23G 



MONOGRAPHS OF NORTQ AMERICAN KODENTIA. 



as the fragments show, arc a little lighter brown than most of Mr. Goss' 

 late winter and early spring skins, especially No. 1368, which has also the 

 tail more distinctly bicolor than it is in tiiese. But some of the Kansas ones 

 are identical in color with the types ; and they vary as much among them- 

 selves in color as some of them do from Nos. 1367-8. The tails of all, except 

 No. 1368, are not evidently bicolor. The under pails are hoary-ash, usually 

 soiled, especially across the abdomen, with pale muddy-brown, somewhat as 

 in A. austerus, but not approaching the cinnamon shade that the latter fre- 

 quently exhibits. The tail and feet in dried skins arc dark fuscous; in alco- 

 holic species light brown, with a flesh-colored shade. The incisors are yellow, 

 as usual ; the claws brownish-white. Besides the copious long fine pelage 

 of this animal, there seems to be something peculiar in the tenderness of the 

 skin itself; the feet are detached almost at a touch, so that the labels cannot 

 be secured in the ordinary way. The following table shows to some extent 

 the range of variation in size: — 



Table L1X. — Measurements of eighteen specimens of Synaptomys cooperi. 



* Bat the length ot head and body and of tail are as taken in the flesh by Mr. Goss for Nos. 80O8— 13. He seems to have 

 taken the tail-measurement further up tho coccygeal vertebras than is generally done, so that the tails as given equal that 

 of No. 13ti8, whereas tin v are certainly shorter. Our measurements of the dried tail, did we make any, would run fully 0.10, 

 if not 20, less than Mr. Gohs' figures. Our measurements of tho alcoholic specimens are the most reliable of the series. 

 Nos. 8j16, £517, are not full grown. 



t In No. 9903, apparently a nursing female, we find two pairs of pectoral mamma* and one pair of inguinal mammas, 

 witlnnit being able to make out any intervening ventr.il ones. It ia probable, however, that tho species possesses a ventral 

 pair, making eight teats in all. 



