142 Merriam Little Known Kangaroo Rats. 



Characters. Size huge, not only very much larger than the largest known 

 species of Perodipus, but equaling Dipodomys spectabilis. Skull about 

 double the bulk of the largest previously known Perodipus, and relatively 

 heavy and massive. Color buffy ochraceous ; upper and lower tail bands 

 black, uniting at end of vertebrae, beyond which the pencil is white, super 

 ficially washed with dusky (chiefly on upper surface). Ears relatively 

 small, actually not larger than in agilis. 



Measurements. Type specimen: Total length, 360; tail vertebrae, 191; 

 hind foot, 54. Average of 6 specimens : Totaflength, 350 ; tail vertebrae, 

 190 ; hind foot, 52. Skull of type : Total length, 48 mm. ; occipito-nasal 

 length, 45 ; basal length, 34 ; zygomatic breadth, 23.5 ; breadth across bulle, 

 30.5; breadth of frontals posteriorly, 17, behind lachrymals, 15; length of 

 nasals, 18. 



Remarks. Perodipus ingens so greatly exceeds in size all known species 

 of the genus that no comparison is necessary. Its range, so far as known, 

 is the Carrizo Plain and adjacent southwestern border of the San Joaquin 

 Valley. Specimens were collected by L. J. Goldman at three localities : 

 Carrizo Plain (8 miles east of Simmler), Painted Rock (20 miles southeast 

 of Simmler), and McKittrick (in western Kern County, about 35 miles west 

 of Bakersfield). Whether or not it spreads over sui'table parts of the Kern- 

 Tulare basin remains to be ascertained. 



Perodipus venustus sp. nov. 



Type from Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co., California. Adult male, No. 

 51,852, U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey Collection. March 12, 

 1893. G. B. Badger. Original No. 46. 



Range. Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia Mountains, California. 



Characters. In size and general characters similar to P. agilis, but color 

 very much darker ; nose black, passing into black band at base of whiskers ; 

 top of head, back, and thigh patches dusky, finely grizzled with ochraceous, 

 the ochraceous becoming more distinct on sides; ears large and nearly 

 black, with the usual pale spots at base, and at top of fold ; ankle, sides of 

 heel, sole, and tail stripes nearly black ; hairs of rump forming a black 

 patch just in front of basal white ring of tail. 



Skull.' Similar to that of agilis but slightly longer ; maxillary arch of 

 zygoma broader on outer side, with a pronounced outer angle (lacking in 

 agilis); jugal weaker; nasals slightly larger (both longer and broader); 

 premaxillse broader ; incisors heavier. Compared with P. tularensis, the 

 nasals and premaxillse are broader, the outer angle of maxillary arch less 

 developed, the bullse more projecting posteriorly. 



Measurements. Type specimen: Total length, 339 ; tail vertebrae, 211 ; 

 hind foot, 46. Average of 14 from type locality : Total length, 316; tail 

 vertebrae, 191 ; hind foot, 45.3. 



