toid breadth 12.3 ; alveolar length of molar series 6. VOL. XII, PP. 91-92 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW RACCOON FROM NASSAU ISLAND, BAHAMAS. BY OUTRAM BANGS. The announcement lately made by Mr. Oldfield Thomas* of the existence of two distinct species of indigenous Muridse in the West Indies, Oryzomys antillarum, of. Jamaica, and 0. victus, of St. Vincent, has somewhat changed our ideas of the mamma lian fauna of these islands. Mr. C. J. Maynard has, moreover, known for many years that a raccoon was abundant on Nassau Island. Before Mr. Maynard started on his last trip to the Bahamas I begged him to get specimens of this raccoon. But his time was so occupied in collecting other objects of natural history, in which he was more interested, that it is doubtful if he would have secured one at all if just before he started for home some negroes had not brought him a female that they had caught alive. Mr. Maynard brought her home alive, and on the voyage she gave birth to one young, also a female. The two are now alive and well at Mr. Maynard's place in Newton, Mass., where I went last summer to. see them. I was at once struck by the small size of these raccoons, and got Mr. Maynard to write to his friend, Mr. Herbert L. -Claridge, at Nassau, to get me a specimen. In due course Mr. Claridge sent me one, a young male, unfortunately with the back part of the skull smashed. The small size of this specimen, together with the peculiarities of the unbroken part of the skull, are sufficient to distinguish the animal as a distinct island form. There is no tradition among the inhabitants of Nassau that *Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 7, vol. I, Feb., 1898, p. 176. 20-Bioi,. Soc. WASH., Vor.. XII, 189 (91) 92 Bangs -A New Raccoon from Nassau Island, Bahamas. the raccoon was ever introduced upon the island, and I am un able to say from what continental stock it was derived. The raccoon is abundant upon Nassau, but Mr. Maynard be lieves that it does not exist upon any of the other islands of the Bahama group. The Nassau raccoon may well bear the name of its discoverer, who has done, and is doing, so much work on the Bahamas. Procyon maynardi sp. nov. Type from Nassau Island, Bahamas. No. 7750, ^ young, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected in August, 1 897, by Herbert L. Claridge. Specific characters. Size small ; hind foot small ; colors and markings as usual ; shoulder patch not so intensely colored and more overlaid by black hairs than in the Florida form (P. lotor elucus}. Skull small ; pal atine extension very short and narrow ; upper carnassial and molar teeth small and less square than in P. lotor, especially on the inner sides, which are much less truncate and more pointed. Cranial characters. The skull of the type and only specimen, a young male with the second teeth fully developed but unworn, consists of the forward parts of the skull only ; the back from behind the nasals and be hind the palatine extension is missing. Compared with skulls of P. lotor of the same age, it is smaller ; palate narrower ; palatine extension much shorter and narrower; malar slender and weak; infraorbital foramen large. The best character is the short narrow palatine extension. Prob ably a more perfect skull would show other characters. Dental characters. The teeth of P. maynardi are small and the upper carnassial and molar teeth quite differently shaped from those of P. lotor. They are shorter and broader i. e., much less square. The inside edges of these teeth in P. lotor are truncate, in P. maynardi they slope off from front and back into a rounding point, the last molar showing this pecu liarity most strongly. Measurements. The type, tf young (from dried skin, apparently a little shrunken) : Total length, 623 ; tail vertebrae, 210 ; hind foot, 96. Skull : length of nasals, 28.6 ; length of palate, 58.2 ; width of palate at middle of carnassial tooth, 17.2; length of palatine extension from a line across alveoli of last upper molars to end of pterygoid process, 23.8; to end of palate, 12.6; least width of palatine extension, 13.6; length of single half of mandible, 72.2. VOL. XII, pp. 93-94 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW FOX FROM SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Among a small lot of mammals just received from Wilmot W. Brown, Jr., who is making collections in the Santa Marta Moun tains, Colombia, for the Bangs collection, are two examples of an interesting new fox, which may be known as Urocyon aquilus * sp. nov. Ti/pefrom Santa Marta Mountains, Colombia, altitude between 2000 and 3000 feet, J old adult, No. 8001, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Feb. 10, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Grig. No. 58. Specific characters. Similar in general external appearance to U. cinereo- argenteus; colors dark, black the predominating color of upper parts, dull ochraceous buff of under parts ; size small ; tail short ; skull large and massive, differing much from that of the North American gray foxes (true Urocyon). Color and pelage. Upper parts : Pelage short, hispid, the hairs banded, mostly with four distinct rings wood-brown at base, then black, then wood-brown and black tipped, the black tips deeper along back from behind ears to base of tail, shorter and less conspicuous on sides and top of head, the black predominating on dorsal region and mixed black and dull brownish on sides ; under fur mouse-gray at base, yellowish at tips ; sides of neck behind ears tawny, under parts dull ochraceous buff with a decided vinaceous tint on lower belly, at base of tail and between arms ; chin grizzled black; toes and fingers dull brownish black ; ears brownish black, dull tawny around edges, nearly naked inside; tail very short, narrow, not bushy, black above and at tip, dull clay color below. *Aquilus = dark-colored. 21 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (93) 94 Bangs A New Fox from Santa Marta, Colombia. Cranial characters. The skull of U. aquilus is large (very large for the size of the animal) and massive ; the region enclosed between the tem poral ridges is narrow and the ridges themselves less strongly marked than in U. cinere oargenteus ; no depression between postorbital process and frontal, the frontals being evenly rounded ; postorbital processes small ; zygomatic arch heavy and very low and straight, the malar very low down, leaving little space between it and molar teeth ; palate broad ; audital bullae short, deep, and round (very differently shaped from those of U. cuiereoargenteiis) ; mandible like that of U. cinereoargenteus, with the peculiar narrow, straight, tapering rami, except that the notch at poste rior end of lower side of ramus is not so strongly marked. The dentition, though heavy throughout, is normal. Measurements. Total Tail Hind Ear from length, vert, foot, notch. 8001, type d* old ad. 900 300 120 60 8002, topotype 9 yg. ad. 860 290 125 65 Skull (type, cf old adult) : Basal length, 122; zygomatic breadth, 74.6; mastoid breadth, 48; breadth across postorbital processes, 42; breadth of palate at middle of last molar, 22.8; length of palate, 63.6; greatest length of single half of mandible, 104. Remarks. Among South American Canidte there appears to be a wide variety of type forms that probably completely bridge over the differences between Urocyon and the fox-like wolves of the subgenns Thorn. Such species as Canis azarse, C. fulvipes, and C. urostictus appear to be connect ing links, showing a strange mixture of characters. I can find no notice of any species like the subject of the present de scription. While V. aquihis undoubtedly belongs in the genus Urocyon, it differs cranially very much from U. cinereoargenteus, the type of the genus. Its external characters are wholly those of Urocyon. VOL. XII, PP. 95-6 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW MURINE OPOSSUM FROM MARGARITA ISLAND. BY OUTRAM BANGS. While on the Island of Margarita, Venezuela, in the summer of 1895, Lieutenant Wirt Robinson, U. S. Army, collected five murine opossums. "Four of these he presented to the National Museum at Washington and one to. me. These specimens rep resent a very pallid insular race that may be known as Marmosa robinsoni sp. nov. Type from Margarita Island, Venezuela, cT adult, No. 7749, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected July 12, 1895, by Lieut. Wirt Robinson, U. S. Army. Orig. No. 506. General characters. Similar to M. murina, but much paler and more yellow; black mark through eye less extensive; ear (in dried skins) considerably smaller; skull similar to that of M. murina. Color. Upper parts, clay color, becoming paler and more yellowish on sides ; sides of neck and top of nose back to between eyes dull bufFy yel low ; black mark through eye less extensive and duller than in M. mu rina. Under parts, dull straw yellow to base of hairs ; line of demarka- tion between colors of upper and under parts much less distinct than in M. murina; feet and hands dull yellowish white. Measurements. Number. Sex. Total length. Tail verte brate. Hind foot. 7749* $ adult 374 9 203 63209f ^ adult 370.8 210.8 24.13 63210 9 adult 320 175 3 * Coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. fColl. of National Museum, Washington. 2-2-Bior,. Soc. WASH., Vor,. XII, 1898 (95) 96 Bangs A New Murine Opossomfrom Margarita Island. Remarks. This insular murine opossum, which I have named in honor of its discoverer, may be readily distinguished from M. murina by its much paler, more yellow color and smaller ear. With M. murina mexi- cana, M. roUnsoni agrees in having the middle of the face back to the eyes decidedly paler than the rest of the upper parts and in having small ears. It differs from M. mexicana quite as much in color as it does from true murina, and can be told at a glance from either. VOL. XII, PP. 97-98 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW RABBIT FROM MARGARITA ISLAND, VENEZUELA* BY GERRIT S. MILLER, JR. The small collection of mammals taken on Margarita Island, Venezuela, by Lieut. Wirt Robinson during the summer of 1895 proves to be exceptionally rich in novelties. Of the six species that it contains, two f have already been described in these Pro ceedings as new, while I now find that a third, the rabbit pre viously recorded as Lepus brasiliensis, differs specifically from its mainland representative. It may stand as : Lepus margaritae sp. nov. Lepus brasiliensis Robinson, Proc. U. S. National Museum, XVIII, p. 651. Type No. 63217, United States National Museum, $ adult, collected on Margarita Island, Venezuela, July 1, 1895, by Lieut. Wirt Robinson, U. S. Army. Original number 369. General characters. In size, cranial characters, and general appearance most like Lepus cumanicus Thomas J of the adjacent mainland, but with under side of tail dull yellowish brown instead of white, rump strongly suffused with rufous, and sides of head without conspicuous black spot between eye and base of ear. Color. General color of back and sides a conspicuous grizzle of black ish brown and pale whitish buff, the buff slightly paler on sides, and the black somewhat heavier on back. Soft, woolly under fur light plum- * Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu tion. f Rhogeessa minutilla Miller, and Marmosa robinsoni Bangs. J Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 6th ser., XX, p. 552, December, 1897. 23 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (97) 98 Miller A New Rabbit from Margarita Island. beous. Shoulders, rump, upper surface of tail and outer sides of all four legs strongly suffused with rufous. Nape patch clear rufous. Crown es sentially like back, only more finely grizzled and the buff darker. Whole side of head light gray, shaded with dark brown, the gray clearer around eye (where it forms an indistinct ring) and on sides of muzzle, the brown most conspicuous on cheeks below and behind eye. Whole under parts, with the exception of a broad buffy collar, dull white, faintly darkened by the plumbeous bases of the hairs. The white extends on inner side of front legs to wrists and on hind legs to base of claws. Tail colored like the rump, slightly paler and less rufous ventrally than dorsally. Measurements. Total length (skin), 350 ; length to end of outstretched hind feet, 445;* tail to end of hairs, 35.6; * hind foot, 86 ; ear from crown, 70; width of ear, 38. Skull: greatest length, 79; basilar length, 61 ; zygomatic breadth, 36.4; nasals, length 36.8 ; combined width, 18 ; incisive foramen, 12.4 x 7.4 ; maxillary tooth row (alveoli), 15 ; mandible, 58 ; mandibular tooth row (alveoli), 15. General remarks. Were it not for its longer ears, slightly smaller size, and short, dark colored tail, Lepus margaritx would bear a very strong superficial resemblance to L. sylvaticus transitional-la Bangs. Its relation ships, however, are, as already pointed out, with its nearest geographical ally, L. cumanicus. * From fresh specimen by collector. VOL. XII, PP. 99-104 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE EARLIEST GENERIC NAME FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN DEER, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW. SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES. BY C. HART MERRIAM. For many years the generic name Cariacus Lesson, 1842, stood unchallenged for our Virginia Deer and its allies. In February, 1895, Mr. Oldfield Thomas reinstated Gloger's Dorcelaphus, as having one year priority, but stated that it was by no means clear that this name would stand, since it was antedated, he was informed by Dr. T. S. Palmer, by two of Rafinesque's names Panallodon, 1831, and Odocoileus, 1832. I have not been able to see a copy of the rare publication in which Rafinesque's Pan .allo- don appeared. It is entitled ' Enumeration and Account of some remarkable natural objects of the Cabinet of Professor Rafinesque, in Philadelphia, 'and is said to have been published in Philadel phia in November, 1831. In a review in ' The Monthly Amer ican Journal of Geology and Natural Science ' for May, 1832 (Vol. I, No. 11, pp. 509-510), it is said that Panallodon " owes its existence to a jawbone, six inches long, found in a Solar temple in Kentucky. He [Rafinesque] thinks this akin to mazama, which was somewhat similar to the antelopes, but having teeth 'more like some carnivorous animals, but no canine tooth.'" Apart from the insufficiency of the diagnosis, the small size of the jaw and character of the teeth indicate that the animal could .not have been a deer. Rejecting Panallodon as untenable, the narne next in order of 24 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1893 (00) 100 Merriam New North American Deer. date is Odocoileus* This name was based on the second or third (probably the third) left upper premolar of the Virginia deer, or a closely related form, found in a cave near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Fortunately there is no room for doubt as to the animal to which the tooth belonged, for Rafinesque described it in detail and pub lished natural-size figures of both outer and inner faces of the tooth. Since the name Odocoileus was published 9 years earlier than Dorcelaphus of Gloger, and 10 years earlier than Cariacus Lesson, it appears to be the earliest generic name for the Amer ican deer of which 0. speleus Raf. [= 0. virginianus (Bodd.)] is the type species. The earliest generic name for the South Ameri can deer of the group typified by Cervus rufus I have previously shown to be Mazama Rafinesque, 1817.f Five new deer in the collection of the Biological Survey are here described : Two of these, one from Sitka, Alaska, the other from southern California, are northern and southern representa tives of the Columbia Blacktail (Odocoileus columbianus), to which they are closely related ; the third, from Cerros Island, Mexico, is a strongly marked insular species of the Mule Deer group, of which Odocoileus hemionusis the type. The remaining two, from southern Mexico, appear to be very distinct. Odocoileus columbianus sitkensis subsp. nov. Type from Sitka, Alaska, No. 74383, $ im., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biolog ical Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 8, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 4767. Characters. Similar to 0. columbianus, but smaller, with smaller skull and teeth, and much shorter ears (in type : from anterior base 125 ; from notch 105) ; black of upper side of tail replaced on basal half with ful vous hairs, like those of back. Color. Type specimen at end of summer (with patches of gray winter coat coming in irregularly through worn red summer coat) : upper parts from forehead to base of tail, including outer sides of legs and feet, ful vous; face grizzled gray, becoming pale dull fulvous inferiorly ; eyelids black ; a V-shaped mark extending from eyes half way to nose, dusky ; space between eyes grizzled fulvous and black ; ears grizzled gray and dusky, not becoming blackish anteriorly ; inside of ears white. Chin and under lip, except bar between angles of mouth, white; posterior part of belly, inguinal region, inner side of thigh, and a disconnected strip along posterior aspect of foreleg, white ; throat grayish fulvous ; rest of under * Atlantic Journal, vol. I, No. 3, p. 109, "Autumn of 1832," f Science, NS, I, 208, Feb. 22, 1895. New North American Deer. 101 parts pale fulvous ; tarsal gland blackish in middle, surrounded by ful vous. Tail: above, basal half fulvous like back; terminal half (except white tip) black ; under side white, the white at tip showing from above. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of columbianus, but somewhat smaller ; tooth rov shorter ; lachrymal pit short and very deep ; ante- orbital vacuity relatively small. Odocoileus columbianus scaphiotus subsp. nov. Type from Laguna Ranch, Gabilan Range, Calif, No. 65162, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected April 24, 1894, by J. E. Mc- Lellan. Orig. No. 797. Characters. Similar to 0. columbianus, but ears very much larger ; color ation paler. Color. Type specimen in worn winter pelage (April 24) : upper parts uniform grizzled gray; under parts with white areas as in columbianus; ears longer and very much broader than those of columbianus. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of columbianus, but lachrymal pit narrower and more elongate anteriorly ; anteorbital vacuity much larger; teeth larger and heavier. Measurements. Type specimen (in flesh) : Total length 1465; tail verte brae 135 ; hind foot 452. Ear in dry skin : length from anterior base 178 ; from notch 168; breadth 106. Odocoileus cerrosensis sp. nov. Type from Cerros for Cedros) Id. off Lower California, Mexico, No. 80782, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected August 9, 1896, by A. W. Anthony. Characters. Similar in general to the California Mule Deer, Odocoileus hemionus calif ornicus, but smaller. Color. Upper parts dark grizzled gray with scattered hairs of pale ful vous; a blackish band along median line from occiput to rump and on upper surface of tail, usually but not always interrupted on rump ; muz zle grayish- white, becoming gray on sides of face ; a small dusky spot on top of nose close to nose pad, and another on each side just behind nos tril ; a dark transverse band between eyes anteriorly, curving back over eyes and reaching posteriorly to behind plane of eyes, thus forming a broadly U-shaped mark ; ears grizzled gray with a darker area on ante rior face just above middle ; inside of ears white ; under lip and chin whitish, with a small elongate black spot on each side of middle of lip, and a small dark triangle on middle of chin; throat and neck dark dusky gray, becoming blackish between forelegs and along middle of breast; sides of breast and belly grizzled gray like back ; inguinal region and posterior third of middle of belly whitish, becoming buffy on thigh and reaching down on inner side of leg a little below heel ; posterior aspect of forelegs and feet buffy ; rest of legs and feet buffy fulvous. Tail : basal two-thirds whitish, usually with dark band above ; terminal third abruptly 102 Merriam New North American Deer. blackish and enlarged, and with some fulvous hairs on upper side. Tarsal gland normal, on inner side of calcaneum ; metatarsal gland about 75-80 mm. in length, occupying approximately middle third (really a little above middle third) of outer side of metatarsus. Cranial characters. Skull similar in general to thatrf 0. hemionns cali- fornicus but smaller and lighter, with decidedly longer nasals and very mucli smaller teeth. The nasals are very narrow anteriorly, and are produced so far posteriorly as to reach within 3 or 4 mm. of plane of hinder border of anteorbital vacuities. The postero-lateral edge of the nasals abutting against the anteorbital vacuity is nearly straight and so elongated that its length equals the combined breadth of nasals on fronto-nasal suture. The lachrymal pit is deep, but less so than in 0. h. calif ornicus. The anteorbital vacuity is decidedly larger than in californicus ; the orbitosphe- noid decidedly narrower, and the anterior (sublachrymal) extension of the jugal equally broad. The external openings of both of the lachrymal ducts are on the inner side of the orbital rim. Antlers. The antlers are small, well bowed outward, with incurved tips, and have only a single branch which is given off from the upper third of the main tine and projects backward and upward. The largest antler of five apparently adult bucks in the collection measures only 190 mm. from burr to tip in a straight line ; the spread between the tips is 230 ; greatest spread at base of incurved tips 260. Measurements. Type specimen, measured from dry skin : Total length 1560 ; tail vertebrae 180 ; hind foot 380 ; ear from crown anteriorly 180. Odocoileus thomasi sp. nov. Type from Huehuetan, Chiapas, Mexico, No. 77866, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Feb. 22, 1896, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Grig. No. 9359. Characters. Size rather large ; color red all the year round ; tail as in the Virginia Deer; metatarsal gland a very small spot on postero-external aspect of metatarsus about midway between calcaneum and hoofs. Color. Winter pelage (type specimen): Upper parts including side of belly, middle of breast and neck all round, fulvous, becoming bright grizzled golden fulvous on back; muzzle grayish dusky; forehead mixed fulvous and black, becoming solid black in front of plane of ears, with a fulvous spot over each eye posteriorly ; chin white with a black spot on each side of middle of lip, the spots nearly meeting on median line; in guinal region, inner side of thighs, middle part of belly, and posterior aspect of forelegs, white. Tail : upper surface bright fulvous ; under sur face W 7 hite. Summer pelage (Tonala, Chiapas, Aug. 10) : Similar, but upper parts simply fulvous, lacking the grizzled golden appearance of winter pelage ; forehead fulvous like rest of upper parts (lacking the black of winter) ; muzzle dark grayish with a small dusky spot just behind nose pad and another behind each nostril. [It is possible that the Tonala specimen is not 0. thomasi.] New North American Deer. 103 Cranial characters. Skull and teeth similar in general to those of Cari- acus clavatus True [ Odocoileus truei] * from Honduras but somewhat larger, skull broader, nasals shorter, anteorbital vacuities larger ; antlers larger (about 120 mm. long) and in one specimen (from Tonala, Chiapas) developing a short prong on inner side midway of the length of the tine. The skull of an old buck (No. 74885), with mature antlers in the velvet, was collected by Mr. Nelson at Santa Efigenia, Oaxaca, July 21, 1895. The antlers are unlike those of any deer known to me, and I incline to the belief that they are those of 0. thomasi when full grown. They measure 200 mm. in straight line from burr to tip and 240 over curve, and slope directly backward almost on plane of face, the tips curving inward and slightly forward (spread between tips 110; greatest spread 165). They give off a spike on inner side about 60 mm. from burr, which curves inward and forward (agreeing with curvature of beam) and reaches back about 1 10 from burr. These spikes are symmetrical on the two sides and their incurving tips are only 50 mm. apart. The left beam gives off pos teriorly a prong 70 mm. below the tip and 50 mm. in length, which is directed backward and slightly inward. The burrs are very large and, with the basal part of the beams, very rugose. The skull bearing these antlers is somewhat smaller than the type of thomasi, and the rostrum and nasals'are narrow, as usual in old age. The flesh measurements of this animal were: Total length 1400; tail vertebree 165; hind foot 378 ; height at shoulder 780. