36 Miller A New Deer from Costa Rica. 



Color. Dorsal surface a uniform, fine, but distinct grizzle of drab, 

 black and buff, the individual hairs colored as follows: from base to 

 slightly beyond middle drab, then after a rather abrupt transition, black 

 to tip, the black area interrupted by a sharply defined band of light buff 

 about 2 mm. in width. The buff is the predominating element of the 

 grizzle except on crown, forehead, nape and middle of anterior portion 

 of back, where black is in excess, without, however, forming any defined 

 dark markings. Sides like back but the buff area on each hair is in 

 creased at the expense of the black. The resulting color is somewhat 

 paler and coarser grizzle. Underparts mostly wood-brown, lighter on 

 the neck, darker on the belly. Region between hind legs, and an ill-de 

 fined median line running forward to chest, dull white. The white re 

 appears faintly on inner side of both front and hind legs, but is irregular 

 and ill-defined, and scarcely extends downward to hock. Elsewhere the 

 legs are wood-brown, faintly darker on outer side. Tail entirely white 

 beneath, cinnamon above, dusky at tip. Ears grayish externally, whit 

 ish internally. Cheeks light wood-brown. Muzzle dusky. A faintly 

 defined pallid area on throat between jaws. Hoofs black, edged with 

 horn color. 



A second specimen is in very bleached, abraded coat. General color 

 light buff, but speckling of back and sides still evident notwithstanding 

 the imperfect condition of the hairs. Front legs much paler than in 

 the type, but color of hind legs not sensibly altered. 



Skull. Skull distinctly larger than that of Odocoileus truei but not 

 otherwise tangibly different. In size and form it closely agrees with 

 that of the externally quite dissimilar Odocoileus thomasi Merriam from 

 Chiapas. The basal length in the type of the latter is 230 mm., in a 

 second specimen 220. In 0. costaricensis the basal length ranges from 

 235 to 250, and in 0. truei from 200 to 220.* 



Teeth. The maxillary teeth are broader than in Odocoileus truei, 

 though the toothrow is not increased in length. The increase in width 

 is especially noticeable in the middle permanent premolar. Manclibu- 

 lar molars practically identical with those of the smaller animal, but 

 premolars, particularly the first, much larger. 



Antler*. The antlers though similar in general form to those of the 

 other members of the group are more robust and more coarsely rugose 

 than in any of the allied species. A rudimentary prong is occasionally 

 developed on inner face near middle. Beyond this region the surface of 

 the anther is smooth. 



Measurements. External measurements of type (from well made skin): 

 total length, 1400; tail vertebrae, 120; hind foot, 375; greatest diameter 

 of hoof, 50; ear from crown, 110. 



Cranial measurements of type: greatest length, 250 (264) :f basal 



*The skull of Odocoileus nelsoni Merriam, also from Chiapas, is proba 

 bly of about the same size as that of 0. truei. In the type (an immature 

 male) the basal length of skull is 197. 



f Measurements in parenthesis are those of the largest Costa Rican skull. 



