98 [October, 1841. 



Reddish gray above ; cheeks, and line along the side, light ferruginous. 



Incisors, y Canines, -jg Molars, ^ j 16 Teeth. 



Form. Size about a third smaller than the house mouse. Head rather 

 broad ; eyes moderate, placed much forward ; nose much pointed ; ears 

 broad, extending a little beyond the hair, slightly furred without and along 

 the edges on the inner surface; legs short; whiskers reaching to the ears ; 

 tail a little shorter than the body, flattened on the sides, rounded above 

 and beneath, covered with a thin coat of very short hairs. Legs clothed 

 with soft hairs lying close and smooth. The fore feet have naked palms, 

 and four toes with a callous skin, protected by a very minute nail in place 

 of a thumb. The outer toe considerably shorter than the inner, the two 

 middle ones are nearly equal, the claws are slightly hooked ; soles of the 

 hind feet naked. 



Colour. Teeth yellow. Fur on the back plumbeous at the roots and 

 tinged with black and reddish gray at the tips ; cheeks, and a line along 

 the sides, light ferruginous. Under parts very light buff. Tail brownish 

 drab above, a little lighter beneath, nails white ; eyes black. 



This little quadruped, the smallest of the genus at present known in our 

 country, has been obtained in several localities in South Carolina, and ap- 

 pears to be sparingly diffused throughout the whole State, except in the 

 mountainous districts. It is occasionally found in the vicinity of Charles- 

 ton, generally in grassy and shrubby fields, especially in the waste lands 

 covered with the brome grass (Andropogon dipitiflorus, ) of this country, 

 as also in the fields of crab grass, (Digitaria sanguinalis.) I have occa- 

 sionally found its nest among the long grass on the surface of the eartli 

 formed of the withered blades of various species of grasses, sometimes con- 

 taining a small store of the seeds of the several species of Paspalum, Digi- 

 taria and Panicum, especially of the Panicum Italicum. The specimen 

 from which this description was taken, was a little the largest of a great 

 number that I have at different times examined. It was a female, procured 

 on the 10th of December, containing four young in its matrix. I presume, 

 therefore, that they produce their young throughout a great portion of the 

 year, and are very prolific. One which 1 kept in confinement for several 

 months, refused animal food of every kind, and fed only on grains. 

 Dimensions 



Length of the head and body, 2 inches, 9 lines. 

 Length of tail, - 2 " 4 " 



Height of ear, - 3 " 



Mus (Calomys) aureolus. Orange Coloured Mouse. 



Mus (aureolus) Auriculis longis ; cauda corpore curtiore ; corpore supra 

 aureo; subtus flavo-albente. 



Mouse with long ears ; tail shorter than the body ; bright orange co- 

 loured above, light buff beneath. 



Form. This species bears a general resemblance in form to the white- 

 footed mouse. (Mus leuocpus.) It is, however, a little larger, and its ears 

 rather shorter. Head long, nose sharp, whiskers extending beyond the 

 ears. Fur very soft and lustrous. The legs, feet and heel clothed with 

 short, closely adpressed hairs, which extend beyond the nails. Ears thinly 

 covered with hair, which does not entirely conceal the colour of the skin. 

 Mammae four, situated far back. 



Colour. The head, ears, and whole upper surface is of a bright orange 

 colour; the fur being for three-fourths of its length from the roots, dark 

 plumbeous. Whiskers nearly all black, with a few white hairs intersper- 

 sed ; tail above and beneath dark brown. On the under parts, the throat, 

 breast, and inner surface of the forelegs are white ; the belly light buff. 

 There are no very distinct lines of separation between these colours. 