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 1544; tail vertebrae 153; hind foot 425. Odocoileus nelsoni sp. nov. Type from San Cristobal, highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. No. 76201, $ 2d year, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct. 1, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8524. Characters. Size medium ; color dark brownish gray, with top of head and dorsal band blackish ; antlers (2d year) small sub-cylindrical spikes 65 mm. in length. Color. Upper parts dark grizzled brownish-gray, the tips of hair becom ing pale fulvous posteriorly; a black stripe from nose pad to forehead, bifurcating and sending a narrow band over each eye in type specimen leaving top of head grizzled gray and black [in another specimen whole top of head blackish, the difference probably seasonal] ; a blackish dorsal band from top of head to middle of back on rump ; ears grizzled gray ; tail like that of Virginia Deer ; fulvous above, white below. A black band * In 1888 Mr. F. W. True described a new deer from Honduras under the name Cariacus clavatus. But the specific name clavatus for a deer of this group is preoccupied by Cervus clavatus Ham. Smith (in Griffith's Cuvier, Animal Kingdom, V, 315, 1827). Hence it is necessary to rename Mr. True's deer, which I take pleasure in doing in honor of its describer. It may be known as Odocoileus truei. 104 Merriam New North American Deer. across white chin ; sides of face and neck all round dark grizzled gray, becoming dusky between forelegs; axillary and inguinal regions, posterior aspect of forelegs and inner side of thigh white ; sides of bell}' and legs pale grayish-fulvous. Metatarsal gland a small spot 10 mm. long sur rounded by white hairs, on outer side of metatarsus midway between end of calcaneum and tip of hoof. Tarsal gland normal. Cranial characters. Skull small and light with short nasals, small ante- orbital vacuities, shallow lachrymal pits, broad anterior (sublachrymal) extension of jugals, broad orbitosphenoids, and remarkably small and narrow audital bullre. The skull and teeth resemble those of 0. acapul- ceiisis more closely than they do any other deer known to me, but may be distinguished from acapulceusis by the shortness of the nasals, great breadth of the orbitosphenoid anteriorly and of the anterior extension of the jugal, and the small size of the audital bullse. Measurements. Type specimen, $ of 2d year, not full grown ; measured in flesh : Total length 1250 ; tail vertebra 170 ; hind foot 360. Height at shoulder 650. Ear in dry skin : from anterior base 140 ; from notch 120. VOL. XII, pp. 105-108 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SUBGENERA AND THREE NEW SPECIES OF MICROTUS FROM MEXICO AND GUATEMALA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Among the mammals collected in Mexico and Guatemala by Mr. E. W. Nelson and his assistant, Mr. E. A. Goldman, are 462 specimens of Voles of the genus Microtus. These animals were found on most of the mountains visited and series were obtained at 34 localities. Up to the present time only three species of Microtus have been described from Mexico, namely, mexicanus (Saussure), from Mt. Orizaba, phseus (Merriam), from the Sierra Nevada de Colima, Jalisco, and quasiater (Coues), from Jalapa, Vera Cruz. M. mex icanus and phseus belong to the subgenus Microtus ; M. quasiater to the subgenus Pitymys. Mr. Nelson's collection contains large series of topotypes of these three species, and additional speci mens from numerous new localities ; it contains also three new species, one of which (fulviventer) belongs to the subgenus Mi crotus proper; the others differ so widely from the previously known groups and from each other that it is necessary to erect two new subgenera for their reception. The two animals agree in the character of the fur, which is long and soft, and in the number of closed triangles 011 the first and last lower molars ; they differ in the enamel pattern of the last upper molar, the degree of inflation of the triangles and loops of all the teeth, and in striking cranial characters. One is a long-tailed vole from Mt. Zempoaltepec, Oaxaca ; the other a short-tailed animal 25-BiOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (105) 106 Merriam New Microtus from Mexico and Guatemala. from Todos Santos, Guatemala. Both localities are considerably farther south than the southernmost published record of any member of the genus. Subgenus MICROTUS Schrank. Type, Microtus arvalis (Pallas) from Europe. Microtus fulviventer sp. nov. Type from Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico (alt. 10200 ft.). No. 68250, C? ad., U, S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 22, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6601. Characters. Similar to M. mexicanus in size and general characters, but upper parts very much ' redder ' and under parts fulvous instead of whitish ; tail short ; ears conspicuous. Color. Upper parts uniform dark umber brown mixed with black hairs ; under parts dark fulvous or chestnut-fulvous ; tail indistinctly bi- color, blackish above, pale fulvous below, darkening toward tip. Cranial and dental characters. Skull and teeth similar to those of M. mex icanus, but slightly larger ; interorbital region broader ; incisive foramina longer ; molars heavier. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 154; tail vertebrae 38; hind foot 20. Subgenus ORTHRIOMYS* nobis. Type, Microtus umbrosus sp. nov., from Mt. Zempoal tepee, Oaxaca, Mexico. Characters. Palate normal ; interorbital constriction rather broad ; m T with 3 closed triangles (2 on inner and 1 on outer side) and 2 open trian gles, the latter forming the wings of the anterior trefoil ; m^ with 2 com pletely closed triangles (1 on each side) and 2 obliquely transverse loops (anterior and posterior) both on inner side ; the outer triangle immedi ately followed by a deep reentrant angle which completely cuts it off from inner triangle ; m^ with 1 closed triangle on each side. Mammae 4 : pec toral I = 4. Fur long and soft, only extreme tip colored. Remarks. In the type and only known species, M. umbrosus, m 1 has only 2 closed triangles and a posterior open trefoil ; the molars are very broad and heavy, the breadth relatively greatest posteriorly ; the enamel loops and triangles are very large, full, and broadly rounded, enclosing large islands of dark osteodentine, and so crowded as to exceed the inter spaces. The crowns of the molars resemble those of Phenacomys in the polish of the enamel, darkness of the osteodentine and of the crowns as , early ; /jw?, mouse. In many respects Orthriomys suggests an ancient type intermediate between Phenacomys and the microtine sub- genera Pedomys and Arvicola; in the character of its molar crowns it is nearest Phenacomys. New Microtus from Mexico and Guatemala. 107 a whole (contrasted with the whitish molars of Microtus) ; large size and fullness of the loops and triangles (in this respect exceeding Plienacomys) ; pyriform shape of anterior loop in m^ and m^ ; enamel pattern of upper molars, including m^ ; only slightly modified enamel pattern of lower molars, and great breadth of molar series (above and below) posteriorly. They differ from those of Plienacomys in having the outer triangle of m j completely isolated ; two less triangles on m 1? less disparity in depth be tween the reentrant angles of the two sides in the lower molars, and in the total absence of roots. Microtus umbrosus sp. nov. Type from Mt. Zempoaltepec, Oaxaca (alt. 8200 ft.). No. 68480, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 10, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6412. Characters. Size medium or rather large ; tail long and scantily haired ; ears rather short and nearly concealed by fur ; color very dark ; fur long, soft, and full ; dentition peculiar. Color. Upper parts uniform dusky with tips of hairs brown; under parts dark slate, washed with pale dull fulvous. Cranial and dental characters. Skull rather long ; braincase long ; ante rior roots of zygomata not notched in front ; zygomata not widely spread ing, sides parallel ; jugal not expanded ; audital bullse small : palatine pits deep ; postpalatal notch square ; interorbital constriction broad ; premaxillse reaching posteriorly considerably beyond nasals ; nasals nar rowing posteriorly; incisive foramina rather short. Molars large and broad ; m^ with 1 closed triangle on each side, and a short posterior tre foil or v presenting one open salient angle on each side [remaining teeth described under subgenus]. Jlfeasurements. Type specimen: Total length 184; tail vertebrae 65; hind foot 23. Average of 7 specimens from type locality : Total length 177 ; tail vertebne 61 ; hind foot 23.5. Subgenus HERPETOMYS * nobis. Type, Microtus gaatemaiensis sp. nov., from Todos Santos, Guatemala. Characters. Palate normal ; m T with 3 closed triangles (2 on inner and 1 on outer side) and 2 open triangles, the latter forming the wings of the anterior trefoil ; mj with 2 completely closed triangles (Ion each side) and 2 obliquely transverse loops (anterior and posterior) both on inner side ; m- with 3 closed triangles (2 on outer and 1 on inner side) and a long posterior crescentic loop with both horns projecting on inner side. Mammse6: pectoral f, inguinal { (the latter not functional). Plantar tubercles 5. Fur long and soft with only extreme tip colored. Itemarks. This animal, while agreeing with Orthriomys in the number of enamel loops and triangles of the lower molars, differs strikingly in j creeper ; fifi^ mouse, 108 Merriam New Microtus from Mexico and Guatemala. those of the last upper molar (which agrees with Microtus proper) and in the general appearance of the molar crowns, which resemble Microtus instead of Phenacomys. Microtus guatemalensis sp. nov. Type from Todos Santos, Huehuetenango, Guatemala (alt. 10000ft.). No. 76777, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 30, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8960. Characters. Size medium ; coloration very dark ; end of nose blackish ; lips white ; tail short and rather scantily haired ; fur very long and soft, nearly hiding the ears. Color. Under parts everywhere slate black; extreme tips of hairs on upper parts mixed dark golden fulvous and black, the resulting color diffi cult to describe but near the ' mummy brown ' of Kidgway's ' Nomen clature of Colors ' ; end of nose surrounding nose pad blackish ; edges of lips white; tail concolor, blackish. Cranial and dental characters. General appearance of skull as in Microtus pennsylvanicus or mexicanus but less constricted interorbitally ; audital bulke very large and swollen ; jugal rather broadly expanded vertically ; incisive foramina very rectangular of nearly equal breadth throughout and truncate at both ends; anterior root of zygoma rather strongly notched in front and standing out squarely so that the jugals are nearly parallel. Dentition peculiar: incisors broad and long; molars broad and heavy : m^ with 2 completely closed triangles on outer and 1 on inner side, with open posterior loop elongated and curved to form 2 salient angles on inner side. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 155 ; tail vertebrae 40 ; hind foot 21 . Average of 20 specimens from type locality : Total length 150 ; tail vertebrae 37 ; hind foot 21. VOL. XII, PP. 109-114 APRIL 30, 1896 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON RANDOM NOTES ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE CHIROPTERA. BY T. S. PALMER. A careful examination of the names of bats now in common use shows that many changes must be made before the nomeii: clature will be placed on a stable basis. Some of these changes have already been pointed out by Miller in his recent revision of the Vespertilionidse.* But errors no less glaring still pass current in other families, and it is the purpose of this paper to call attention to a few which have come to light while compiling a list of the family and generic names of Chiroptera. Bats are now usually divided into six families : Emballo- nuridse, Nycteridse, Phyllostomatidse, Pteropodidse, Rhinolo- phidae, and Vespertilionidse. A rigid adherence to the rule of priority requires a change in at least two of these names, as well as in the designations of several subfamilies, genera, and species. NOCTILIONID^E (Emballonuridge). The free-tailed bats received the commonly accepted name of Emballonuridse from Dobson in 1875. f Gray, however, in 1821 J * North American Fauna, No. 13, 1897; Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, 6th ser., XX, p. 379, 1897. Most of the references to generic and specific names were furnished Mr. Miller by the Biological Survey of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, the generic names forming part of my forthcoming index to the genera of mammals. f Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., 4th ser., XVI, p. 347, Nov., 1875. J London Medical Repository, XV, p. 299, Apr. 1, 1821. 26-BiOL. Soc. WASH., Vor.. XL I, 1898 (109) 110 Palmer Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera. proposed the term Noctilionidse based on another genus of the same family, and this name having priority of more than half a century should be adopted instead of Emballonuridse. The genus Saccopteryx, according to Dobson, contains 4 sub- genera, one of which. Centronycteris, was based on Vespertilio calcaratus from Brazil. This species was named by Wied in 1821,* but is preoccupied by Vespertilio calcaratus Rafinesquef described in 1818, a North American species belonging to an other family. Since the Brazilian bat now known as Saccopteryx calcarata does not seem to have received any other specific name, it may be called Saccopteryx wiedi in honor of its discoverer, Maximilian, Prince of Wied. MEGADERMATIDjE (NycteridaO. The family Nycteridse, also named by Dobson in 1875, contains but two genera, Megaderma and Nycteris, each the type of a dis tinct subfamily. Harrison Allen published the name Megader- matidse in 1864 J; Peters used the term Megadermata as early as 1865, and Gill adopted it in a modified form Megadermidse, in 1872. Although Harrison Allen merely used the name inci dentally for a genus which is now known to belong to another group, there can be no doubt as to the genus on which it was based. Consequently there seems to be no reason why Megader- matidre should not be adopted for the family, since it has 11 years' priority over Nycteridse. PHYLLOSTOMATID^E. Several changes in current generic names of leaf-nosed bats are also necessary. Anoura Gray, 1838, should replace Glossonycteris Peters, 1868, as recently shown by Thomas and Trouessart; Phyl- loderma may be antedated by Guandira ; and Lophostoma must give way to Tonatia. The Cayenne Bat. called Phylloderma stenops by Peters in 1865, was previously named Guandira cayanensis by Gray in 1843, but apparently was not described until 1866 || *Schinz, Das Thierreich, I, p. 180, 1821. f Am. Monthly Mag., Ill, p. 445, Oct., 1818. J Mon. Bats North Am., p. XXIII, 1864. gMonatsber. K. Preuss. Akad. Wiss., Berlin, p. 513, 1865. || List Spec. Mamm. Brit. Mus., p. 194, 1843; Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1866, p. 114. Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera. Ill and therefore remained aiiomen nudura until one year after the appearance of Peters' description. If Gray has anywhere de scribed the species prior to 1866, his name Guandira will of course take precedence over Phylloderma. Lophostoma D'Orbigny, * is antedated at least nine years by Tonatia Gray, 1827. Lophostoma was based on L. sylvicolum (= Phyllostoma amblyotis Wagner, 1843), and according to Dobson, contains two other species Vampyrus bidens Spix and Lopho stoma brasiliense Peters. F. bidens, however, is the type of Tonatia Grajr. The genus was published in volume V of Griffith's Cuvier, Animal Kingdom, as follows: " Vampyrus, it is understood, was long ago appropriated by M. Geoffroy (in a MS. communication to Dr. Leach) as a generic name to F. spectrum of Linnaeus ; but Spix in his splendid work on the animals of Brazil, now pub lishing, has adopted it for three species there described, the Oirrhosus, Soricinus, and Bidens. * * * Mr. Gray proposes * * * to divide the three species of Spix's genus Vampyrus above men tioned into two genera, the one under the name Istiophorus, in cluding Cirrhosus and Soricinus, and the other under that of Tonatia, including Bidens only."f PTEROPODID^E. Among the fruit-eating bats, changes are inevitable in the well-known genera Macroglossus (or Carponycteris), Cynonycteris (or Xantharpyia), Harpyia, and Cephalotes. Macroglossus, preoc cupied in Entomology, was replaced in 1891 by Carponycteris, Ly- dekker. This latter name is antedated by Kiodotas, proposed in 1840 by Blyth,J who had previously discovered that Macroglossus was not available, and suggested a Latinized form of the common name as a substitute. The adoption of Kiodotus necessitates a new name for the subfamily Macroglossina? or Carponycterinse, which may be called Kiodotinae. This subfamily includes the * First published on plates of D'Orbigny' s 'Voyage dans 1'Amerique meridionale,' which were distributed separately in 1836. In 1838 Gray quoted the genus with a brief diagnosis, merely mentioning the species by name. The specific name, however, dates from 1847, the year when the text accompanying the plates appeared. f P. 71, foot-note, 1827. JCuvier's Animal Kingdom, 69 footnote, 1840; new ed., 69 footnote, 1849. The first edition not seen ; Mr. F. H. Waterhouse, Librarian of the Zoological Society of London, has kindly verified the reference forme, 112 Palmer Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera. genera Callinycteris, Eonycteris, Kiodoius, Melonycteris, Nesonycteris, NotopteriSj and Trygenycteris. The genus known as Cynonycteris by Peters and Dobson, and as Xantharpyia by Lydekker, must give way to Rouseltus Gray, 1821,* which has more than 20 years' priority. Rousettus was based on Pteropus aegyptiacus; Xantharpyia Gray, 1843, in cluded P. amplexicaudatus, P. aegyptiacus, and P. stramineus; and Cynonycteris Peters, 1852, had for its type P. collaris. As all these species are now considered congeneric, it is simply a mat ter of selecting the earliest name. Harpyia is preoccupied in Entomology, and in the case of Cephalotes an unfortunate transfer of the name must be made similar to that of Vespertilio, to which Miller has already called attention. Cephalotes and Harpyia are closely related, and may therefore be considered together. Cephalotes was proposed by Geoffroy in 1810 f for two species, Cephalotes peronii Geoffroy, from the island of Timor, and Cephalotes pallasii Geoffroy, a. new name for Vespertilio cephalotes Pallas. Illiger in the following year, 1811, based his Harpyia on Vespertilio cephalotes. But, as already stated, Harpyia is preoccupied in Entomology, since Ochsenheimer selected it in 1810 for a group of European moths and gave a detailed description of the genus and several species in his work entitled ' Die Schmetterlinge von Europa ' (vol. Ill, p. 19). Harpyia is therefore not available either for the bat or the eagle, to which it has so long been applied. Even were this not the case, it could hardly claim recognition, as it is in reality merely a synonym of Cephalotes. It may be claimed that Geoffroy did not name the type of his genus Cephalotes, and under the rule that the first reviser of a genus has the right to fix the type when none has been desig nated by the original describer, Illiger could select Vespertilio cephalotes as the type of Harpyia (thus leaving Cephalotes peronii as the type of the genus Cephalotes), and his verdict would be final. Certain it is that he has been followed by Temminck, Gray, Dobson and others, until C. peronii has become almost universally associated with Cephalotes and V. cephalotes with Har pyia. It may well be questioned whether the type of Cephalotes was really left in uncertainty, and whether Illiger deliberately * London Medical Repository, XV, p. 299, Apr. 1, 1821, t Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat, Paris, XV, pp. 101-108. Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera. 113 ' fixed ' it, or, not having seen Geoffrey's paper,* simply based Harpyia on Vespertilio cephalotes, which he recognized as distinct from other species of Vespertilio. The original description seems to leave little doubt that Geoffroy intended cephalotes and not peronii as the type of his genus, for he says : " Nous donnons ce nom a la cephalote de Pallas et a une nouvelle espece du voyage aux terres australes, qui ont une tres-grande affinite avec les rousettes, mais qui en different assez pour ne pouvoir etre comprises dans le meme genre " (p. 101). Again: "Pallas m'a fourni le nom de cephalote " (p. 104). If this is not con clusive, it is only necessary to refer to Isidore Geoffroy 's expla nation of the case,f in which he calls attention to Illiger's trans position of the type, stating that Vespertilio cephalotes was actually the type of Cephalotes, and that Geoffroy afterwards perceiving that cephalotes and peronii were generically distinct proposed Hypoderma for the latter species. He says : " Ce genre [Cepha lotes], etabli par Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, a pour type une espece tres-remarquable par son systeme dentaire, le Vespertilio Cepha lotes de Pallas. * * * Depuis cette epoque, de nouvelles ob servations ont demontre la necessite de separer ces deux Chauve- Souris, semblables a quelques egards, mais differant 1'une de 1'autre par de nombreux et importans caracteres. Cette sepa ration a ete effectuee par Geoffroy dans un travail publie tout recemment (Legons stenog.), ou le groupe peu naturel des Cepha lotes est partage en deux genres, Tun conservant le nom de Ceph alotes, c'est celui qui a pour type le Vespertilio Cephalotes ; 1'autre nomme Hypoderma, c'est celui qui a pour type la Cephalote de Peron. * * * Quelques auteurs, ay ant deja senti la necessite de separer les deux Cephalotes, ont propose de donner le nom d'Harpya cree par Illiger, a la veritable Cephalote, le Vespertilio Cephalotes de Pallas, et de transporter le nom Cephalotes a 1 'espece de Peron." Hypoderma, like Harpyia, is preoccupied in Ento mology, t and since no other generic name seems to have been proposed for Cephalotes peronii, a new name is required for the * Illiger does not refer to the paper or to Geoffrey's species Cephalotes peronii. fDict. Classique d'Hist. Nat., XIV, p. 706, 1828. J According to Agassiz the name was proposed by Clark, in 1815, in his f Essays on the Bots of Horses and other Animals.' I have been unable to find the name in this paper, but it was subsequently used by Latreille in 1825, in his ' Fam. Nat. du Kegne Animal,' V, p. 503, 114 Palmer Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera. group. The genus may therefore be called Dobsonia in honor of the late Dr. George E. Dobson who devoted much attention to the study of the Chiroptera. Thomas has recently adopted Uronycteris to replace Harpyia* but this name was based on Cynopterus albiventer Gra} r , which, according to Dobson, is synonymous with Vespertilio cephalotes. Uronycteris is therefore a synonym of Cephalotes Geoffrey. Trans ferring Cephalotes to the species to which it really belongs, the forms usually referred to it will stand Dobsonia peronii (Geoff.) and Dobsonia minor (Dobson), while those usually placed in Harpyia will stand, Cephalotes cephalotes (Pallas) and Cephalotes major (Dobson). *Novitates Zoologicse, II, p. 163, 1895. VOL. XII, PP. 115-125 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF TWENTY NEW SPECIES AND A NEW SUBGENUS OF PEROMYSCUS FROM MEXICO AND GUATEMALA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. The enormous collection of mice of the genus Peromyscus made in Mexico and Guatemala by Mr. E. W. Nelson and his assistant, Mr. E. A. Goldman, contains many novelties, some of which are here described. Two of the new species, the largest yet discov ered, are separated subgenerically under the name Megadontomys. Seven of the others belong to a well marked group distinguished by rather large size, long, soft and very dense fur, dark color, and a general agreement in cranial and dental characters.* It is but a step from P. guatemalensis of this series to totontepecus of the mexicanus series, and another step covers the related tehuantepecus and oaxacensis. Three others (felipensis, gratus, and levipes) be long to the truei-difficilis group, of which P. hylocetes may be an aberrant member, and one (musculoides) is distantly connected with the leucopus series. Standing widely apart from all of these is P. mekisturus, an extraordinary long-tailed animal, perhaps arboreal, from the mountain slope at Chalchicomula, Puebla. Subgenus MEGADONTOMYS nobis. Type, Peromyscus (Megadontomys) thomasi sp. nov., from Mts. near Chil- pancingo, Guerrero, Mexico. Characters. Size large (the two known species as large as roof rats) ; ears and tail long and very scantily haired ; pelage long, soft, and very dense. * The new species in the series in question are : zahrynchus, guatemalen sis, lepturns, and the slightly divergent megaiops, aurilas, and comptus. 27 Bior. Soc. WASH, VOL. XII, 1898 (115) 116 Merriam New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. Skull similar in general to that of Peromyscus, but very large and massive ; rostrum and nasals much produced, the latter expanded anteriorly and projecting far beyond incisors. Molars very large and heavy (the upper series in type species measuring 6.4 mm.), with short tubercles which wear off while the animal is still young, leaving flat crowns; 1st and 2d lower molars with a supplementary narrow enamel loop on each side ; 3d lower molar with 3 salient and 2 renetrant angles on each side. Plan tar tubercles 7. Peromyscus (Megadontomys) thomasi sp. nov. Type from Mts. near Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico (alt. 9700 ft.). No. 70142, $ old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 24, 1894, by E. \V. Nelson and E, A. Goldman. Orig. No 7250. Characters. Size very large ; ears large and nearly naked ; tail very long (longer than head and body) and nearly naked ; whiskers large and long, reaching shoulders; hind foot very long (34 mm.); pelage long and rather coarse. Similar to nelsoni, but more fulvous. Color. End of nose black ; upper parts from nose to tail fulvous, bright est and purest on cheeks and sides, darkest and abundantly mixed with black hairs on back; a blackish ring round eye; under parts white, the basal plumbeous fur showing through ; pectoral region in some specimens suffused with salmon-fulvous; fore and hind feet white; ankles blackish. Cranial and dental characters. Skull very much elongated, particularly the rostrum and nasals ; nasals produced and expanded anteriorly ; supra- orbital ridges strongly developed ; anteorbital vacuities drawn out on side of rostrum and only slightly notching root of zygoma ; interparietal very large and broad, subtriangular ; incisive foramina very large ; postpalatal notch broad. Molars large with flat crowns (except in young), measur ing about 6.5 mm.; crown of last lower molar elongate with enamel much convoluted, presenting 3 salient and 2 reentrant angles on each side. So far as known species are concerned, the skull of thomasi requires compar ison with only a single species nelsoni. It differs from nelsoni in greater massiveness, in the possession of prominent supraorbital ridges, and in the stronger development of the posterior reentrant angle of the last lower molar. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 350; tail vertebrae 188: hind foot 34. Average of 7 specimens from type locality : Total length 330; tail vertebrae 175; hind foot 32.8. Peromyscus (Megadontomys) nelsoni sp. nov. Type from Jico, Vera Cruz, Mexico (alt. 6000ft.). No. 55024, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 10, 1893, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 5202. Characters. Size large; ears large and nearly naked ; tail very long and scantily haired. Similar to thomasi, but darker and less fulvous ; skull lacking the supraorbital beads. Color. Upper parts grayish brdwn, becoming dusky on nose, around New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. 117 eyes, and along middle of back ; under parts white, the plumbeous basal fur showing through ; wrists, ankles, and tail dusky ; fore feet white . hind feet whitish strongly clouded with dusky. Cranial characters. Skull like that of thomasi, but less massive, lacking the supraorbital ridges, and with the posterior reentrant angle on inner side of nij less pronounced. In thomasi the supraorbital ridges slightly overhang the orbits so that they intercept the dividers in taking the in- terorbital breadth ; in nelsoni the upper surface of the frontal interor- bitally is so much narrower that in taking this measurement the dividers rest on the vertical plane of the orbit about 2 mm. below the top of the frontal. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 302 ; tail vertebrae 172 ; hind foot 35. Average of 2 specimens from type locality : Total length 310 ; tail vertebrae 171 ; hind foot 33.5. Peromyscus zarhynchus sp. nov. Type from Tumbala, Chiapas, Mexico. No. 76119, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct. 20, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8606. Characters. Size very large ; ears large and nearly naked ; tail very long and appearing naked ; hind feet long and slender; coloration dark. Color. Upper parts dusky, becoming seal brown on sides (sometimes chestnut fulvous on flanks) ; under parts whitish, the plumbeous basal fur showing through ; pectoral region strongly washed with chestnut, the chestnut suffusion sometimes spreading over belly; tail (skin) dusky above, yellowish white below ; fore and hind feet whitish, the latter slightly clouded. Cranial characters. Skull very large and long with exceedingly elongated rostrum ; small audital bullae ; weak and slender zygomata ; zygomata nar row anteriorly, and only slightly notched by anteorbital slit, which is drawn out on side of rostrum as in Megadontomys. The skull resembles that of Megadontomys nelsoni in size and general appearance, but is dis tinguishable by the much greater length of rostrum and incisive foramina, narrower interparietal, less flaring nasals, and much smaller molar teeth. It does not require close comparison with any known species. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 324; tail vertebrae 176; hind foot 35. Average of 13 specimens from type locality: Total length 314 ; tail vertebrae 169 ; hind foot 35.4. Peromyscus zarhynchus cristobalensis subsp. nov. Type from San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico. No. 76109, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct. 2, 1895, by E. W. Nel son and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8536. Characters. Similar to P. zarhynchus from Tumbala, but paler and more fulvous, with slightly smaller skull. Color. Upper parts dusky brown, becoming dusky on nose, around eyes, and along middle of back and everywhere mixed with fulvous tipped 118 Merriam New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. hairs, the fulvous predominating on cheeks and sides ; under parts, feet, and tail as in P. zarhynchus. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of P. zarhynchus, but slightly shorter (averaging 30-31 instead of 32-33), with braincase broader and zygomata stronger and more spreading anteriorly. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 322; tail vertebrae 170; hind foot 34. Average of 10 specimens from type locality: Total length 312 ; tail vertebrae 166 ; hind foot 33.8. Peromyscus guatemalensis sp. nov. Type from Todos Santos, Guatemala (alt. 10,000 ft. ). No. 76861, $ ad., U. S. Nat, Mus. , Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 31, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8991. Characters. Size medium (larger than mexicanus, but decidedly smaller than zarhyncus) ; tail long and scantily haired ; ears medium ; fur long, soft, and lax ; color very dark. Color. Upper parts dusky, finely mixed with grayish; an ill defined blackish band from side of nose to ear; cheeks and flanks dull brownish fulvous ; under parts white, the plumbeous basal fur showing through ; a salmon fulvous pectoral patch ; wrists and ankles blackish ; fore feet white ; hind feet dusky at base, then white ; tail dusky, irregularly paler below (sometimes white or yellowish). Some specimens have the middle part of the back nearly black and much blackish on nose. Specimens from Pinabete, Chiapas, agree closely with those from the type locality. Specimens from Calel, Zunil, and Volcan Santa Maria, Guatemala, are somewhat paler. Cranial characters. Skull and rostrum large and elongate, intermediate in size between mexicanus and Cristobal ensis ; audital bullseas in the latter (decidedly larger than in mexicanus). Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 273 ; tail vertebrae 141 ; hind foot 31. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 268; tail vertebrae 138 ; hind foot 30.5. Peromyscus lepturus sp. nov. Type from Mt. Zempoal tepee, Oaxaca, Mexico (alt. 8200 ft. ). No. 68612, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 8, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6381. Characters. A miniature of P. quatemalensis : size small (smaller than mexicanus)', ears medium and nearly naked; tail about as long as head and body, slender and rather scantily haired ; molars large ; fur long and rather soft ; color dark. Color. Upperparts brownish with a broad dusky dorsal area, becoming brownish-fulvous on cheeks and sides ; nose and ring round eye dusky ; underparts, fore feet, and small spot on end of nose whitish ; wrists and ankles dusky ; hind feet clouded with dusky, toes white ; tail dusky above, paler below. Other specimens are so much darker as to appear dusky all over when seen from above, although the sides are always more or less brownish. New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. 119 Cranial and dental characters. Skull small and short (compared with others of the series) ; braincase rather broadly rounded and flattened ; zygomata weak and not strongly notched by anteorbital slit; audital bullee small but slightly larger than in the decidedly larger P. mexicanus ; molars slightly larger than in mexicanus and series of same length, though narrower than, in the allied but very much farger P. guatemalenxix. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 238; tail vertebrae 114; hind foot 28. Average of 5 specimens from type locality: Total length 230; tail vertebrae 112; hind foot 27.3. Remarks. P. Upturns might easily be mistaken for the young of the dark form of mexicanus (totontepecus] which also occurs on Mt. Zempoal- tepec, but a glance at the skulls is sufficient to distinguish them, that of P. lepturus* being hardly three- fourths as large -as totontepecus while its molar teeth are even larger than those of totontepecus. Peromyscus megalops sp. nov. Type from Mts. near Ozolotepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. No. 71592, J^ old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 26, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 7733. Characters. Size rather large ; ears rather short; tail long and scantily haired ; fur long and soft; coloration dark with a rich chestnut fulvous suffusion. Color. Upperparts finely mixed black and dark fulvous, the black pre dominating between ears and along back ; the salmon-fulvous predomi nating on sides and cheeks ; underparts whitish, the plumbeous basalfur showing through ; pectoral region salmon-fulvous ; wrists and ankles dusky; fore feet whitish ; hind feet clouded. Cranial characters. Skull large and long, resembling that of guatema- lensis in size and general characters but audital bullye decidedly smaller ; incisive foramina much more widely open ; frontals conspicuously broader and developing a distinct supraorbital bead. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 282 ; tail vertebrae 150 ; hind foot 31. Average of 5 specimens from type locality : Total length 278; tail vertebrae 147; hind foot 31. Peromyscus auritus sp. nov. Type from Mts. 15 miles west of Oaxaca, State of Oaxaca, Mexico. No. 68438, 9 old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 17, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6795. Characters. Similar to P. megalops, but ears and audital bullse very much larger and coloration duller. Similar to' P. guatemalensis, but paler and less fulvous, and frontal much narrower between orbits. Color. Upper parts grayish brown, becoming dusky on sides of nose, around eyes, and on back, with a pale dull fulvous wash on cheeks and sides; under parts whitish, the plumbeous basal fur showing through ; wrists and ankles dusky; fore and hind feet whitish ; tail dusky above, whitish beneath. 120 Merriam New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of auritus, but audital bulke larger; nasals longer and more pointed posteriorly (exceeding pre- maxillae), and incisive foramina less broadly open. Similar to gutitt mn- lensis, but frontal very much broader between orbits and with a distinct supraorbital bead. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 288 ; tail vertebrae 148 ; hind foot 30.5. Average of 4 specimens from type locality : Total length 281 ; tail vertebra 148 ; hind foot 31.5. Peromyscus comptus sp. nov. Type from Mta. near Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico. No. 70191, $ ad., IT. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 24, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 7266. Characters. Size rather large ; ears large ; tail rather long and scantily haired ; fur long and relatively harsh ; color in winter pelage bright golden-fulvous. Similar to P. auritus, but pelage coarser and color much more fulvous, with much less blackish on nose and side of face, and much whiter belly. Color. (Adults in Dec.) : Upper parts from nose to tail rich golden- fulvous, the back and rump liberally lined with black hairs ; black on nose reduced to a very small spot on top and a spot at base of whiskers ; blackish ring round eye very small ; under parts milk-white, sometimes tinged with yellowish ; wrists and ankles dusky ; fore feet white ; hind feet whitish, more or less clouded ; tail dusky above, whitish below. Cranial characters. Skull like that of auritus, but rostrum and nasals shorter, the latter less pointed behind ; molars slightly smaller. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 285 ; tail vertebrae 150 ; hind foot 31. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 273; tail vertebrae 143; hind foot 30.4. Peromyscus mexicanus totontepecus subsp. nov. Type from Totontepec, Oaxaca. Mexico (alt, 6500 ft. ). No. 68624, ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 16, 1894, by E.W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6465. Characters. Similar to P. mexicanus, but larger and darker, with slightly shorter ears and denser fur. Color. Upper parts dusky brown becoming dull fulvous-brown on cheeks and sides ; under parts whitish, the plumbeous basal fur every where showing through ; a salmon pectoral patch sometimes present ; fore feet whitish ; ankles and basal part of hind feet dusky, rest of hind feet whitish ; tail dusky above, irregularly whitish or yellowish below. According to season, the prevailing color varies from dull fulvous-brown to dusky with a blackish dorsal area. Cranial characters. Skull like that of mexicanus, but interparietal and audital bulhe averaging larger, and anterior root of zygoma even less notched by anteorbital slit. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 261 ; tail vertebrae 136 ; New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. 121 hind foot 28. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 254 ; tail vertebra 130; hind foot 28.6. Remarks. This animal is only a mountain form of mexicanus, which it closely resembles. It differs far more from the geographically nearer mexicanus orizabze than from true mexicanus. Peromyscus mexicanus saxatilis subsp. nov. Type from Jacaltenango, Huelmetenango, Guatemala. No. 77296, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 19, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8824. Characters. Similar to P. mexicanus, but paler, upper parts more dis tinctly lined with black hairs, under parts whiter. Color. Upper parts grayish fulvous (in some specimens fulvous), every where conspicuously lined with black hairs, which on middle of back form a distinctly darker area; cheeks and sides fulvous, usually pale; face between eyes grayish, slightly tinged with pale fulvous and grizzled by dark hairs ; end of nose (except whitish tip), patch at base of whiskers, and narrow ring round eye blackish ; under parts, including lips, wrists, and fore feet, white; ankles dusky; hind feet white; tail dusky above, irregularly whitish or yellowish below. Cranial characters. Skull like that of mexicanus, but with even less dis tinct supraorbital beads, smaller incisive foramina, and smaller molars. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 238; tail vertebra 122; hind foot 27.5. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 245.5 ; tail vertebrae 127.5; hind foot 27.5. Peromyscus mexicanus orizabae subsp. nov. Type from Orizaba, Vera Cruz, Mexico (alt. 4200 ft.). No. 58197, tf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Jan. 29, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 5787. Characters. Size medium ; ears large and nearly naked ; tail long and nearly naked ; coloration dark. Skull with broadly spreading zygomata. Similar to P. mexicanus, but differing in slightly larger size, decidedly longer tail and hind feet, slightly more white on hind feet, and decidedly more spreading zygomata. Color. Upper parts : top of head and back dusky seal-brown from in timate mixture of black and chestnut, the black predominating and shad ing into dull chestnut- fulvous on sides ar.d cheeks ; top and sides of nose and ring round eye dusky ; underparts, including lips, wrists, and fore feet, white; ankles dusky; hind feet whitish, clouded basally with dusky ; a pale salmon suffusion on pectoral region, sometimes extending over breast ; tail dusky above, irregularly whitish or yellowish below. Cranial characters. Skull like that of mexicanus, but zygomata decidedly stronger, more squarely and widely spreading anteriorly, and more deeply notched by anteorbital slits ; the vertical lamina on outer side of slit much more prominent. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 257; tail vertebra 139; 122 Merriam New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. hind foot 29.5. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 258 ; tail vertebrae 138 ; hind foot 29. Peromyscus tehuantepecus sp. nov. Type from Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. No. 75302, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mns., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 23, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 7980. Characters. Size medium ; ears medium and nearly naked ; tail me dium, scantily haired ; color brownish or buffy-fulvous. Similar to P. mexicanus, but very much paler and with distinctive cranial characters. Color. Upper parts pale brownish-fulvous, slightly darkened on back by admixture of black hairs, becoming pure buffy-fulvous on cheeks and sides ; under parts and lips whitish, often tinged with yellowish or buffy and with a buffy-salmon suffusion on pectoral region; ankles dusky in front, the dusky reaching out a short distance on metatarsus ; fore and hind feet whitish ; tail dusky, its under side irregularly marked with yellowish. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of mexicanus, but braincase and zygomata narrower ; rostrum larger ; interparietal decidedly larger. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 243; tail vertebrae 124; hind foot 26. Average of 4 specimens from type localitj 7 : Total length 248.5; tail vertebrae 127; hind foot 27. Peromyscus oaxacensis sp. nov. Type from Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico (alt, 10,000 ft. ). No. 68426, $ yg. ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 1, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6700. Characters. Size medium, about equalling P. mexicanus ; ears medium and nearly naked ; tail long and scant haired but decidedly more hairy than in mexicanus and its subspecies, from which it differs further in being sharply bicolor. Color. Upperparts from nose to tail dull fulvous, darkened on back by admixture of black hairs ; a very narrow dusky ring round eye ; under- parts, lips, and fore feet white; ankles dusky ; hind feet white except at extreme base, where dusky of ankles reaches down a short distance ; tail dusky above, white below. Specimens from Mts. 15 miles west of Oaxaca show two pelages, one considerably darker ihan that here described. Cranial and dental characters. Skull similar to that of mexicanus, but postpalatal notch much broader ; audital bullte larger ; m 1 narrower and less bellied on inner side behind anterior cusp ; m T with a supplementary narrow enamel loop on outer side in front of posterior cusp. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 242 ; tail vertebrae 1 22 ; hind foot 27. Peromyscus felipensis sp. nov. Type from Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico (alt. 10,200 ft.). No. 68409, tf ad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 22, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6611. New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. 123 Characters. Similar to P. difficilis Allen, but slightly larger and very much darker, with slightly smaller ears and much coarser pelage. Ears large and appearing naked ; tail long and well haired ; bicolor. Color. Upper parts dusky grayish ; under parts, lips, and sides of nose white, the plumbeous basal fur showing through ; pectoral region usually salmon ; ring round eye dusky ; ankles dusky ; fore and hind feet white . tail bicolor, dusky above, whitish below. Cranial characters. Skull rather large ; braincase well rounded ; audital bullre large and inflated. Compared with P. difficilis the skull is slightly larger and the rostrum slightly heavier. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 238; tail vertebrae 125; hind foot 27.5. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 241.5; tail vertebne 127; hind foot 26.8. Peromyscus gratus sp. nov. Type from Tlalpam, Valley of Mexico. No. 50619, 9 , U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 30, 1892, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 3927. Characters. Size small; ears large; tail a little longer than head and body and well haired ; color pale fulvous. Similar to P. truei, but more highly colored ; ears shorter and tail longer. Color. Upper parts pale buffy-fulvous, everywhere darkened by ad mixture of black hairs ; under parts milk-white ; ankles dusky all round except along outer side of calcaneum, which is white ; fore and hind feet white; tail dusky, indistinctly paler on under side. Cranial characters. Skull small ; braincase very globular and smoothly rounded ; frontals rather broad interorbitally, but without trace of supra- orbital bead ; rostrum small ; zygomata rather weak but strongly notched by anteorbital slit ; audital bullse very large and inflated. The skull re sembles that of truei, but is smaller, with decidedly smaller rostrum and shorter palate. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 209; tail vertebrse 114; hind foot 23. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 204; tail vertebra 110.5; hind foot 22.8. Peromyscus levipes sp. nov. Type from Mt. Malinche, Tlaxcala, Mexico (alt. 8400 ft.). No. 53673, cf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 12, 1893, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 4799. Characters. Size medium or rather small ; ears rather large ; tail slightly longer than head and body, well haired and bicolor. Similar to P. gratus, but color duller, tail sharply bicolor instead of only faintly paler below, and skull different. Color. Upper parts grayish-brown becoming pale buffy-fulvous on cheeks and lower sides ; under parts and lips white with a salmon suf fusion on pectoral region ; ankles dusky ; fore and hind feet white ; tail dusky above, whitish below. 28 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 124 Merriam New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. Cranial characters. Skull resembling that of P. gratus, but larger, brain- case flatter ; zygomata more spreading and less notched by anteorbital slit; rostrum heavier as seen from below ; audital bullae smaller; nasals longer. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 200; tail vertebrae 102; hind foot 23.5. Peromyscus hylocetes sp. nov. Type from Patzcnaro, Michoacan, Mexico (alt. about 8000 ft.). No. 50423, ? ad., U. S.Nat, Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 27, 1892, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 2961. Characters. Size medium ; ears medium ; tail shorter than head and body well haired and sharply bicolor. Color grayish. Color. Upperparts buffy gray becoming buffy ochraceous on sides and with a broad dark dorsal area resulting from bountiful admixture of black hairs; underparts, lips, and fore feet whitish ; wrists and ankles dusky, the color of latter spreading over basal part of hind foot; tail dusky above, white below. Cranial characters. Skull rather broad and short, with moderately spreading zygomata and no supraorbital beads ; braincase rather full and broadly rounded ; audital bullse smaller than in the truei-difficilis group, but larger than in mexicanus and slightly larger than oaxacensw. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 238; tail vertebrae 114; hind foot 25. Average of 3 specimens from type locality : Total length 232; tail vertebra 112; hind foot 26 Peromyscus musculoides sp. nov. Type from Cuicatlan, Oaxaca, Mexico (alt. 1800 ft.). No. 69661, $ old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct. 14, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 6892. Characters. Size a little larger than Mus musculus, which it greatly re sembles; pelage short, close and rather coarse; ears rather short; tail shorter than head and body, moderately haired, bicolor. Color. Upperparts drab gray, becoming brownish on sides ; underparts, lips and sides of nose milk-white; ankles dusky; fore and hind feet white; tail brownish above, whitish below. Cranial characters. Skull small ; braincase rounded ; frontals broad be tween orbits but without trace of ' bead ' ; zygomata strongly notched by anteorbital slits ; audital bullae small. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 187; tail vertebrae 88; hind foot 22.5. Average of 10 specimens from type locality : Total length 185 ; tail vertebrae 84.5 ; hind foot 22.5. Peromyscus mekisturus sp. nov. ^efrom Chalchicomula, Puebla, Mexico (alt. 8400 ft.). No. 64108, ? ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 16, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 5951. New Mice from Mexico and Guatemala. 125 Characters. Size small ; ears large ; tail enormously elongated and moderately haired ; fur long and soft ; color grayish -fulvous. Color. Upper parts gray anteriorly, becoming more and more suffused with olivaceous-fulvous to the rump, which is pale fulvous; back slightly darkened by black hairs, but no dark dorsal area; nose gray, with a small whitish fleck on extreme tip ; ring round eye dusky ; under parts huffy-whitish, becoming buffy on pectoral region and whitish on chin, lips, and sides of nose; wrists dusky ; fore feet white; front of ankles and upper two-thirds of metatarsus dusky ; rest of hind feet, toes, and sides of ankles white ; tail dusky, indistinctly paler below. Cranial characters. Skull small ; rostrum short and narrow ; zygomata squarely but narrowly spreading anteriorly, the outer sides strongly con vergent anteriorly ; frontals narrow interorbitally without trace of supra- orbital bead ; braincase broad and rather flat ; interparietal narrow ; audital bullse small. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 249 ; tail vertebrae 155 ; hind foot 24. FIG. 20. Skull of Megadontomys thomasi (X See page 115. VOL. XII, pp. 127-129 APRIL 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW GENUS (NEOTOMODON} AND THREE NEW SPECIES OF MURINE RODENTS FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN MEXICO. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Still another genus and one strikingly different from any heretofore described is represented by 57 specimens in Mr. E. W. Nelson's rich collections from southern Mexico. The animals were found living among dense grass at high elevations on Mt. Orizaba, Puebla ; the Cofre de Perote, Vera Cruz ; the mountains at Nahuatzin, Michoacan; and on Mt. Popocatapetl, Mt. Toluca, and others about the valley of Mexico. Those from Mt. Orizaba and the Cofre de Perote are distinct species ; all the others may be classed together as a third species. Genus NEOTOMODON nobis. Type, Neotomodon alstoni sp. no v., from Nahuat/in, Michoacan, Mexico. Characters. Size of a large Microtus ; ears large and nearly naked ; tail medium or rather short ; fur soft and dense ; plantar tubercles 6; mammae 6 ; pectoral { ; inguinal f ; general appearance intermediate between Mi crotus and Peromyscus of the guatemalensis group. Skull and teeth unique ; skull broad and rather high ; braincase short and rounded [in N. alstoni angular and truncate posteriorly in old age] ; zygomata large and broadly spreading, the anterior root deeply notched by anteorbital slit, the outer lamina of which is produced far forward ; incisive foramina very long and open ; diastema the basal length of skull. Molars rooted, large, and very massive, with flat crowns and heavy enamel as in Neotoma; enamel loops open throughout ; m^ and m- 2 essentially alike, each with 3 salient enamel loops and 2 deep reentrant angles on outer side and 2 salient loops and 1 shallow reentrant angle on inner side, as in Neotoma desertorum, from which the teeth differ in having tfye loops more nearly 29 BJOL, Soc. WASH., Voi. XII, 1898 (J2?) 128 Merriam New Murine Rodents from Mexico. transverse and the two ends of each crown more alike ; m^ a cylindrical peg ; enamel pattern of lower molars in general like that of Hodomys, with differences in detail : m T and m^ with 3 salient loops and 2 reen trant angles on each side, the middle loops of the two sides not opposite ; nio with anterior loop on outer side narrow and followed by a shallow reentrant angle; nig shaped much like letter S : outer side with 2 prom inent and strongly convex loops and 1 deep reentrant angle ; inner side with a convex anterior loop, a moderately deep reentrant angle, and a long flat heel which curves outward posteriorly to form posterior loop 011 outer side. The enamel pattern of the crowns of the middle upper and 1st and 2d lower molars changes rapidly with wear ; that of the last lower molar more slowly ; in m- the anterior reentrant angle on outer side disappears, leaving a large anterior and small posterior lobe, with a small enamel island in the former ; in m T and m? the anterior reentrant angle on outer side and posterior reentrant angle on inner side disappear, converting the crown into two large lobes not unlike a figure 8 turned sideways ; in m^ the resulting shape is more like the letter S ; in m^ the reentrant angle on inner side disappears with age, leaving the inner side plain. The upper molars seem too large for the jaw, and the middle ones are sometimes tilted out of line. Neotomodon alstoni sp. nov. Type from Nahuatzin, Michoacan, Mexico (alt. 8500 ft.). No. 50534, c? old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct. 12, 1892, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 3580. Characters. Size of a rather large Microtus pennsylvanicus ; ears large and scantily haired ; hind feet rather long and slender; tail shorter than head and body, sharply bicolor, and moderately haired; color dusky grayish. N. alstoni is the largest of the three species here described. Color. Upper parts dusky grayish, darkened on back, and varying with season to dull fulvous brown ; under parts dark plumbeous, washed with white and with a rather faint huffy suffusion on pectoral region ; wrists and ankles dusky, the dusky extending out a short distance on metatarsus ; fore and hind feet white ; tail bicolor, dusky above, whitish below. Cranial characters. The cranial and dental characters have been fully described under the genus and need not be repeated. Compared with the other known species of the genus, perotensis and orizabx, the skull is larger and heavier, and when old much more angular. Measurements. Type specimen (^ old) : Total length 225 ; tail vertebrae 103 ; hind foot 28. Average of 7 specimens from type locality : Total length 220 ; tail vertebrae 101 ; hind foot 26.5. Remarks. Specimens referred to this species were collected by Mr. Nelson at Nahuatzin, Michoacan, Huitzilac, Morelos, and the following places in the State of Mexico: Amecameca, Ajusco, north slope of Volcan Toluca, Toluca Valley, Salazar, and Mt. Popocatapetl. New Murine Rodents from Mexico. 129 Neotomodon perotensis sp. nov. Type from Cofre de Perote, Vera Cruz, Mexico (alt. 9500 ft.). No. 54398, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 29, 1893, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 4897. Characters. Similar to N. alstonl, but ears and tail shorter; color paler, with a distinct blackish dorsal stripe in summer pelage. Color. Upper parts in fresh summer pelage (end of May) grayish buff, grayest on head, buffy on sides, with a distinct (but not sharply limited) blackish band on back ; under parts white, suffused with buffy on pec toral region, and with the plumbeous basal fur slightly showing through ; wrists and ankles dusky; fore and hind feet white; tail sharply bicolor, dusky above, white below. Specimens in left-over winter pelage are much darker and resemble N. alstoni. Cranial characters. Skull similar to that of N. alstoni, but slightly smaller, and in old age not becoming so angular. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 212 ; tail vertebrae 91 ; hind foot 24. Average of 4 specimens from type locality : Total length 213 ; tail vertebrae 92.5 ; hind foot 25. Neotomodon orizabae sp. nov. Type from Mt. Orizaba, Puebla, Mexico (alt. 9500 ft.). No. 53486, tf old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected April 26, 1893, by E. W. Nelson. Orig. No. 4747. Characters. Similar to N. alstoni and perotensis, but much smaller and grayer, with slightly smaller ears and decidedly shorter tail. Resembles a gray Microtus. Color. Upper parts uniform buffy-gray ; under parts white, suffused with buffy on pectoral region, with plumbeous basal fur showing through ; wrists and ankles dusky ; fore and hind feet whitish ; tail sharply bicolor, brownish above, white below. Cranial characters.- Skull like that of perotensis, but smaller and weaker. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 194; tail vertebrae 81; hind foot 24. Average of 4 specimens from type locality : Total length 194 ; tail vertebrae 82 ; hind foot 25. VOL. XII, PP. 131-144 JUNE 3, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ON SOME BIRDS FROM SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA BY OUTRAM BANGS Mr. W. W. Brown, Jr., who is collecting in the Santa Marta region of Colombia for the Bangs Collection, sent a short time ago nearly seven hundred beautifully made bird skins as the re sult of his first two months' work from middle of Dec., 1897, to middle of Feb., 1898. These .birds were all taken within fif teen miles of Santa Marta and at elevations ranging from 500 to nearly 6000 feet, the larger part, however, being from the low lands. Mr. Brown has not yet visited any of the higher moun tains. I have thought it best to publish briefly on the collections as they come in, describing the forms which appear to be new and giving mere lists of the better known species. These prelim inary notices may be followed by a more elaborate paper when the whole region of the Santa Marta Mountains has been cov ered. I am much indebted to the unfailing kindness of Mr. Robert Ridgway and Dr. Chas. W. Richmond in helping me identify the birds and allowing me to work in the National Museum and make comparisons with the material in that collection. A series of the birds has been presented to the United States National Museum ; the rest of the collection, including the types of the new forms, remain in the Bangs collection. (NOTE. All measurements are in millimeters.) Crypturus columbianus Salvad. 1 specimen. At the time the British Museum Catalogue appeared this bird was known by the type specimen alone. The one example so far sent agrees exactly with the description of the species. 30-BiOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (131) 132 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. Crypturus pileatus Bodd. 1 specimen, 9 ad. This one specimen is very different from the gen eral run of C. pileatus, and probably represents a good race, at least. It is much deeper in color. The lower parts are a deep rich cinnamon with out grayer pectoral band. Crax alberti Fraser. 1 specimen, tf ad. Penelope argyrotis (Bonap.) 1 specimen, tf ad. Leptotila verreauxi Bonap. 2 specimens, c? c?. Columbigalliiia passerina pallescens (Baird). 1 specimen, (j\ Columbigalliiia rufipennis (Bonap.) 3 specimens, $ cT> $. Buteo latissimus (Wils.) 3 specimens, $ and $ ad., 9 yg., winter residents. Rupornis magnirostris (Gmel.) 1 specimen, 9 ad. Micrastur semitorquatus (Vieill.)? 1 specimen, $. Syrnium perspicillatum (Latham). 1 specimen, J*. Ara chloroptera Gray. 1 specimen, 9- Ara militaris (Linn.) 2 specimens, tf, $. Brotogeris jugularis (Miill.) 16 specimens, cT d^, $ $ . Pionus menstruus (Linn.) 2 specimens, J", 9- On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 133 Fionas sordidus (Linn.) 2 specimens, J\ 9- At an altitude of 5000 ft. Mr. Brown took, Feb. 12 and 13, 1898, a pair of this rare parrot, known before only from Vene zuela. These birds agree exactly in measurements, color of bill and gen eral coloration with the descriptions of P. sordidus. An actual comparison of specimens, however, might well show the Santa Marta examples to represent a different race. Crotophaga sulcirostris Sw. 2 specimens, $ d\ Piaya cayana mehleri (Bonap.) 7 specimens, $ tf, 9 9 Momotus subrufescens Scl. 23 specimens, cf d* ? 9- Topotypes. Ceryle torquata (Linn.) 2 specimens, 9 9 . Ceryle amazona (Lath.) 1 specimen, 9- Ceryle americana (Gmel.) 2 specimens, 9 9- Bucco ruficollis (Wagl.) 8 specimens, c? cf> 9 9- Malacoptila mystacalis (Lafr.) 2 specimens, cf , 9- Galbula ruficauda pallens subsp. nov. 17 specimens, cT cT, 9 ? 2Vpc from Santa Marta, Colombia, No. 5073, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. cT adult. Collected Dec. 27, 1897, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Subspecific characters. Size of true G. ruficauda; bill longer; sexes very different, the female being much paler below than the male ; colors above about as in true G. ruficauda; below, in ^, throat white, slightly washed with pale orange rufous; belly and sides, back of green pectoral band, orange rufous ; in 9 > throat white, extensively washed with orange buff; belly and sides, back of green pectoral band, orange buff. Size. (j\ wing, 85.6 ; tail, 122 ; exposed culmen, 56. 9 > wni gj 84 ; tail, 111 ; exposed culmen, 58. Remarks. There is but a very slight individual variation in size, length 134 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. of bill, and color in this series, and the long bill, great sexual difference in color, and paler under parts in both sexes distinguish the birds of the Santa Marta region as a good subspecies of G. ruficauda. Ramphastos brevicarinatus Gould. 4 specimens, oT d*> 9 ?. Pteroglossus torquatus (Gniel.) 11 specimens, J cT, 9 ? Aulacorhamphus calorhynchus Gould. 1 specimen, 9 Topotype. Campephilus malherbii Gray. 6 specimens, c? dV9 ? Ceophlceus lineatus (Linn.) 2 specimens, c? tf. Melanerpes wagleri sanctae-martEe subsp. nov. 11 specimens, cT cf, 9 ? Type from Santa Marta, Colombia, No. 5103, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. J ad. Collected Feb. 8, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Subspecific characters. Similar to M. wagleri of Panama, but much smaller; much more white on inner tail feathers, the inner webs being white to the quill, with three or four small black spots and black tips ; much larger than M. neglectus, with much longer bill. ^feg. J*, wing, 107.6; tail, 51.6; exposed culmen, 24. 9, wing, 104; tail, 49.4; exposed culmen, 22.2. Remarks. M. wagleri of Panama seems to be specifically distinct from M. subelegans of Venezuela, the former having the crown patch contin uous red from crown to nape, while in the latter the crown patch is broken by brownish between crown and nape. Unfortunately there are no males of M. neglectus in the National Museum collection, but this bird is so much smaller than M. sanctse-martse and has such a very short bill as to be at once distinguished from it. M. sanctx-marlx is a small race of M. wagleri, with much more white on the inner pair of tail feathers, the black markings being usually spots, not bars. Qlaucis hirsuta (Gould.) 2 specimens, c? ? PhcBthornis longirostris (Less, and De Lat.) 1 specimen, tf. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 135 Phoethornis anthophilus (Bourc. and Muls.) 5 specimens, tf <$, 9 9- Lampornis violicauda (Bodd.) 3 specimens, 9 9 . Hypuioptila buflfoni (Less.) 11 specimens, cf d\ 9 9 Florisuga mellivora (Linn.) 16 specimens, c? cf, 9 9- Petasophora delphinae (Less.) 1 specimen, rj\ Floricola longirostris (Vieill.) 1 specimen, $ ; altitude 6000 ft. Thalurania columbica (Bourc.) 12 specimens ; 9, ^ c? I 3, 9 9 Amazilia fuscicaudata (Fraser). 9 specimens, tf J\ 9 9- Amazilia warsze'weizi (Cab. and Heine.) 43 specimens, , 9 Myiopagis macilvainii (Lawr. ) 2 specimens, cP and 9 Sublegatus glaber Scl. & Salv. 1 specimen, $. Wing (2.90 inches), 73.66 mm., corresponding with S. glaber and not with the form called -6'. platyrkynckus of which Sclater records a specimen from Santa Marta, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., XIV, p. 159. Myiozetetes texensis colombianus (Cab. and Heine.) 1 specimen, 9- Rhynchocyclus sulphurescens (Spix.) 1 specimen, tf. Rhynchocyclus flaviventris (Max.) 10 specimens, $ J>, 9 9. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 137 Pitangus derbianus rufipennis (Lafr.) 2 specimens, tf tf. Myiodynastes audax nobilis (Scl.) 3 specimens, tf J', $. Megarhynchus pitangua (Linn.) 9 specimens, tf $ , 9 9- Muscivora mexicana Scl. 3 specimens, c? d\ 9 Empidonax virescens (Vieill.) 1 specimen, ^. Winter resident. Contopus brachy tarsus (Scl.) 1 specimen, 9. Myiarchus crinitus (Linn.) 1 specimen, 9 Winter resident. Myiarchus erythrocercus Scl. & Salv. 26 specimens, cJ* d* 9 ? Myiarchus ferox (Gmel.) 5 specimens c? tf, 9 9- Myiarchus nigriceps Scl. 3 specimens, 9 ? Hylophilus aurantiifrons Lawr. 4 specimens, $ tf t 9 9- Hylophilus flavipes Lafr. 5 specimens, tf <$ , 9 $. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 143 Dacnis napaea sp. nov. 2 specimens, adult (j\ young <^ 1 in plumage like that of 9- Ti/pe from Santa Marta, Colombia, No. 5478, cT adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected Jan. 18, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Specific characters. Adult $, about the size of D. coerebicolor or rather larger; wing about the same or longer; bill much larger longer and stouter; color pattern the same; the blue color an intense cobalt blue, very different from the dark purplish blue of D. coerebicolor ; feet flesh color. Size. c? adult, wing, 69 ; tail, 47 ; exposed culmen, 7.6. Remarks. D. napxa needs comparison with but one species, D. coerebi color. This comparison I have been able to make, the National Museum having a considerable series of Bogota skins. The very large bill and bright blue color of D. napxa mark the Santa Marta bird as specifically distinct from the small-billed dark purplish blue D. coerebicolor of Bogota. Arbelorhina cyanea eximia (Caban.) 15 specimens, c? d\ 9- Arbelorhina ccerulea microrhyncha Berl. 42 specimens, $ <$ , 9 9 and young. Coereba luteola (Caban.) 6 specimens, c? cf , 9 9- Mniotilta varia (Linn.) 1 specimen, 9 Winter resident. Protonotaria citrea (Bodd.) 21 specimens, cT d\ 9 9- Winter resident. Helminthophila peregrina (Wils.) 1 specimen, (j\ Winter resident. Compsothlypis pitiayumi pacifica (Berl.) 2 specimens, 9 9 Dendroica aestiva (Gmel.) 3 specimens, $ cT, 9 Winter resident. Seiurus motacilla (Vieill.) 1 specimen, $. Winter resident. 144 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Mafia, Colombia. Geothlypis formosa (Wils.) 1 specimen, $. Winter resident. Basileuterus mesochrysus Scl. 5 specimens, c? <3\ 9 9. Basileuterus cabanisi Berl. 1 specimen, adult $. This is apparently a rare bird in collections. Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.) 2 specimens, <3\ 9 . Winter resident. Thryophilus minlosi Berl. 2 specimens. $ ad., $ yg. Polioptila bilineata (Bonap.) 1 specimen, 9 adult. Turdus aliciae Baird. 2 specimens, cf $. Winter resident. Merula incompta sp. nov. 4 specimens, $ $, 9 9 . Type from Santa Marta, Colombia, No. 5560, 9 adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Jan. 22, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Specific characters. Size rather small; sexes alike; bill yellow above and below, darker at base ; no eye stripe ; 4th and 5th primaries nearly equal and longest, 3rd and 6th nearly equal, next, 2nd and 7th equal ; legs, feet and claws pale brownish ; color above uniform rich olive brown, including lores, ear-coverts, tail and wings, except primaries and inner webs of secondaries, which are more dusky ; below, breast and sides olivaceous wood brown; center of belly and under tail-coverts clear buff; throat dull whitish with pale olive brown streaks; under wing-coverts dull orange buff. Size. 9 adult, wing, 112.6; tail, 91; exposed culmen, 20. $ adult, wing, 114.6; tail, 92.6; exposed culmen, 19.8. Remarks. The Santa Marta thrush is most like M. gymnophthalmus in general coloration, but can be told from that species by not having the naked eye spots and the under tail-coverts not being streaked. The only other species that it needs to be compared with is M. ignobilis, from which its smaller size, yellow bill, and many differences in detail of coloration at once distinguish it. VOL. XII, PP. 145-156 JUNE 3, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SQUIRRELS FROM MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA. BY E. W. NELSON. Daring explorations made in Mexico and parts of Central America for the Biological Survey, U. S. Department of Agricult ure, an extraordinarily fine series of squirrels has been secured. The collection contains topotypes of all but two or three of the large number of species described from Mexico, besides speci mens from scores of widely scattered localities. After my return from the field a few months ago, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Biological Survey, who had already done some work on the group, generously placed this rich material in my hands for elaboration. In order that I might cover the ground more satis factorily, Mr. F. W. True, Executive Curator of the U. S. National Museum, placed the entire Museum series of tropical American Squirrels at my disposal, and Dr. J. A. Allen, Curator of Mam mals in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, loaned me the series in the collection under his charge. With out the material furnished by Dr. Allen and Mr. True I could not have reached satisfactory conclusions concerning the Central American species, and I wish to express my appreciation of their kindness. I am also under special obligations to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, Curator of Mammals in the British Museum, for his courtesy in comparing specimens in our collection with type specimens in the British Museum, thus identifying Gray's numerous names with forms from known localities, and furnishing a safe basis for future work. 32-Bior,. 8oc. WASH., Voi,. XII, 1898 (145) 146 Nelson New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. Revisers of tropical American Squirrels have hitherto worked at great disadvantage, owing to scanty and unsatisfactory ma terial. The collections studied in the present connection contain over six hundred and fifty specimens from Mexico and Central America, besides many from the United States and South America. The large number of topotypes in these collections, together with my personal knowledge of the geographical features of the area covered, have rendered it a comparatively simple matter to disentangle the complications of synonymy that have puzzled former workers. It was a surprise to find that while many of the old names apply to perfectly valid species or sub species, a considerable number of forms remain to be described. As it will be some time before my revision of the group can be published, it seems advisable to describe the new species and subspecies in this preliminary paper. Sciurus richmondi sp. nov. Richmond's Squirrel. Type from Escondido River, Nicaragua. No. Iff IT. 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected October 4, 1892, by Chas. W. Richmond. Orig. No. 118. Distribution. Bluefields and Escondido River region. Characters. A small squirrel resembling S. xstuans, but back darker brown, lower surface richer, more reddish-fulvous; tail narrow, black, thinly washed with dull fulvous. 1 upper premolar. Color. Upper parts from nose to base of tail, including upper surface of fore and hind feet, finely grizzled black and dark fulvous, the fulvous brightest and inclining to rusty on sides of neck and thighs ; eyes sur rounded by a dull fulvous ring ; cheeks dingy grizzled-fulvous, paler than top of head ; a small patch of dull fulvous fur behind base of ears. Under parts varying from dingy fulvous to bright reddish -buffy, usually bright est on neck and breast. Anal region and base of tail all round like back ; rest of upper surface of tail black, thinly washed with dingy fulvous ; under side of tail with a median band of grizzled black and dull rufous, bordered by a blackish band and edged with fulvous. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 384 ; tail vertebrae 181 ; hind foot 53.5. Average of 5 adults: Total length 368.6; tail vertebrae 178 ; hind foot 50.3. Remarks. In summer pelage the lower surface is deeper colored than in winter, but there appears to be no other seasonal difference. Individ ual variation is not marked ; the intensity of the fulvous above and below varies from a dingy to a bright reddish-buffy, and there is no trace of whitish or gray on any of the twenty specimens examined. The upper surfaces of the feet are sometimes like the back and sometimes a little brighter fulvous; the ears are scantily covered with short dark hairs. New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. 147 S. richmondi has a superficial resemblance to S. deppei,, but is darker and the gray is replaced by fulvous or reddish-buffy. From S. ssstaans hoffmanni, to which it is most closely related, it may be readily distinguished by the paler under surface, and especially by the dull fulvous wash, instead of the rich bright rufous on the tail. The general color of dorsal surface is much the same in both, and in intensity of lower surface richmondi sometimes approaches closely to Uoffmanni. The difference between the color edging the tail appears to be constant. So far this species is known only from the lower Escondido River, above Bluefields, Nicaragua, but it undoubtedly has a much wider range. It is probable that when the intermediate country between the known ranges of S. richmondi and & sestuans lioffmanni is worked they will be found to intergrade, in which case S. richmondi will become a subspecies of S. ses- tuans. This squirrel is named in honor of Dr. Chas. W. Richmond, As sistant Curator of Birds in the U. S. National Museum, who collected the series upon which the description is based. Sciurus negligens sp. nov. Tampico Squirrel. Type from Alta Mira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. No. 93028, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected April 18, 1898. by E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 12319. Distribution. State of Tamaulipas, Mexico (from Tampico to Victoria). Characters. Size of S. deppei, to which it is closely related. Above ful vous-olive-gray ; below white, often shading to pale buffy posteriorly. Forelegs and shoulders gray ; tail rather full, black, washed with white on upper surface. 1 upper premolar. Color. Upper parts from nose to base of tail, including upper surface of hind feet, finely grizzled black and pale olivaceous- fulvous, brightest on flanks and thighs. Sides of head and neck dingy grizzled gray and fulvous; ears slightly rufous; an indistinct ring of pale dull fulvous around eyes. Lower surface white, nearly pure on chin, throat and breast, becoming grayer or shaded with buffy posteriorly. Tops of fore feet, forelegs and shoulders gray ; inside of legs paler gray ; a gray border sometimes extending from forelegs back along flanks and side of hind legs separating grizzled dorsal area from the paler lower surface. Anal region and base of tail all round like back. Upper surface of tail black, washed with white, the pale yellowish brown basal color showing through; median band on under surface grizzled pale buffy and black, the buffy predominating and bordered by a black band ; a thin edging of white around border. Small patch of white and pale buffy fur behind base of ears. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 403; tail vertebrae 195; hind foot 55. Sciurus alleni sp. nov. Allen's Squirrel. Type from Monterey, Tamaulipas, Mexico. No. ftffj-, cf ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll Collected Feb, 22, 1891, by C. ?, Streator. Orig. No. 563. 148 Nelson New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. Distribution. Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, Mexico. Characters. Size and general appearance much like pale specimens of Sciurus carolinensis fuliginosus; forelegs and tops of fore and bind feet grayish white ; tail bushy, black, washed with white above. 1 upper premolar. Color. En-tire upper parts, except upper surface of feet and forelegs, finely grizzled with grayish-white, dark fulvous and black ; the fulvous darkest on crown and rump, but differing slightly in shade on rest of upper surface. Sides of body and thighs somewhat grayer than back ; forelegs to body and fore and hind feet grayish-white, the hairs having black bases and whitish tips; a small indistinct patch of fulvous some times present in middle of gray on upper surface of hind foot. Under surface of body pure white. Eyes surrounded by ring of pale fulvous ; ears like top of head except for a pale, dingy-fulvous patch behind base in some specimens. Tail moderately bushy, washed with white on upper surface with black and dark fulvous showing through ; below a broad median band of dark fulvous grizzled with black and bordered on sides by a narrow band of black ; edged externally with white. Cranial characters. The skull of this species is most like that of S. ocu latus, from which it differs in smaller size, slightly stouter rostrum, and larger foramen ovale. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 466 ; tail vertebrae 220 ; hind foot 63. Average of five adults : Total length 475 ; tail vertebrae 223.8 ; hind foot 62.6. Remarks. The little variation in the series before me appears to be purely individual and is produced by the slightly varying intensity of the fulvous. The series examined consists of winter and spring specimens. Its nearest Mexican relative is S. oculatus, from which it is perfectly dis tinct. In size and color it is most like the form of Sciurus carolwensis, found in northern and eastern Texas, but the grayish white feet and absence of second premolar serve to distinguish it at once. The absence of tho second premolar throws it with S. arizonensis and S. oculatus, from which its much smaller size, the grizzled blackish-fulvous upper surface, and grayish white feet distinguish it. The lack of a second premolar and darker and much finer grizzled dorsal surface distinguish it sharply from S. yucatanensis. S. alleni is a w r ell-defined species of the Arid Tropical zone and is re stricted to a portion of the Tamaulipan faunal district. I take pleasure in dedicating this species to Dr. J. A. Allen, Curator of Mammals in the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Sciurus oculatus tolucae subsp. nov. Toluca Squirrel. Type from north slope of Volcano of Toluca, Mexico, Mex. No. 55927, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 8, 1893, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 5419. Distribution. Pine and fir forests on north slope of Volcano of Toluca, and thence north on adjacent east slope of mountains in State of Mexico New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. 149 to mountains of central Quereteroand Guanajuato, and perhaps reaching the mountains of southwestern San Luis Potosi. Characters. A large squirrel, differing from typical S. oculatus in not having a black dorsal area and in having tops of feet and entire lower surface whitish or very pale fulvous. 1 upper premolar. Color. Similar to S. oculatus, but without any definite black area on upper surface and always white or nearly white below. The dorsal sur face is darker than the sides, and the fulvous shade, which is barely per ceptible on dorsal surface of typical S. oculatus, becomes distinct on crown and middle of back. Ear patches uniformly dirty whitish. Tops of feet vary from whitish to pale buffy; ring around eyes dingy whitish with a buffy shade at outer border. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 565; tail vertebrae 266; hind foot 72. Remarks. Typical Sciurus oculatus Peters, of which Sciurus melanonotue Thomas is a synonym, is a common species of the pine forests in the mountains along the eastern border of the Mexican tableland from Mt. Orizaba, Puebla, to eastern San Luis Potosi. Sciurus goldmani sp. nov. Goldman's Squirrel. Type from Huehuetan, Chiapas, Mexico. No. 77903, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mas., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Feb. 28, 1896, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 9435. Distribution. Pacific Coast lowlands of Guatemala, ranging north to Huehuetan, Chiapas, Mexico. Characters. A large slender species with coarse harsh hair, resembling S. colliei. Upper surface dark iron-gray ; lower surface white ; ears black rimmed, rufous-tufted, with large white patch behind base ; tail long, slender, above black washed with white. 2 upper premolars. Color. Winter pelage (Huehuetan) : Upper surface from nose to base of tail, including flanks, outer side of forelegs and thighs, coarsely grizzled black and pale fulvous gray, the fulvous sometimes becoming intensified to a dull orange-buffy. There is usually a thin black wash over dorsal surface, which becomes decidedly heavier on some specimens, with the pale buffy-yellow showing through. Sides of head a little paler than back ; ears dingy grayish on inner side and edged with black ; a scanty tuft of dark ferruginous hairs on back of ear and a large, conspicuous patch of white behind base ; a small but distinct white spot on side of head just below ear. Tops of toes dingy whitish ; tops of feet pale iron gray. Upper surface of tail basally like back, rest black thinly washed with white ; below grizzled black and gray, dull fulvous or orange-buffy. Under side of body and inside of legs white. Under fur on back dark plumbeous, on ventral surface white or pale plumbeous. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 520 ; tail vertebrae 264; hind foot 65. Average of 5 adults: Total length 546.8; tail vertebrae 283.8; hind foot 66.6. 150 Nelson New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. Remark*. In general appearance this species is very similar to 8. collifi, from which it may be distinguished by the distinct black borders and large basal white patches of the ears ; the extension of color of back over outside of legs and thighs and the decidedly white upper surface of feet and toes. The under fur is darker on back, with scarcely a trace of lighter tips, and whiter on belly. The back and sides are the same in goldmani but for a little heavier wash of black on middle of back. The most intensely colored specimens are as buffy on dorsal surface as the brightest specimens of S. colliei, but this added shade of buffy is brightest on nape and ears in colliei and on the rump of goldmani. The ears of colliei are uniform or differ but little in color, while in goldmani the varied markings are strong characters. This species is named in honor of my field assistant, Mr. E. A. Gold man, to whose faithful aid is due much of the success of our explorations in Mexico. Sciuius boothiee managuensis subsp. nov. Managua Squirrel. Type from Managua Eiver, Guatemala. No. 62470, c? ad., U. S. Nat. Mus. Coll. Collected Feb. 12, 1895, by Mrs. C. McElroy. Distribution. Managua River, eastern Guatemala. Characters. Smaller than typical S. booth! fe, with coarse, harsh hairs; blackish yellow on dorsal surface, buffy -yellow below. 2 upper premo- lars. Color. Above, including top of head, outside of legs, flanks and base of tail, grizzled black and dingy fulvous, rather grayish ; top of head and back washed with black, the subterminal yellowish showing through ; legs usually deeper yellowish, in marked contrast; top of feet shading into grizzled buffy. Sides of nose, cheeks, chin, and sometimes throat, dingy grayish with a dull fulvous shade ; rest of lower parts bright buffy- yellow. Ears distinctly margined with black, a conspicuous patch of huffy-yellow fur behind base and a th in tuft of rufous hairs near tip. Tail flattened and rather narrow : above, black washed with white ; below, grizzled with grayish-fulvous along middle with a band of black along each side, heaviest at tip and bordered externally with white. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 51 2.5 ; tail vertebras 250.5 ; hind foot 57. Remarks. Among the four specimens examined two agree closely in color with the type, the other, apparently immature, is much grayer above and the color of the back extends down on the legs to the feet, the latter being washed with buffy ; below it is dingy-buffy. Sciurus albipes quercinus subsp. nov. Oak Woods Squirrel. Type from mountains on west side of Valley of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mex ico. No. 68202, 9 ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 15, 1894, by E. VV. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Grig. No. 6768. New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. 151 Distribution. The pine and oak forests on mountains along western side of Valley of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico. Characters. Size of S. albipes, but differs in having the back grizzled yellowish-gray, and the lower surface white or sometimes pale buffy. 2 upper premolars. Color. Very similar to S. albipes nemoralis from mountains near Patz- cuaro, Michoacan, but differing in paler, more yellowish-white dorsal surface ; median band on under side of tail commonly buffy or reddish fulvous, bordered with the usual black band edged externally with white. No melanistic phase. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 550 ; tail vertebrae 285 ; hind foot 70. Average of five adults : Total length 545.6; tail vertebrae 274.8; hind foot 69.8. Remarks. Some specimens are very close to S. albipes nemoralis and have the under side of tail nearly as gray as in that form. The feet and under parts are usually white, varying to buffy or fulvous on one out of every 4 or 5 specimens. This is not a strongly defined race, but the char acters given are sufficient to distinguish most specimens without difficulty, and in view of its isolation from its nearest related form it appears worthy of recognition. Sciurus albipes nemoralis subsp. nov. Michoacan Squirrel. Type from Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. No. |f||f, c? ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 23, 1892, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 2905. Distribution. Sierra Mad re, southeast of the Sierra Nevada de Colima, Jalisco, to Volcano of Toluca, State of Mexico (Nahautzin and Patzcuaro, Michoacan and Volcano of Toluca). Characters. Size of S. albipes, but differs in having back of a clearer iron-gray ; lower surface white ; under side of tail gray or fulvous-gray. 2 upper premolars. Color. Top of nose and crown blackish or dark iron-gray, rest of dorsal surface, including outside of fore and hind legs, grizzled black, gray, or grayish white with an indistinct mixture of dingy fulvous; the fulvous mixture darkest on nape and rump, forming poorly defined patches vary ing in intensity and sometimes scarcely appreciable ; outside of legs and flanks grayer than middle of back ; feet white ; ears like crown, with conspicuous white patch behind base ; eyes surrounded by dull grayish- fulvous ring; cheeks and sides of nose grizzled gray with dingy fulvous shade ; lower surface of body white. Base of tail, above like rump, below grizzled gray ; rest of upper surface black, heavily washed with white ; lower surface with broad median band of grizzled gray or pale fulvous- gray and black, bordered by a band of black and edged externally with white ; on some specimens the lower surface of tail is washed with white. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 560; tail vertebras 295; hind foot 70. Average of 5 adults: Total length 550.6; tail vertebras 280.6 ; hind foot 70. 152 Nelson New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. Sciurus albipes colimensis stibsp. nov. Colima Squirrel. Type from the Hacienda Magdalena, Colima, Mexico. No. |H|, c? ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 19, 1892, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Grig. No. 2239. Distribution. Arid tropical forests of Colima, ascending river valleys to Plantinar, Jalisco. Ranging from sea level to 3000 feet. Characters. A little smaller, slenderer, and tail narrower than S. albiiw, from which it differs in having distinct nape and rump patches ; rest of back clearer and lighter gray ; tops of feet iron-gray ; under surface of body white ; under surface of tail grizzled iron-gray. 2 upper premolars. Color. Upper surface, including tops of fore and hind feet, excepting nape and rump patches, grizzled white or gray and black with a scanty intermixture of rusty or buffy-rufous. Under fur tipped with gray or fulvous according to color on longer hairs. Nose and fore part of crown usually blacker than back ; ears similar to nape with patch of dingy white behind base ; eyes surrounded with dingy whitish ring ; side of nose and cheek to behind eyes gray, sometimes tinged with buffy on cheeks. Tops of feet vary from dark iron-gray to grayish white. Nape and rump patches generally very distinct, and vary from dark rufous to bright rusty-red or dark reddish-buffy, and sometimes dull fulvous. Lower surface of body white. Anal region and base of tail below like middle of back ; top of tail at base like rump patch ; rest of upper surface of tail black heavily washed with white; below a grizzled iron-gray median band narrowly bordered by band of black and edged externally with grayish white. Tail rather narrow. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 525; tail vertebrae 260; hind foot 65. Average of 5 adults : Total length 522 ; tail vertebrae 267 ; hind foot 67.6. Sciurus albipes effugius subsp. nov. Guerrero Squirrel. Type from mountain near Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico. No. 70288, ? ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 24, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Grig. No. 7271. Distribution. High pine region of the Cordillera del Sur, near Chilpan cingo, Guerrero, Mexico. Characters. Size of S. albipes, from which it differs in the strongly marked nape patch, unusually large, conspicuous patches of white behind base of ear and rich rufous color on under side of tail. 2 upper pre molars. Color. Winter pelage: Upper surface from nose to base of tail, except ing nape patch and tops of fore and hind feet, grizzled grayish white, black, and rufous, the latter color usually obscured by the overlying grayish. Top of head and nape occupied by a well-marked patch of dark rufous, almost chestnut, washed with black; nape patch shading into a duller colored area extending below eyes on sides of head and neck and surrounding ears; rump patch absent or reduced to small area at base of New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. 153 tail, same color as nape. Ears grizzled grayish or dull rusty rufous on inner side; behind rufous or rusty gray anteriorly, posteriorly covered with long white fur, forming part of the conspicuous white patch behind base. Eyes surrounded by rings of fulvous and whitish ; sides of nose and lower part of cheeks gray, varying in intensity. Tops of fore and hind feet white, shading through gray on legs to color of body. Anal region and base of tail all round like adjacent part of rump. Upper sur face of tail black, washed with white, the bright rufous basal color some times showing through ; below a median band of deep, rich rufous with scarcely a trace of dark grizzling, but bordered on each side by narrow band of black, edged with white. Chin white ; sides of throat some times shaded with same ; anal region gray ; rest of lower parts deep rich rufous, very uniform in the series before me. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 502 ; tail vertebrae 247 ; hind foot 68. Average of 5 adults : Total length 496.8 ; tail vertebrae 249 ; hind foot 68. Remarks. An old female in worn fur taken with the other specimens the last of December may represent the summer pelage. The rump patch is as conspicuous as the nape patch and agrees with it in color. The tops of fore and hind feet are dark gray ; inside of legs dingy whitish shading into the dull whitish-rufous that covers throat, breast, and abdomen ex cept ring of white around mammre ; chin white. The lower surface of tail is darker rufous "than body and distinctly grizzled with black. Top of nose and area between nape and rump patches grizzled gray, black, and rusty rufous, the gray most conspicuous. Among five adult winter specimens in the perfect pelage described above one is darker than the others on dorsal surface, owing to an increase in amount of black on tips of hairs. Another specimen has the rufous of under surface extending up on sides behind fore legs and uniting with a backward extension of the nuchal patch much like S. aureogaster. The rest of dorsal surface is less heavily grizzled with gray than usual and rusty-red predominates, so that the prevailing shade is dull rusty-red thinly grizzled with grayish white. The white on tops of feet is washed with reddish. Two half-grown young taken the last of December are in the same pelage as the adults, agreeing with the average adults except in having only the toes white and rest of feet gray. The nearest ally of this subspecies appears to be typical S. albipes. The white ear patches are more conspicuous than in any Mexican squirrel known to me. Sciurus nelsoni hirtus subsp. nov. Popocatepetl Squirrel. Type from Tochimilco, Puebla, Mexico. No. 55325, J ad., U. S. Nat. Mus-, Biological Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 7, 1893, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 5295. Distribution. Volcanoes of Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl, in States of Mexico and Puebla, Mexico. Characters. Size of S. nelsoni, but distinguished by distinct patches of dingy fulvous on nape and rump ; by iron-gray color on middle of back 33 Bior,. Soc. WASH.. VOL. XII, 1898 154 Nelson New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. and dingy rufous on under side of body. Ears and feet dark iron-gray. 2 upper premolars. Color. Dorsal surface from nose to base of tail, including tops of fore and hind feet, excepting nape and rump patches, finely grizzled with black and gray, the latter obscurely mixed with dull fulvous; gray of crown, nape, and rump mostly replaced by fulvous, thus producing dis tinct patches of dull dingy fulvous grizzled with black. Ears like nuchal area, with distinct patch of white fur behind base ; chin dingy gray. Lower surface, including inside of forelegs and thighs, dark dingy rufous. Upper surface of tail black heavily washed with white; median band on lower surface varying from grizzled black and pale fulvous gray to black and rich buffy-fulvous ; with a heavy band of black on each side edged externally with white. The tail has a remarkably broad full brush. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 498 ; tail vertebrae 243 ; hind foot 67. Average of five adults : Total length 514.2 ; tail vertebrae 256.8; hind foot 68. Sciurus aureogaster frumentor subsp. nov. Perote Squirrel. Type from Las Vigas, Vera Cruz, Mexico. No 54259, $ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 18, 1893, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 5073. Distribution. East slope of Cofre de Perote, Vera Cruz, Mexico, from near Las Vigas (7500 ft.) to Jico and Jalapa (4400 ft.). Characters. Size of 8. aureogaster, from which typical specimens differ in having very distinct ru/ous patches on nape and rump, and grizzled gray lower surface. 2 upper premolars. Color. Summer pelage (Las Vigas) : Top of nose and fore part of crown grizzled black and gray, sometimes slightly mixed with fulvous ; nape and rump patches large and conspicuous, varying from dark orange-buffy to dark ferruginous ; rest of back and sides, including tops of feet and legs, grizzled black and gray, or black, gray, and orange-buffy, the gray overlying the other colors. Tops of feet darker than back and usually blackish, thinly grizzled with gray. Ears generally like nape patch, but often grizzled with gray and sometimes with a whitish tuft behind base ; narrow ring of dingy buffy round eye. Side of head between eye and ear, up to border of nape patch in front of ear, dark, dingy orange-buffy. Lower surface dingy grizzled black and gray nearly as on back, but paler on chin, lower cheeks, throat, and breast. Base of tail all round like rump. Upper surface of tail black, washed with white ; below with a dark rufous median band broadly bordered on each side by black and edged externally with white. Measurements. Type specimen : Total length 500 ; tail vertebrae 253 ; hind foot 69. Average of 5 adults: Total length 504.6; tail vertebras 249.8; hind foot 68.6. Remarks. Winter pelage : Two specimens taken in April at Jalapa are in winter pelage and differ from the large series of summer skins taken at Las Vigas and Jico in the greater amount of gray on the dorsal surface. New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. 155 This overlies and obscures the nape and rump patches ; the feet also are grayer. The under surface varies from grizzled gray to gray washed with dull rufous, and in two summer specimens from Las Vigas is dingy fer ruginous In the series of 25 specimens from Jico and Jalapa only two are distinctly gray below and three are dingy reddish, washed with grayish. All of the others are intense ferruginous, which in some specimens ex tends up on sides, behind the forelegs, almost as in true aureogaster. The nape and rump patches, while averaging less uniformly distinct than in Las Vigas specimens, are almost invariably strongly marked and separate these specimens from true aureogaster. There is a tendency for the gray to extend over the nape and rump and so obscure these patches. The base and upper part of the tail is as in Las Vigas specimens ; below the black lateral bands are broader and often reduce the rufous central stripe to a narrow streak on basal half. The rufous on tail is deeper than in Las Vigas specimens, varying from deep orange rufous to ferruginous. These specimens are intergrades between frumentor and true aureogaster, but the presence of distinct rump patches places them nearest frumentor. No melanistic phase is known. Sciurus socialis cocos subsp. nov. Acapulco Squirrel. Type from Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. No. 70644, tf ad. , U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Jan. 11, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 7360. Distribution. Pacific Coast district of Guerrero and adjacent part of Oaxaca (from Acapulco to Jamiltepec), Mexico. Characters. Distinguished from all Mexican squirrels by the sharp con trast between the bright rufous patches on nape and rump and the un usually pale or whitish color on rest of dorsal surface. 2 upper premolars. Color. Upper parts from nose to base of tail, except feet and patches on nape and rump, grizzled grayish-white, sometimes with slight mixture of rufous ; darkest on nose and fore part of crown ; on back and flanks, between the nape and rump patches, often almost white, contrasting strikingly with sharply defined patches on nape and rump, which vary from dark almost chestnut-rufous to deep orange-buffy, washed lightly with black. Eyes surrounded by dull fulvous ring in the middle of a fulvous or reddish-brown area which extends back on sides of head to ears and joins rufous nuchal patch on crown just in front of ears. Ears like nuchal patch, with a small patch of rufous or buffy fur behind base. Sides of nose and lower parts of cheeks grayish-white, this color often extending up to lower border of ears and back along sides of neck. Tops of feet white or pale gray ish- white ; chin white ; rest of lower parts vary ing from white to pale creamy-buffy or rich buffy-rufous. Base of tail above like rump patch ; below with anal region like middle of back ; rest of tail on upper surface black, heavily washed with white with the rufous or orange-red under color showing through ; below the median band varies from deep rufous to orange-rufous with a narrow black border edged externally and often more or less overlaid with white ; sometimes 156 Nelson New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America. heavily washed with white below and above. The amount of white on tail agrees with purity of white on dorsal surface. Measurements. Type specimen: Total length 506; tail vertebne 201 ; hind foot 67. Average of 5 adults: Total length, 515.4; tail vertebne 263.2; hind foot, 67. Remarks. The most common or typical forms of this extremely vari able squirrel are described above. They are notable among all of the species and races of the group having nape and rump patches for the sharp contrast between the -rich dark color of these patches and the whitish or whitish-gray color on rest of upper surface which brings them out in sharp relief. VOL. XII, PP. 157-160 AUGUST 10, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OV THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ON SOME BIRDS FROM PUEBLO VIEJO, COLOMBIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Mr. W. W. Brown, Jr., has just sent to the Bangs collection the results of about two weeks 1 collecting at the village of Pueblo Viejo, in the high Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. The number of birds obtained was rather small, as his time was principally occupied in collecting mammals, which were found in much greater numbers than at the lower altitudes previously worked. All the birds here recorded, with the exception of one Hemiprocne zonarisj were taken at Pueblo Viejo, at about 8000 feet altitude, in the latter part of March, 1898. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Chas. W. Richmond, of the United States National Museum, for his great kindness in look ing over the birds and comparing them with skins in the Na tional Museum collection. Indeed, without his valuable assist ance I should have been unable to identify many of the species. (NOTE. All measurements are in millimeters.) Porzaiia albigularis (Lawr.). One adult, unsexed, taken Mar. 28, 1898. Geotrygon linearis (Prev. & Knip). One adult male, Mar. 28, 1898. Syrnium virgatum Cassin. One female, just emerging from immature plumage, Mar. 21, 1898. Ramphastos brevicarinatus Gould. One specimen. :U-Bioi,. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (157) 158 Bangs Birds from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. Aulacorhamphus calorhynchus Gould. Four males. All have larger bills than the one female I recorded in my last paper* from Santa Marta, the type locality of the species. The difference is doubtless sexual. Anthocephala floriceps (Gould). One fine adult male, taken Mar. 20, 1898, is, so far as I know, the only specimen of this extremely rare hummer in this country. Hemiprocne zoiiaris (Shaw). One adult male, taken at Santa Marta, Colombia, Feb. 18, 1898. Not quite typical. Wing, 193; tail, 72; length (skin), 198; about the size of H. zonaris albicincta (Cab.), but the white collar is wider instead of nar rower on the upper side. Mionectes olivaceus Lawr. Two males, taken Mar. 20, 1898. Elaenia browiii sp. nov. Type (and only specimen), from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. No. 5573, $ adult, coll. of K. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Mar. 23, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude 8000 ft. Specific characters. Nearest E. mesoleuca Cab. & Heine, of Brazil, but smaller; olive green of upper parts browner (darker); axillaries, under wing-coverts, sides of bod} 7 , and under tail-coverts less yellow ; throat pale yellowish green, instead of grayish white. Size. cf adult: wing, 72.2; tail, 64.4; exposed culmen, 10. Myiodynastes chrysocephalus (Tschudi). One female, March 21, 1898. Myiobius iiaevius (Bodd.). One male, Mar. 21, 1898. The crest is red. Myiarchus nigriceps Scl. Two specimens, male and female. Tityra semifasciata (Spix). Two specimens, male and female. Automolus rufipectus sp. nov. Type (and only specimen), from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. No. 5580, c? adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Mar. 21, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude 8000 feet. *Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XII, p. 134, June 3, 1898. Birds from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. 159 Specific diameters. Back and top of head dark olive-brown ; forehead and auriculars chestnut-rufous ; wings rufous, darker on outer webs, brighter on inner ; ends of primaries dusky ; upper and under tail-coverts and tail chestnut-rufous ; throat buff; chest rufous, this color forming a conspicuous band and extending along neck to auriculars ; center of belly tawny-olive shading to raw umber on sides and flanks. Size.tf adult: wing, 83.2; tail, 77; exposed cuhnen, 23. Remarks. A. rufipectus is apparently very different from any of the de scribed species, its rufous chest being distinctive. Conopophaga sp. ? One female, which cannot be properly identified at present. It has no white tufts on sides of head. Cassidix oryzivora (Gmelin). Two males. Buarremon basilicus sp. nov. Type (and only specimen), from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. No. 5598, cf adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected Mar. 21, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude 8000 ft. Specific characters. Nearly related to B. torquatus (d'Orb. & Lafr.) from Bolivia, but differing from that species in gray instead of white super ciliary stripe; in reddish olive instead of olive green back, rump, wing- coverts, edges of tail, wing feathers, tail-coverts and sides of body ; in pale fawn-color instead of white breast and center of belly ; in wider black band across chest ; and in larger bill. Rize.tf adult: wing, 81.2; tail, 78.8; exposed culmeii, 17.4. Remarks. This new species is probably nearly related to B. poliophrys (Berl. and Stolz.), which has the same slate-gray superciliary stripe. B. poliophrys is said to be otherwise like B. torquatus, while the Pueblo Viejo bird has a larger bill and many differences in color. Sporophila sp. ? One female. The species cannot be determined by this skin, which is not in distinctive plumage. Calospiza desmaresti (Gray). Two males. Calospiza cyanoptera (Swains.). Two males of the bird which I recorded in my last paper * as ' Calospiza sp. ? ' on the basis of a female specimen. Ramphocelus dimidiatus Lafr. Eight specimens, including males and females. *Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XII, p. 141, June 3, 1898. 160 Bangs Birds from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. Tachyphonus rufus (Bodd.). Four specimens, a male and three females. Helminthophila chrysoptera (Linn.) One adult female, Mar. 20, 1898, winter resident. Basileuteius cinereicollia Scl. One male. Thryothorus laetus sp. nov. Type (and only specimen), from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. No. 5601, y>o BIOL. Sor. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (101) 162 Bangs New Mammals from Santa Marta, Colombia. feet and hands pale brown, in dried skin ; ears hairy at base outside, naked inside and for rather more than half their length outside ; a gray mark across base of ear, rest of hairs brown ; tail naked above for about half its length, below for about three- fourths its length ; hairy portion of tail brown, like back, but the hairs unicolor throughout their entire length ; naked portion, in dried skin, yellow, with some irregular black spots, all near where the hair ends ; " testicles glaucous blue." * Measurements. t o . c -^ o ; _,C3 Locality. > *s "1 3 j-N 'c ^ c c $ g W W 8114 Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. . . 9 ad. 580 335 36 33 8115 " " " cj' ad. 580 325 37 30 8116 " " " c? yg. ad. 510 280 35 31 8036 Near Santa Marta, Colom- j tf ad. 610 370 40 32 bia, 4000 ft. Skull, type, 9 adult: basal length, 49; zygomatic width, 30.8; mastoid width, 20.2; interorbital width, 9.8; width across postorbital processes, 15 ; length of nasals, 21.6 ; greatest length of single half of mandible, 39.2. Remarks. This handsome Philander is represe nted by four examples, three taken at Pueblo Viejo at an elevation of 8000 ft. and one taken on top of a small mountain near Santa Marta at 4000 ft. The Santa Marta skin has a much longer tail and larger hind foot than any of the others, but otherwise they are all four very similar. P. cicur is apparently nearest to P. derbianus, but differs from that species in having rich brown instead of white upper sides to arms and in lacking the gray dorsal stripe. Another species that may be somewhat closely related is the P. oniatus Tschudi of Peru, but this also has the gray dorsal stripe, which is wholly absent in P. cicur. Marmosa mitis sp. nov. Type from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia, 8000 ft. No. 8123, tf adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Mar. 25, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. General characters. Nearest to M. murina, but slightly smaller ; color above less ferruginous, and much paler, especially on middle of face '> skull slightly different. Color and Pelage. Pelage short, dense, soft ; upper parts varying from dull tawny-olive to pale bistre, darkest along dorsal line and shading on sides of neck and lower sides to cinnamon-buff; under fur slaty ; middle of face between black eye-spots much paler wood brown ; under parts, chin, neck, inside of arms, chest and belly yellowish white, in some spec imens somewhat suffused with buffy, the hairs one color to their base ; lower sides more strongly buffy, the hairs slate color at base ; feet and *Note made by Mr. Brown from fresh specimens. New Mammals from Santa Marta, Colombia. 163 hands dull white ; tail indistinctly bicolor, brownish dusky above, grayer below, clothed witji very short appressed hairs. Cranial characters. The skull as compared with that of M. murina dif fers in greater postorbital constriction and higher, heavier rostrum. The nasals are broad and heavy, slightly arched, and the maxillaries some what swollen laterally. Measurements. The type, cT adult : total length, 325; tail vertebne, 175 ; hind foot, 22 ; ear from notch, 24. An old adult 9 topotype, No. 8139, total length, 325 ; tail vertebra, 185 ; hind foot, 21 ; ear from notch, 24. Average often adults, tf and 9, topotypes, total length, 321.7; tail vertebrae, 176; hind foot, 21.6; ear from notch, 24.3. Skull, the type, tf adult : basal length, 36.2 ; occipitonasal length, 39.4 ; zygomatic width, 20.6; mastoid width, 14; width between orbits, 6.2; length of nasals, 18.6; width of nasals, 5.2; greatest length of single half of mandible, 29. Remarks. Mr. Brown took twenty -seven examples of M. mitis at Pueblo Viejo at 8000 feet altitude, but did not secure any at lower elevations. M. mitis is probably nearest to M. murina, but differs in slightly smaller size, in color, and in cranial characters. M. fascata Thomas, of Merida, Venezuela, is perhaps also somewhat closely related. It differs in having the hairs of the under parts slaty at base and in its smaller size and dif ferent cranial proportions. Dasyprocta colombiana sp. nov. Type from Santa Marta, Colombia. No. 8008, 9 young adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Jan. 6, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. General characters. Size medium ; general color dark ; hairs on back of head and neck slightly elongated, but not forming decided crest; hairs of rump black with white tips. Color and I'ektge.H&irs stiff and coarse; back, shoulders, and head, black, each hair with an ochraceous band near tip, this band shorter on hairs of center of back and longer on those of sides; elongate hairs of rump black with white tips ; under parts, center of belly, median line, and throat whitish ; under side of neck and lower sides, hairs annulated like those of back, but the yellow bands rather paler ; legs and arms, feet and hands black, slightly lined with yellow ; ears sparsely haired, rather more hairy at base than at tip, the hairs ochraceous. Measurements. j a &, ^j "o o . Locality. jg a; a ^a 6 fe M eg 1 1 S oS C 8008 Colombia, Santa Marta . . 9 yg. ad. 500 25 126 40 8113 Colombia, Pueblo Viejo. . . d yg. 470 30 115 36 164 Bangs New Mammals from Santa Marta, Colombia. Skull, the type, 9 young adult: basal length, 189.4 ; zygomatic width, 49.4; mastoid width, 36; width between orbits, 28.6; widtli across post- orbital processes, 38.6; length of nasals, 42.4; greatest length of single half of mandible, 58.2. Remarks. Mr. Brown has thus far sent two specimens of this agouti, one, the type, a female, taken at Santa Marta, probably full grown, though not quite adult, has the last molar on both upper and under jaw just com ing into place. The other is a younger male taken at Pueblo Viejo at 8000 feet. Both agree perfectly in coloration. D. colombiana appears, so far as I can judge by descriptions, to be very different in color from any of the neighboring species, the peculiar color ing of the rump being distinctive. Unfortunately, through lack of ma terial, I can say nothing of its cranial characters at present. Oryzomys flavicans illectus subsp. nov. Type from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia, altitude 8000 ft. No. 8101, tf adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected March 24, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. General characters. Similar in size, proportions and cranial characters to 0. flavicans Thomas, of Merida, Venezuela; differs in color of under parts, which are a beautiful rich orange-buff to base of hairs the under parts of true flavicans being whitish. Color. Upper parts, bright yellowish brown, about tawny -ochraceous, a scattering of dark brown hairs along back and on top of head ; lower sides and under parts orange-buff; usually a small white spot on throat ; hairs of upper parts and sides slate gray at base, those of belly, chest and throat unicolor for their whole length ; feet and hands buff. Measurements. The type, tf adult : total length, 292 ; tail vertebrae, 100 hind foot, 25 ; ear from notch, 17. Average of five adult topotypes, c^s and ?s : total length, 279.4 ; tail vertebrae, 146.8 ; hind foot, 26 ; ear from notch, 17.2. Tayaasu torvus sp. nov. Type from Santa Marta, Colombia. No. 8038, J* adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Jan. 26, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. General characters. Size smaller than either T. tajacu of southern Brazil or T. angnlatus of Texas. Color and external characters as in those two species. Skull smaller and otherwise different. Cranial and dental characters. Skull low, short and wide ; nasals short, taken together, evenly rounded and rather flat ; malar crest continued forward to canine alveolus. Molar teeth not wrinkled ; molars and pre- molars all very large ; two small upper premolars molariform, quadrate and quadritubercular ; the small anterior lower premolar with the for ward large tubercule divided into two, like next premolar. In T. tajacu this tooth has the forward large tubercule plain and single, differing in this from the next premolar. The skull of T. /owt-s-can be distinguished from that of T. tajacu in the extension of the malar crest forward to canine alveolus; in much larger New Mammals from Santa Marta, Colombia. 165 molars and premolars ; in the two smaller upper premolars being distinctly quad ri tubercular and quadrate ; in the form of the small anterior lower premolar. From T. any Hiatus it can be distinguished by nasals not being angulated in the middle line and molars not being wrinkled. From both T. angulatus and T. tajacu it differs by being shorter, lower, and wider, and by the larger molar and premolar teeth. Measurements. The type, (J 1 adult: head and body, 1075; hind foot, 170 ; ear from notch, 75. Skull : basal length, 186 ; zygomatic width, 95.4 ; width between orbits, 50; width across postorbital processes, 71.4; width of palate at forward alveoli of last molars, 23 ; greatest length of single half mandible, 156; length of molar series (molars and premolars, alveoli) upper, 67.8; under, 74. Remarks. Mr. Brown has thus far sent but one specimen, the type, a fine old male skin and skull. This specimen is, however, so different from either T. tajacu of southern Brazil or T. angulatus of Texas that I feel justified in separating it. Whether it is a species or only a race of T. tdjacu can, of course, not be told without much more material than is now available. When Prof. Cope named the Texan peccary angulatus * he irrevocably restricted the Linnsean name tajacu to the peccary of southern Brazil. Through the kindness of Mr. Witiner Stone, I have been able to com pare my Santa Marta skull with two of Prof. Cope's original southern Brazil skulls that had come into the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Am. Nat, Feb., 1889, pp. 146-147. VOL. XII, PP. 167-168 AUGUST 10, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW RACE OF THE LITTLE HARVEST MOUSE FROM WEST VIRGINIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Within the last year Mr. Thaddeus Surber has found that the Little Harvest Mouse is comparatively common in the country about White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. He has sent me five specimens and has taken several more that are in his own pri vate collection. The one specimen taken at Fort Myer, Va., by L. Z. Mearns* is the only other record I know for this mouse from so far north in the eastern United States On comparing these West Virginia specimens with true Reithrodontomys lecontii from Georgia and northern Florida some differences in color, proportions, and cranium can be seen, and I propose to separate the northern form as follows : Reithrodontomys lecontii impiger subsp. nov. Type from White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. No. 7784, $ old adult (with much worn teeth), coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected Feb. 27, 1898, by Thaddeus Surber. Original No. 466. General characters. Size a little smaller than true R. lecontii; tail slightly shorter; ear much smaller; pelage longer and softer; colors of back richer brown, sides paler, the contrast in color between sides and back more marked; skull smaller, more slender and lighter throughout; molar teeth rather larger. Color. Adult in winter pelage, upper parts dark russet brown, rather darker along middle of back and on rump, sides much paler, almost ochraceous buff on lower sides ; under parts grayish white, irregularly washed, in some specimens, with fawn color; feet and hands grayish * Recorded in Am. Nat., XXXI, p. 161, Feb., 1897. 36 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII. 1898 (167) 168 Bangs Little Harvest Mouse from West Virginia. white ; ears dusky, with some reddish brown hairs on both inner and outer surfaces; tail indistinctly bicolor, dusky above, grayish white be low, rather more hairy than in true R. lecontii; under fur plumbeous throughout except on chin and under side of head, where the hairs are whitish to their base. Measurement. S3 ~c fl Sex. n ^ o <3 r- CC f O> O '^ 'Is ^ "C C3 -j- o o 'S S c5 S < EH H W W 7784 Type, cf adult 112 51 15 9 6932 Topotype, $ adult.. 115 51 15 9 7785 9 adult 120 53 15 8.5 Remarks. Specimens from Raleigh, N. C. , of which there are many in collections, taken by the Brimley brothers, appear to be intermediates, though nearer true R. lecontii. In R. lecont'd impiger the ear is much smaller than in all specimens I have examined from Georgia and north ern Florida. For instance, an adult 9 R> lecontii lecontii taken by W. W. Brown > Jr., at Pinetucky, Ga. , measures : Total length, 136 ; tail vertebrae, 62; hind foot, 16; ear from notch, 12 (in dried skin 11.5). Judged by the skulls, this specimen is younger than the type of R. lecontii impiger- These differences in size and proportions, combined with the differences in color and the smaller and more delicate skull of impiger, serve to dis tinguish all specimens I have examined from extreme localities. VOL. XII, PP. 169-170 AUGUST 10, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW WEASEL FROM THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS, B. C. BY EDWAED A. PREBLE. Last spring I received through the kindness of Rev. J. H. Keen, of Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands, a fine adult weasel in alcohol. As it had not been long immersed, I skinned it at once in order to preserve its color, and presented the speci men to the Biological Survey Collection in the U. S. National Museum. The skin is in late winter pelage, the dark fur of the summer coat just beginning to appear on the head and back. I was not surprised, considering the isolated habitat, to find that this weasel belonged to an undescribed species, which may be characterized as follows : Putorius haidarum * sp. nov. Type from Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands, B. C. Skin and skull No. 94430, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 17, 1898, by Rev. J. H. Keen. Geographical distribution. Known only from the type locality. General characters. Similar in general characters to Putorius kadiacensis from Kadiak Island, Alaska, but differing in smaller size, in the increased amount of black on tail, and in cranial characters ; also apparently differ ing greatly in color of the summer pelage. Color of type. White, slightly tinged posteriorly and beneath with saf fron yellow. Terminal portion of tail, comprising about 60 per cent, of the entire length, black. Small spots of summer fur just appearing on face, top of head, and back, blackish-brown. Cranial characters. The skull is about the size of Putorius cicognani, but * Dedicated to the Haidas, the resident tribe of Indians. 37 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII. 1898 (109) 170 Preble A New Weasel from Queen Charlotte Islands. requires no comparison with that species, being much more stoutly built and angular. Compared with Putorius kadiacensis, which is undoubtedly its nearest relative, the skull of the present species is considerably smaller, with flatter braincase, mandible more deflected, post-palatal notch much smaller, relatively and absolutely. Zygomata very slender throughout, post-molar production of palate longer and narrower, and post-glenoid space longer and more swollen. Bulke smaller and flatter. Teeth through out much smaller than in P. kadiacensis. Remarks. By a fortunate coincidence the type of the present species and the type of P. kadiacensis, with which it requires comparison, agree exactly in condition of pelage. Both are also adult males of almost pre cisely the same age, a circumstance which makes the comparison sim ple and satisfactory. The fur of P. haidarum is finer than that of P. kadiacensis. In the latter species the summer fur just appearing is light- brownish in color, thus contrasting quite strongly with the blackish brown of the corresponding portions of P. haidarum. The terminal por tion of the tail of P. kadiacensis is considerably suffused with brownish, while in P. haidarum it is pure black. The type of P. kadiacensis meas ured in the flesh: Total length, 318; tail vertebrae, 86; hind foot, 44; pencil of tail, 40. P. haidarum measured in flesh: Total length, 275; tail vertebrae, 60; hind foot, 37; pencil of tail, 40. The black portion of the tail measured about 60 mm. in each case, thus comprising about 60 per cent, of the entire length of the tail in P. haidarum and about 50 per cent, in P. kadiacensis. The type skull of P. Itaidnrum measured aa follows: Basal length, 38; zygomatic breadth, 22.5 ; mastoid breadth, 19 ; breadth across post- orbital processes, 13; interorbital breadth, 10.5; foramen magnum to posterior plane of molars, 25; palatal length, 15.5; post-palatal length, 20.5. Unfortunately this skull was infested with parasites, and therefore the measurement of the breadth across post-orbital processes may not be ex actly correct. VOL. XII, PP. 171-182 OCTOBER 31, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ON SOME BIRDS FROM THE SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Mr. W. W. Brown, Jr., has recently sent a third lot of birds, including about three hundred skins, to the Bangs collection. These specimens were collected during May and June, 1898, at the following localities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia: Palomina, altitude 5000 feet; San Francisco, 6000 feet; San Miguel, 7500 feet; and Macotarna, 8000 feet. Many of the birds are in worn breeding plumage, and some of the species are also represented by young in first plumage. Again I am in debted to Mr. R. Ridgway and Dr. C. W. Richmond for aid in determining many species. (NOTE. All measurements are in millimeters. Colors, when definite names are used, are according to Ridgway 's Nomenclature of Colors.) Neocrex colombianus sp. nov. Type (and only specimen), from Palomina, Colombia, No. 5700, 9 adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected May 22, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 5000 feet. Specific characters. This species resembles in a general way the only other member of the genus N. erythrops Scl. of Lima, Peru, but differs much in details of coloration and markings lower abdomen white in stead of dusky brown ; lower flanks and under tail-coverts, unbarred, pale, cinnamon instead of blackish ; under wing-coverts white, some of the feathers faintly streaked with dusky, instead of " dusky brown narrowly barred with white." Color. Adult 9. back, rump, upper tail-coverts and wings (except pri maries) bistre ; primaries hair brown, narrowly edged with bistre ; tail bistre, the center and base of the feathers shading towards hair brown ; 38-BiOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (171) 172 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. pilenm brownish slate, some of the feathers tipped with dark bistre ; throat white; sides of head, sides of neck, jugulum, breast and abdomen slate gray ; center of belly pure white ; flanks and under tail-coverts pale cinnamon, without a trace of any barring whatever ; bend of wing and under wing-coverts white, a few of the feathers slightly streaked or spotted with very pale and indistinct markings of hair brown ; axillars pale bistre ; ' tarsus red ; base of bill red, tip green.' * Size. 9 adult: Length, skin, 148 ; f wing, 93.2; tail, 29 ; exposed cul- men (approximately, a shot having broken base of upper mandible), 18.8; tarsus, 30. Remarks. I have had no specimens of iY. erythrops for comparison ; but Sclater's original diagnosis, as well as Sharpe's description of an adult female, in the British Museum, t indicate a bird so different from mine as to leave no doubt of the specific distinctness of the two. Porzana albigularis (Lawr.). Two adult males from Palomina, May. Columba albilinea Bp. One adult female from Paloniina. Falco sparverius Linn. Tw r o adults, male from Palomina, June 22 ; female from San Miguel, June 14. Conurus wagleri Gray. Seventeen adults, males and females, from Palomina and San Miguel. Pionus soididus (Linn.). One adult male from San Miguel, June 17, 1898. Crotophaga ani Linn. One female from Palomina. Aulacorhamphus calorhynchus Gould. Two adult males from Palomina. In my two former papers on the birds collected by Mr. Brown I wrongly gave the type locality of this species as Santa Marta. It is really Merida, Venezuela. Mr. Brown has now sent seven specimens. This series shows great va- *Note made by Mr. Brown from the fresh specimen. f Mr. Brown's skins are rather smaller than those of most collectors, but as this measurement is only approximate in any case, I give it for what it is worth. :}: Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXIII, 1894, 163. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 173 nation in the length of the bill, which certainly does not depend upon sex, but seems to be individual. I have some doubt whether the bird from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is subspecifically the same as that of the Andes of Venezuela, but without material from the type locality I cannot be sure. All my speci mens have a large black mark at the base of the culmen ; the end of the tail is strongly bluish ; and there is a wash of dark olive yellow on the sides of the head. Aulacorhamphus lautus* sp. nov. Type (and only specimen), from San Miguel, Colombia. No. 5789, $ adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected Jane 6, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 7500 ft. Specific characters. Not much like any described species. Among the species having chestnut tips on rectrices it agrees in color of throat only with A. albivittatus, but is a much smaller bird, lacks the chestnut basal portion of mandible, and has the basal portion of culmen black, besides differing in several minor particulars. In pattern of bill the new species agrees best with A. aeruleogidaris of Costa Rica and Veragua, but differs in the absence of the chestnut spot at base of yellow maxillary stripe, and in having a gray instead of deep blue throat. Color. Upper parts grass green more bluish on wings, more yellow ish on back ; primaries and inner webs of secondaries dusky, with nar row yellow border on inner edges; a small blue supraorbital stripe; throat cinereous ; breast and abdomen pale grass green to apple green ; feathers of center of belly white at base ; crissum chestnut; tail, above, green, bluish towards end, each feather tipped with chestnut; below, black, each feather tipped with chestnut; bend of wing and under wing- coverts pale yellow. Bill, maxilla, tip and stripe along culmen which divides at base of culmen and encloses a large black patch, yellow ; sides and patch at base of culmen black ; mandible black ; a broad yellowish white stripe across base of maxilla and mandible. Size. Length (skin), 291; wing, 124; tail, 108.8; exposed culmen, 69.6 ; tarsus, 34. Fhcethornis longirostris (Less, and De Latt). Four adults, three males and one female, from Palomina. Petasophora iolata Gould. Twenty-eight adults, males and females, from Macotama and San Miguel May and June. Leucuria gen. nov. (Trochilidae). Type. Leucuria phalemla, sp. nov. Characters. Related to Helianthea and also to Hemistephania. Bill long, * Lautus neat, elegant, in a fine dress. 174 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. straight, cylindrical (slightly shorter and broader than in Hdianthea) wings reaching about to end of tail ; tarsus naked with the exception of a bunch of white feathers near heel ; tail long, broad, forked, pure white ; upper and under tail-coverts white ; whole crown, forehead, and lores metallic. (For size, colors, and arrangement of colors, see description of type species below.) Leucuria phalerata sp. nov. Type (and only specimen) from Macotama, Colombia. No. 5731, $ adult, coll. of E. A. & 0. Bangs. Collected June 17, ]898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 8000 ft. Color. Forehead, crown and lores very brilliant metallic blue, with, in some lights, green reflections ; auriculars, back and wing-coverts dark grass green, in some lights quite dusky on cervix and upper back ; chin dark grass green with slight metallic reflections; throat metallic violet; breast metallic sea green ; abdomen shining grass green ; wings purplish- brown ; feathers of tarsi, upper and under tail-coverts and tail, including shafts of feathers, pure white. Size. cf adult : Length (skin), 120 ; wing, 72.2 ; tail longest rectrix, 47, shortest rectrix, 35.6; culmen, 26.8; greatest width of outer rectrix, 9.8. Remarks. Of this fine hummer Mr. Brown has taken but one adult male the only one seen in months of collecting. This adds another striking local species of humming bird to the five already described from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Thaluraiiia columbica (Bourc.). Two adults, male and female, from San Miguel and Palomina. Metallura smaragdinicollis (D'Orb. and Lafr.). Two adults; male from Palomina, May 10, female from San Miguel, June 12, 1898. Fanychlora russata Salv. and God in. Six adults, five males and a female, from San Miguel and Palomina, May and June. Myiotheretes striaticollis Scl. One adult male from Macotama, June 17, 1898. Ochthoeca poliogaster Salv. and Godm. One adult female from Macotama, June 17, 1898. Sayornis cineracea (Lafr.). One young in first plumage from San Miguel, June 4, 1898. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 175 Tyranniscus chrysops (Scl.). Two males, one adult, the other young, from Palomina. Elcenia browni Bangs. Five adults from San Miguel, June. Elaeiiia sororia sp. nov. Eleven adults, males and females, ten from Palomina, May, and one from San Miguel, June 16, 1898. Type from Palomina, Colombia, No. 5826, 9 adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected May 10, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 5000 ft. /Specific characters. Similar to E. browni, but darker and not so greenish above ; cap considerably darker than the back (nearly uniform in E. browni} ; concealed white at base of crown pronounced (nearly obsolete in E. browni) ; inner web of innermost tertiary only edged with white (wholly white in E. browni) ; patch of greenish-yellow edging on outer webs of secondaries not so bright and pronounced as in E. browni ; lining of wing strongly tinged with buff clear yellow in E. browni ; bill more robust and not so compressed near the tip. Color. Adult in somewhat worn plumage; upper parts dull olive brown (almost hair brown] ; cap darker than back ; large concealed white patch on center of crown ; wing bars, edgings of primaries, secondaries, and tertials yellowish or greenish white; lining of wing huffy; throat dull gray ; breast, sides and flanks brownish gray; abdomen and under tail-coverts pale yellow to yellowish white. Size.tf adult, Topotype, No. 5827 : Length, skin, 134 ; wing, 77; tail, 66; exposed culmen, 10.8; tarsus, 17.4. 9 adult, Type Length, skin, 128; wing, 73; tail, 63.2; exposed culmen, 10.6; tarsus, 17. Remarks. E. browni and E. sororia are closely related, though entirely distinct species. From the material Mr. Brown has so far collected, I should judge that E. sororia is found at rather lower elevations than E. browni, though their ranges meet. At Palomina Mr. Brown found only E. sororia. At San Miguel he took five examples of E. browni and one of E. sororia. The molting season of the two species appears to be differ ent, as the specimens of E. browni shot at different dates in June at San Miguel are all in fresh plumage, while all the examples of E. sororia taken at Palomina in May and the one killed at San Miguel, June 16, are in somewhat worn plumage. The great difference in color between the two series may be in part seasonal ; but E. sororia is probably never very greenish on the upper surface. Both El&nia browni and E. sororia seem to belong in that section of the genus called Myiopagis by Salvin and Godnian : * a group I should be unwilling to allow even subgeneric rank. *Biol. Cent-Am., Aves, II, 1888, 26 (Type Elainea placens Scl.). 176 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. Myiozetetes texensis colombianus (Cab. and Heine). One adult female from Palo mi n a. Rhynchocyclus sulphurescens (Spix). Three adults, two males and one female, from Palomina. Myiodynastes audax nobilis (Scl.). One adult male from Palomina. Myiodynastes chrysocephalus (Tschudi). One adult female from San Francisco. Megarhynchus pitangua (Linn.). One adult male from Palomina. Myiobius vieillotioides (Lafr.). One adult male from San Francisco, June 1, 1898. Myiobius naevius (Bodd.). One adult female from Palomina. The crest is yellow slightly tinged with orange. Myiarchus nigriceps Scl. Ten specimens from Palomina and San Miguel. Nine are adults in rather worn plumage and one is a young bird in first plumage. Tyrannus melancholicus satrapa (Licht.). Ten adults, including both sexes. Eight are from Palomina and two from Macotama. The Macotama birds have larger bills than those from Palomina but otherwise do not seem to differ. Milvulus tyrannus (Linn.). Five specimens from Palomina, four adults and one young in first plumage. Formicivora caudata Scl. Two specimens, one a male and the other probably a female, from Pa lomina, taken in May and June. It is very probable that these are riot true F. caudata Scl., which is said to have black rectrices tipped with white. The Palomina birds have brown tails, with a subapical black band and white tips; they may not, however, be fully adult. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 177 Synallaxis albescens Temm. Five adults, males and females, from Palomina, May. Synallaxis fuscorufa Scl. Three adults, two males and one female, from San Miguel, May and June. These appear to be S. fuscorufa, the type locality of which is San Sebas tian, Colombia, though they do not agree well with Sclater's description, in which the back is said to be brown. The San Miguel specimens are in somewhat worn plumage, with the back rather gray than brown a grayish hair brown the breast ferruginous rather than cinnamon, and little paler than the cap. Xiphocolaptes procerus Cab. One adult female from Macotama June 24. Judged by descriptions, this specimen is X. procerus. Mr. Ridgway has examined the skin and is of also this opinion. Sclerurus albigularis Swains, (subsp. nov. ?). One adult female from Palomina, May 18. This skin Mr. Ridgway has compared with a specimen of S. albigularis from Tobago, and with the type of S. canigularis from Costa Rica, and finds that it is exactly intermediate. If more specimens from the same region should prove the characters of this intermediate race to be con stant it might be well to give it a subspecilic name. Grallaria spatiator sp. nov. Type (and only specimen) from Macotama, Colombia. No. 5683, tf adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected June 17, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 8000 ft. Specific characters. Resembling G. rufula, but with much shorter bill ; longer and more slender tarsus ; and darker, duller brown coloration. Color. Upper parts, about mummy brown, many of the feathers shaded by a more reddish olive tinge; primaries dusky edged with russet; tail mummy brown ; chin whitish ; throat and breast cinnamon-russet ; flanks raw timber ; lower abdomen andcrissum soiled white, the feathers some what marbled with raw umber and russet. Size. cT adult: Length, skin, 132; wing, 83.6; tail, 42; exposed cul- men, 20 ; tarsus, 46. Ostinops decumanus (Pall.). Two adults, male and female, from Palomina. 178 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Maria, Colombia. Cassidix oryzivora (Gmel.). Four specimens, adult males, and female, and young male, from Palo- mina. Spinus spinescens capitaneus subsp. nov. Three adult males from San Miguel. Type.Yrom San Miguel, Colombia. No. 5674, tf adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected June 14, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 7500 ft. Subspecific characters. Like true S. spinescens but much larger ; bill very much larger. Color. Adult tf : Forehead and crown black; occiput, cervix, back and upper tail-coverts dark oil green, slightly touched with indistinct dusky markings ; lower rump bright olive green ; wings black, crossed by a broad yellow band, middle and greater coverts tipped with oil green ; secondaries edged with green, tipped with whitish ; primaries narrowly edged with green and just tipped with whitish ; under parts between oil green and olive yellow, more green on throat, upper breast, sides and flanks, more yellow on lower breast, upper abdomen and under tail- coverts ; center of belly whke ; tail black, yellow at base. Size. Adult $ : Length, skin, 106; wing, 70.8 ; tail, 46.2 ; exposed cul- men, 1 1 ; depth of bill at base, 7.6 ; tarsus, 14.2. Remarks. The three skins agree very closely among themselves and differ from true & spinescens in being much larger, especially the bill. Brachyspiza capensis peruviana (Lesson). Four adult males, from San Miguel. Buarremon melanocephalus Salv. and Godm. Twenty specimens, males, females, and young in first plumage, from San Miguel, Palomina, and San Francisco. The young are similar to the adults but the colors are all duller, the back is more olivaceous, and the under parts duller yellow, somewhat marked on the sides and chest with dusky spots. Saltator magnus (Gmel.). Four adults, males and females, from San Miguel and Palomina. I still doubt whether this bird is true S. magnus, but having no specimens from Cayenne for comparison, must let it pass as such. Arremon schlegeli Bp. Four adults, males and females, from Palomina and San Miguel. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 179 Emberizoides macrurus (Gmel.). Three specimens, an adult male from San Miguel, an adult female from Macotama, and a female in first plumage from Palomina. These birds differ slightly from the single topotype in the National Museum collection. The edges of the primaries are much brighter yel lowish olive green. Sporophila gutturalis (Licht.). Ten adults, males and females, from Palomina. Pcecilothraupis melanogenys Salv. and Godm. One adult female from Macotama, June 17, 1898. Euplionia crassirostris Scl. One young male from Palomina. Calospiza desmaresti (Gray). Twelve specimens, males, female, and young, from Palomina. Calospiza cyanoptera (Swains.). Twelve adults, males and females, from Palomina and San Miguel. Ramphocelus dimidiatus Lafr. Twenty specimens, adults of both sexes and young in first plumage. All from Palomina and San Miguel. Tachyphonus rufus (Bodd.). Two adults, male and female, from Palomina. Procnias tersa occidentalis (Scl.). Eleven specimens, adult males and females and one young just emerg ing from first plumage, from Palomina, San Miguel, and San Francisco. Diglossa sittoides similis (Lafr.). Two adults, male and female, from San Miguel. Diglossa albilateralis Lafr. Three adults, males and female, from San Miguel, 39 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 180 Bangs On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. Diglossa iiocticolor sp. nov. Five adult males from Macotama, June. Type, from Macotama, Colombia. No. 5610, cT adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected June 17, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 8000 ft. Specific characters. Nearest to D. aterrima Lafr., but differing from that species in having slate gray instead of black rump, upper tail-coverts and flanks. Color. Adult cf : Black all over except rump, upper tail-coverts and flanks, which are slate gray ; feet, black; bill maxilla, black ; mandible, black at tip, bluish horn-color at base ; ' iris hazel.' * Size. Adult cf: Length, skin, 135 ; wing, 76; tail, 67.4; exposed culm en, 10.8. Remarks. This species is readily distinguished from D. aterrima by its slate gray rump, tail-coverts and flanks. It is, however, probably the D. aterrima of Salvin and Godman (Ibis, 1880, p. 119). Compsothlypis pitiayumi pacifica (Berl.). Five adults, males and females, from Palomina. Basileuterus mesochrysus Scl. Six adults of both sexes, all taken at Palomina. Basileuterus cinereicollis Scl. Three adult males from San Francisco and Palomina. Setophaga verticalis Lafr and D'Orb. Five adults, males and females, from San Miguel. Setophaga flavivertex Salv. Two adults, male and female, from Macotama, June 17, 1898. Thryothorus laetus Bangs. Three specimens, adult male and female, and young in first plumage, from Palomina. The adults are in rather worn plumage, but the male agrees exactly with the type of the species from Pueblo Viejo. Adult 9, No. 5794, is not so heavily spotted on the breast and abdomen as the two males ; this may be due to the abraded condition of the feathers, or may be a sexual character. The young example is very different, being altogether un spotted ; above it is colored much like the adults, below it is dull rufous, * Note by Mr. Brown from fresh specimen. On Some Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia. 181 paler on center of belly, and darker on breast and sides, the throat and sides of the head are dull gray. Henicorhina leucophrys (Tschudi). Four adults, males and females, from San Francisco, Palomina, and San Miguel. Catharus aurantiirostris (Hartl.). Four adult males from Palomina. Merula pheeopyga minuscula subsp. nov. One adult, sex undetermined, from Palomina, June 1, 1898. Type from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia. No. 5605, tf adult, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected March 23, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Alti tude, 8000 ft. Subspecific characters. Smaller than true M. phseopyga of British Guiana ; wing shorter ; color of back and crown darker (olive in M. phseopyga minuscula, bistre in M. ph&opyga ph&opyga). Size. Type, $ adult: Length, skin, 183; wing, 102.4; tail, 81.2; ex posed culmen, 17 ; tarsus, 29. Topotype, No. 5604, 6 443 445 460 442 215 235 230 225 51 55 56 57 27 27 26 25 435 435 220 215 53 55 25 25 Sciurus variabilis saltuevsis subsp. nov. 8144 8145 9 old ad. ... tf old ad. . Pueblo Viejo n 1 1 420 Head & 200 body 230 54 55 26 27 8244 9 ad Palo mi na 410 190 52 27 NOTE. 'Old adult,' 'adult/ and 'young adult' are given in accord ance with the appearance of the skull and teeth, regardless of the col lector's measurements. VOL. XII, pp. 187-188 NOVEMBER 16, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW ROCK VOLE FROM LABRADOR. BY OUTRAM BANGS. Early last summer Mr. Ernest Doane left Newfoundland and crossed the straits of Belle Isle to Black Bay, Labrador, where he has been collecting mammals ever since for the Bangs collec tion. Just before he went into winter quarters he sent one con signment of skins, including twelve examples of a rock vole which proves to be different from true Microlm chrotorrhinus (Miller). For the present I treat the new form as a subspecies. The rock vole has now been recorded from several pretty widely separated localities,* though it still remains one of the rarest and most desirable among the smaller mammals of northeastern North America. The Labrador series includes four adults and eight young of various sizes, all agreeing closely in color. The new form differs from true M. chrotorrhinus in its. paler, more yellowish gray col oring, in the larger and lighter yellow nose patches, and in sev- * Mt. Washington (type locality 8 specimens) ; Profile Lake, N. H. (1 specimen), and Trowser's Lake, N. B. (1 specimen) Miller, Proc. JSosl. Soc. Nat. Hist., Mar. 24, 1894, pp. 190-193 ; Trowser's Lake (3 addi tional specimens) and Galquac Lake, N. B. (1 specimen) Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1894, P- 360 ; Lake Edward, Quebec (9 specimens) Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., X, Mar. 9, 1896, p. 49; Breed's, Essex Co., N. Y. (27 specimens), and above Profile Lake, N. H. (1 specimen) Batch- elder, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., Oct., 1896, pp. 188, 189 ; Hunter Moun tain, Catskills, N. Y. (1 specimen) Mearns, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1898, p. 349. 41 BIOL. Soc. WASH., Voi,. XII, 1898 (187) 188 Bangs A New Rock Vole from Labrador. eral well-marked and constant cranial and dental characters. It may be known as Microtus chrotorrhinus ravus* subsp. nov. Type from Black Bay, Labrador, ^ old adult, No. 7951, coll. of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected July 15, 1898, by Ernest Doane. Color and pelage. Fur longer, softer, and more like Phenacomys than in M. chrotorrhinus chrotorrhinus; all the colors paler; upper parts pale grayish raw umber, somewhat darkened on back by a sprinkling of black- tipped hairs ; nose and face back to eyes pale tawny ochraceous, this color suffusing much of head, especially about the ears ; under parts gray, extending well up on sides and gradually blending with color of upper parts ; feet and hands gray ; tail dusky brown above, paler and grayer below, sparsely haired ; whiskers black and yellowish white mixed. Cranial and dental characters. The skull, compared with that of true M. chrotorrhinus, is much more slender and more constricted between the orbits ; rostrum more slender ; incisive foramina longer ; audital bullre flatter, less inflated, more oblong, and less round. Pattern of enamel folding of molar teeth substantially the same ; molars all much smaller and more delicate ; incisors more slender. Measurements. The type, tf old adult; total length, 170; tail vertebrae, 50 ; hind foot, 22 ; ear from notch, 14. Averages of four adult topotypes, of both sexes : total length, 159.75 ; tail vertebrae, 46; hind foot, 21.25 ; f ear from notch, 12.5. Skull (type, c? old adult) basal length, 24.8 ; oc- cipito-nasal length, 26.6 ; zygomatic width, 15 ; mastoid width, 11.6 ; width between orbits, 3.6; length of nasals, 7.4; length of upper tooth row, 6; length of mandible, 16.4. Remarks. I find it very hard to express the differences in color between true M. chrotorrhinus and M. c. ravus, though they are evident enough when series of the two forms are laid side by side. Young examples show the differences in color quite as well as do adults. Without a complete series from connecting localities, it seems better to regard ravus merely as a subspecies of chrotorrhinus, although the rock voles from Lake Edward, Quebec, are in every way inseparable from true chrotorrhinus from the type locality Mount Washington, N. H. and show no approach to the form of the coast of middle Labrador. * Ravus = gray-yellow. f The collector's measurements for foot run larger in M. c. ravus than in true M. chrotorrhinus. I can, however, detect no appreciable difference in the dried skins. VOL. XII, PP. 189-1^6 DECEMBER 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NEW SIGMODON FROM THE SANTA MARTA REGION OF COLOMBIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. The collection of mammals made by W. W. Brown, Jr., in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta contains but three examples of Sigmodon. Two of these are adult males and practically alike: one taken at Pueblo Viejo, at an altitude of 8000 feet, on March 23, 1898; the other at Palomina, 5000 feet, June 21, 1898. The third specimen is an adult female from Pueblo Viejo. It is so much smaller than the two males and differs so much otherwise, that without more material I hesitate to refer it to the same species. I have therefore left it out of consideration and based my description wholly upon the two males. The new form is closely related to both S. borucae Allen, from Costa Rica, and S. bogotensis Allen from Bogota, differing from the former principally in harsher pelage and much more hairy tail, and from the latter in much paler coloration. It may be known as Sigmodon sanctaemartae sp. nov. Type from Pueblo Viejo,* Colombia. No. 8105, <^ adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected Mar. 23, 1898, by W. W. Brown, Jr. Altitude, 8000 feet. General characters. Pelage long, full, hispid; tail very hairy; color above, dull tawny-ochraceous, lined with blackish ; ear rather large, sparsely * There are at least three towns in Colombia called Pueblo Viejo. The one at which Mr. Brown collected is in the center of the Sierra Nevada, not far from the source of Rio Ancho. 42 BIOL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (189) 190 Bangs J. New Sigmodon from Colombia. haired on outside; skull with wide nasals and large, wide, incisive foramina (teeth too worn to show characters well), otherwise not differing much from the skull of the type species, S. hispidus. Color. Upper parts dull tawny-ochraceous, becoming darker and more russet on rump, and lined with blackish tipped hairs, which are most numerous along back ; hairs plumbeous at base, except a few sprinkled over back and sides, which are yellowish-white throughout their entire length ; * nose and cheeks wood brown ; under parts dull wood brown to whitish, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; upper surface of feet and hands dark gray; tail very hairy, dusky above, dull grayish below. Measurements. Type, total length, 282 ; tail vertebrae, 1 1 5 ; hind foot, 32 ; ear from notch, 20. No. 8250, $ adult, from Palomina : total length, 290; tail vertebrae, 120; hind foot, 30; ear from notch, 17. Skull, type, basal length, 32; occipitonasal length, 36.4 ; zygomatic width, 19.2; mastoid width, 14; interorbital width, 5.6; length of nasals, 13.2; breadth of nasals, 4.2. *This character is shown equally by both specimens, and gives a pecu liar grayish cast to the fur. INDEX New names are printed in heavy type A Page corn Abbe, Cleveland : Climate and crop xi jEga ecarinata 39-40 tridens 40 Agonostomus nasutus Amazilia fuscicaudata 5 ciiiimmnmea saturata 03 warszevveizi 135 Ampliispiza biliiieatu. grisea 01 Anoura HO Anthocephala floriceps 158 Ara chloroptera 13 militaris 132 Arbelorhina cyanea eximia 143 coerulea microrhyncha 14:5 Arctocephalus townsendi 17 Arcturus americanus 48 baffini 43 l>e riii giaii us 46-4 7 cornutus 47 feildeni 44 glabriis 40 hystrix. 49 loiigispinis 44 itiullispiiiis 48 murdoclii . 49 t< iiiiispiitis 47 tuberculatus 43 tuberosus 44 Arremon schlegeli 140, 17* Arremouops couirostris fcaiiens.. 140 Arvicola 100 Astacilla americana 50 caeca diomedece granulata nodosa 5ii Atalapha frantzii 19 mexicana 19 Atherinidie 2 Aulacorhamphus albivittatus 17:5 ealorhynchus 134, 158, 172 c;eruleogularis 173 lauttiM 17:5 Antomolits rufipectus 158 Av^aous iielsoui.... 2 Bailey V. : Exhibition of beaver cut tings ix New Evotomya from British Co lumbia 21-22 Eleven new voles (Mic.rotus).. 85-90 Baker, Frank : Additions to knowl edge of cell vii Bangs, Outram : Two new skunks... 31-33 Newfoundland otter and fox. 35-38 Eastern varying hares 77-82 New mouse from British Co lumbia 83-84 New raccoon from the Baha mas 91-92 New fox from Colombia 93-94 l^ew opossum from Margarita Island, Venezuela 95-96 Page Bangs, Outram ; Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia 131-144 Birds from Pueblo Viejo, Co lombia 157-100 New mammals from Colom bia 101-105 New harvest mouse 107 Birds from Sierra de Santa Marta, Colombia 171-182 On f^ciurus varinbilis 183-180 New vole from Labrador... 187-188 New Siymodon from Santa Marta ' 189-190 Banks, N. : Scorpions of eastern U. S... x Basileuterus cabanisi 144 cinereicollis loo, 180 mesoehrysus 144, 180 Benedict, J. E. . Arcturidce in the U. S. Nat. Museum 41-51 New Isopods of genus Idotea. 53-.v> Brachyspiza capensis peruviana 178 Brotogeris jugularis 132 Buarremon bnsilicus 159 melanocephalus 178 poliophrys 159 torquatus 159 Bueco ruticollis 133 Buteo borealis fumosus 7 latissimus 132 borealis socorroensis 7 Callinycteris 112 Calospiza cyanoptera 159 desmaresti 141,159, 179. Campephilus malherbii 134 Canis azavse 94 fulvipes 94 urostictus 94 Cardinalis eardinalis igneus 10 carcliualis inariee 10 Cariacus 99 C riacits clavatus 1<>3 Carponycteris Ill Cassicus persicus 138 Cassidix oryzivora 159, 178 Catharus aurantiirostris loo, LSI Centronycteris 110 Ceophloeus lineatus 134 Cephalotes major 114 pallasii..' 112 peronii H2 Cervus dama americana 23 clavatus 103 rufus 100 virginianus 23 Ceryle amazona 133 americana 133 torquata 133 Chirostoma humboldtianum 2 Chiroxiphia lanceolata 137 Choeronycteris mexicana 19 Chrysomitris Columbian a 139 mexicana 139 Cichlidfe 2 Coereba luteola 143 (191) 192 The Biological Society of Washington. Page Colopterus pilaris 136 Columba albilinea 172 gymnophthalma 6 flavirostris madrriisis 6 Columbigallina passerinapallescens... 132 rufipennis 132 Committees v, xii Compsothlypis pitiayumi pacifiea.. 143, 180 Conopophaga 15 ( ,t Contopus brachytarsus 137 Conurus vvagleri 172 Cook, O. F. : Fauna arid flora of Florida Keys ix 'Four categories of species xii Coville, F. V. : Exhibition of lava with bark impression x Crax alberti 132 Crotophaga ani 172 sulcirostris 133 Cyanocompsa cyanescens 13so i tin Dobsonia minor peronii Doreelaphus Dorcelaphus aniericanus couesi osceola texanus ... tfileenia browui mesoleuca ororia Elainea pagana Kmlierizoides macrurus Empidonax virescens Eriodora intermedia Eonycteris Eucometis cri^tata Euphonia crassirostris trinitatis Evermann, B. W. : Fishes from '\ Marias Islands Kvolomys occidentalis saturatus ... wrangeli 143 143 CG 68 66 65 103 138 143 138 viii 179 180 180 114 114 114 99 in 17.-. 158 17:. i:sr, 17!t 137 138 112 142 179 141 1-3 21 21 21 21 Page Fail-child, D. G. : Additions to knowl edge of cell vii Dutch botanical gardens in Java xi Palco sparvfi-ius 172 Florii-ola lonsrirostris 135 Florisim-a mellivora 135 Form ir iv or a < -an data 176 Furnarins aiinarus ... 138 G Galbnla ruftcauda palleii^ ........... Geothelphusa ...................................... (rcot lily pis formosa ............................. Geotrygon linearis ............................. Gill, Tlieo. : Classification of Asta- coidean crustaceans ...................... - Parker and llaswell's /ooloiry. Glaueis liirsuta ............................ : ....... Glossonyeteris .................................. GlossopUiiga iniitica ...................... soricina ...................................... truei ........................................... Gobiidse Grallaria mexicana .............................. ocliraceiveiifris ...................... rufula ......................................... spatiator .................................. Guandira cayanensis ........................... Ouii-aca cliiapensis coerulea eurhvncha.... . 141 157 viii viii 134 110 18 18 18 2 63 62 177 177 110 (il . 62 Harp via ............................................... Ill Hay, < >. P. : Protospoil>/ti 'and J-:thio- spondyli .......................................... viii - Cretaceous fish l'rt/>cu.< ......... ix Heleodytes bi-uiiiieicapillns ob- Helianthea .......................................... 173 Hemiprocne zonaris ............................ 158 Hemistepliania ................................... 17:', Henieorhina leucophrys ............... 160, 181 1 1 eros lieani ......................................... 2 Mft-petoiuys ................................. 107 Hicks, G. H. : Vitality of seeds ........... x - Effect of fertilizers on seed germination ....... ............................ x Hodomys ............................................ 128 Hopkins, A. 1). : Illustrating gene ric and specific relationships ........ xi Howard, L. O. : Gypsy moth in Mas-a- chusetts ....................................... vii - European hornet in America... viii - Exhibition of Mantidw and Lo- cuatiibr from Siam .......................... viii - Fluted scale in Portugal ......... xi - German posters on injurious -ect- Hylocharie eyanea.. Hylophilus aurantiil tlavipes Hypoderma Hypuroptila buffoni Icterus anrica])illus galbula xanthornis Ictidomvs xi 135 142 142 113 185 Index. 193 Idiui us macrotis 73 zenkeri 73 Idotea carinata ochotensis '. rostrata steiiops Idothea baffini Istiopho'rus cirrhosus soricinus .... 53 54 53 54 43 111 111 Kenyon, F. C. : Knowledge of the ner vous system viii Experiments on nervous sys tem of Arthropods x Ktoctotin;* Ill Kiodotus Ill Lampornis violicauda Lasiurus borealis mexicana Leachia granulata Leptotila capital!* fulviventris brachyptera verreauxi Lepus americanuB brasiliensis curnanicus graysoni inargaritee amei it-anus strutliopiis sylvaticus transitionalis americanus virginianus Lieuciiria phalerata Lophostoma brasiliense sylvicolum Lucas, F. A. : Fossil bison of North America Mammoth remains on Pribilof Islands Lutra degfiier hudsonica M Maeroglossus Macrotus mexicanus Malaeoptila mystacalis Manacus manaeus Marmosa caneseens , fuscata insular is mexicana milis murina 10 bill so ni Mazama Mearns, E. A.: New deer li Megadermatida 1 .. Megadontomys Megarhynchus pitangua Melanerpes neglectus 135 19 ;>(> 6 7 132 78 97 97 Ki !)7 81 98 79 173 17:: 111 1 11 Ill 18 133 137 15 1(53 14 96 162 162 Page Merriam, C. Hart : Distribution of Ore gon ground squirrels ..................... ix - Mammals of Tres Marias Islands ....................................... 13-10 - Six new ground squirrels ... (19-71 -- Five new deer .................... 99-104 - New subgenera and species of Microtus ................................... 105-108 - Twenty new species and a new subgenus of Peromytrus ........... 115-125 New genus and three new spe cies of rodents ........................ 127-129 Merula gigas cacozela .................. 1S1 gyninophthalrnus ....................... 144 ignobilis ..................................... 144 iiicompla ........................... 144, 1S2 pliwopyga nituust uia ........ isl pheeopyga .................................... Kin Metallura smaragdinieollis ................. 174 Mierastur semitorquatus ..................... 1:52 Microtus aiigusticeps .............. ..... 86 iiiontaiius arizoiit- isi ........ ss arvalis ....... .... ............................. 106 piuetorum aiiriciilaris ........ 90 itauiis -aii"-'iis .................... 87 drummondi .............................. 89 tliitclieii .................................. 85 fontigenns .................................. so 108 usularis .................................. pt-iiusylvaikiciis labrador ius mexicanus ................................ mordax ....................................... piuetorum nenioralis iievadeusis ............................. phseus ......................................... quasiater .................................... cltrotorrhiiius ravus ii-vsidt>iisis rivularis sealopsoides ............................... umbrosiis califomiciis vallicoli* Miller, G. S., Jr. : New rodent of genus 88 106 86 SO 86 105 105 188 87 89 107 89 3-76 97 176 13(> 158 subelegans Melauotis csemle tris Melonycteris Ulepliitis avia elongata hudsonica occidental is scrutator splssigrada 100 5-26 11(1 115 176 134 134 134 10 112 32 31 31 31 31 31 - New rabbit from Marti'arita Island ................................ . .......... Milvulus tyrannus ........................ -137, Mionectes oleagineus ......................... olivaceus .................................... Mniotilta varia .................................... 11:; Momotus subrufeseens ....................... 133 Morris, _H. I,. : Fauna and Mora of the Florida Kevs ................................. ix - Flowering of (Wocaaia and Ce- rcuy in Washington ........................ x - Snake ascending polished sur face ................................................ xi MugilidiB ........................................... 2 Mtts d ecu m an us .................................. 13 niusrulus .................................... 124 rattus ......................................... Hi Muscivora mexicana ........................... 137 Myiarehus erinitus ............................. 1:57 erythroeercus ............................. 137 fefox ........................................... 137 nigricepw ....................... 137, 15S, 17fi Myiobius na'vius ........................... 15s, 176 vieillotioides ............................ 176 Myiodynastes chrysocephalus ...... 15S, 176 audax nobilis ....................... 1:57, 176 Myiopagis rnacilvainii ....................... 136 plat, us minimus .................. 9 Myiopatis semifuscus. ......................... 136 Myiotheretes siriati'-ollis .................... 174 Myio/etetes texensis colombianus 136, 176 Myotis nigricans ................................. 18 Myrrneciza boucardi .......................... 138 194 The Biological Society of Washington. N Page Nelson, E. W. : New birds from Tres Marias Islands 5-11 New birds from Mexico f>7-08 New squirrels from Mexico and Central America 14f>-l~><> Neocrrx Colombian us 171 erythrops 171 Neotoma desertorum 127 Neotomodoii 127 Neotomotlon alstoni 12: 129 JM iol iixis 129 Nesonycteris 112 Noetilionida? 109 Notopterus 112 Nycteridje Hit Nyctidromus albicollis !:',:> albicollis iusularis J Ochthpeca poliogaster Odocoileus acapulcensis crrroseusis < ol it m l>h< iius scaphiotus. Columbia mi* sit k, Kio 102 102 100 ... Ill ... Ki4 ... ]') ... In ... 91 of ... ix ... 177 ... is . 18 Palmer, T. H. : X<'onii/linhi ......... ......... -- Nomenclature of Chiroptera... 1()'.) Palmer, Win.: Birds of Pril.ilof Ids... - Feather repigmentatioD .......... Panallodon .............. [ ........................... Panyrhlora russata .............................. snmichrasti ........................... ..... Pedomys ............................................. I'enelope arg3 7 rotis .............................. Peromyscus canadensis abietorum ..... auiitus ...................................... austerus ...................................... canadensis ................................. zarhyiichus cristobalensis. difficilis v ix o rubra 00 Phu.'thorni.s anthophilus 13. r > longirostris 134 Phylloderma stenops 110 Phyllostoma amblyotis Ill Phyllostomatidse 110 Piaya cayana mehleri 133 Pieters, A. J. : Problems of aquatic vegetation x Pionus menstruus l:'.2 sordidus 133, 172 Pipra auricapilla 137 Piranha faceta 141 heBxoaiea 141 rubra 141 tcstacea 141 Pitangua iolata 173 derbianus rufipennis 137 I'iiyinys 89, 105 Pcecilothraupis melanogenys 179 Polioptila bilineata ". 144 Pollard, C. L. : J>oh,rm,,a r, W a and ('i-fi(i./f>inia loinlurrUa in southern Florida ix - Fauna and flora of tin- Florida Keys ix Floral asymmetry in ('luinm-- i-riata xii Polyborus cheriway pallidus .... S Poospiza bilineata fil Porzana albigularis l. r >7, 172 I'otainoii abbotti 27 berardi 27 levicervix 28 inacropus 29 obtusipes 27 pealianus 28 socotrensis 27 transversus 29 Prd.lc. R. A. : New weasel from Brit ish Columbia 1K9 Procnias tersa occidentalis 179 Procj 7 on cancrivorns 14 lotor elucus 92 lotor hernande/i 17 lotor iiisularis 17 mayiixrdi 92 Prodelphinus lonirirostris l c . Progne dominicensis r,o sinaloae ftft Protonotaria citrea , ... 143 Index. 195 Pteroglossus torquatus Page ... 134 Pteropodidee Ill Pteropus segyptiacus ainplexieaudatus collaris strain in eus Ill Putorius eicognaiii 1 haida rrnii 1 kadia<-inar- tse 138 Rathbun, Mary J. : New crabs of the genus Potamon 27-30 Reitlirodoiitomys lecoiitei im- piger 167 Rhogeesa minutilla 97 parvula 18 Rhynchocyclus flaviventris 136 sulphurescens 136, 176 Richardson, Harriet : New Isopod of the genus sEga 39 Rose, J. N.: Rearrangement of Aynvcie. x Rousettus 112 Rnpornis magnirostris 132 s Saecopteryx calcarata ........................ wiedi ......................................... Saltator magnus ........................... 140, striatipectus ............................... Sayornis cineracea ...................... 135, Scinrus sestuans .................................. alleui ........................................ arizonensis ................................. social is cocos ........................... albipes colimeiisis ................. colliei ......................................... deppei ......................................... albipes efftigius ..................... finlaysoni .................................. atireogaster frnmeutor ........ carolinensis fuliginosns ............. goldmaiti ................................. uelsoiii liirtus ........................ hoffmanni .................................. )><><>< hi;<- managuntsis .......... neglige ns ................................. albipes iiemoralis .................. albipes queruinus .................. richmondi .............................. vjii iubilis saltuensis ............. oculatiis toliicse ..................... yucatanensis .............................. Sclerurus albigularis ........................... Seiurus motacilla ................................. Setophaga flavivertex .......................... ruticilla ....................................... verticalis .................................... Sigmodou sanctaemartee ............... bogotensis .................................. Simpson, C. T.: Destruction of fresh water mussels ................................ Smith, E. F.: Migula's System der Bak- terien ............................................... Spermophilus 13>liuealus alleiii ai'matus ...................................... beldingi .................................... niollis anus .................. ........ palhdus parvus 110 110 178 140 174 140 147 148 155 152 14!) 147 152 184 154 148 140 153 147 150 147 151 150 146 185 148 148 177 143 180 144 180 189 189 xi viii 71 69 69 70 69 71 71 Page Spermophilus moll is Stephens!.. 69 J3-lineatiiM texeiisis 71 moll is ynkimeniis 70 Spixa Americana 140 Sporophila 159 Sporophila guttnralis 179 Stelgidopteryx uropygialis 142 Stiles, C. W. : Suggestions in regard to trichinosis viii Strophiortyx lineolatus (it; Sublegatus glaber 136 Swingle, W. T. : Additions to knowl edge of cell vii Sycalis l>ro\viii 139 Synallaxis albescens 177 fu scorn fa 177 Synidotea 54 Syrnium perspicillatum 132 virgatum 157 Tachyphonus rufus 160, 179 Tanagra cana lil palmarum melanoptera 141 Tayassu angulatus 164 tajacu 164 torvus 164 Thalurania columbica 135, 174 Thamnophilus melanonotus 138 nsevius 138 Thompson, E. S. : Personality of wild animals ix Thous 94 Thryophilus minlosi 144 Thryoihorua felix n laetus 160, 180 lawreiicii magdalenee 11 Tityra semifasciata 158 Todirostrum nigriceps 135 scliistaceiceps 135 Tonatia bidens Ill Trochilus corallirostris 63 Trogon ambiguns goldmaui g True, F. W. : A Japanese entomolog ical journal xi Truncatulina 51 Trygenycteris 112 Turdus alicise 144 Tyranniscus chrysops 175 griseiceps 136 Tyrannus mefancholicus satrapa.. 137, 176 U Urocyon aquilns 93 cinereo-argenteus 93 Uronycteris 114 Vampvrus bidens Ill Ill Ill Ill ... 110 cirrhosus. soricinus spectrum Vespertilio calcaratus cephalotes 112 Vireo chivi agilis 142 iiaiius 59 liypoctirystts sordictus 10 Volatinia jacarini splendens 139 Viilpvs deletrix 36 pennsylvanica 36 rubricosa.... 38 196 The Biological Society of Washington. W Pag Woods, A. F. : Kxl.ibition of skele- Page tonixed leaves xi Waite, M. B. : Fasci.-uiou in the Mack locust viii v Webber, H. J. : Additions to knowl edge of cell vii , Reproduction of oycadaceous Xeno s enlbarb'Ta"'' " 138 Seed'production' in'scedYings'" xi Xiphocolaptes proc.-rus 177 Types of fecundation in flow- ering plants xi 2> Affinities of Cnsnarina xii Williams, T. A.: Occurrences of Hy- Zalophus californianus 17 drotheria venosn x Zamelodia ludoviciana 14o