FEB., 1912. MAMMALS OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN CORY. 207 



Neotoma /. rubida BANGS. (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XXVIII, 1898, p. 185.) 

 Type locality Gibson, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Larger than floridana, 

 with larger hind feet; color of upper parts tinged with dark russet brown; tail 

 not distinctly bicolor, dusky above, slightly paler beneath. 



Neotoma f. illinoensis HOWELL. Type locality Wolf Lake, Union Co., southern 

 Illinois. Description as previously given. Differs from rubida in being some- 

 what lighter in color and tail more distinctly bicolor. 



The Illinois Wood Rat was lately described by Mr. Arthur H. How- 

 ell, who first secured specimens near Wolf Lake, Union Co., southern 

 Illinois, in May, 1909. By those unfamiliar with mammals it might 

 be mistaken for a large House Rat, but it may readily be distinguished 

 from that species (aside from its well-marked dental characters) by 

 its hair covered tail, large ears, pure white under parts and white feet. 



Regarding the habits of this Wood Rat, Mr. Howell says: "The 

 animals are common at Wolf Lake, inhabiting the high rocky bluffs 

 which border the east side of the lake. They live in crevices and caves 

 into which they carry large quantities of sticks, leaves, and other 

 rubbish. Their habits in this locality are thus like those of N. pennsyl- 

 vanica and unlike those of rubida in the Southern States where this 

 species lives in swamps and builds its nests in hollow logs or trees and 

 in the branches of trees some distance from the ground. The swamp 

 conditions were present at this northern station, but the adjacent cliffs 

 evidently proved more attractive to them, as is usually the case with 

 members of this genus. Three adults and one young, all in worn pelage, 

 were captured at Wolf Lake, May 24, 25, and in January, 1910, eight 

 more adults in full fresh pelage were secured by a local trapper." (/. c., 

 p. 28-29.) 



Specimens of this Rat have also been taken in northeastern Arkan- 

 sas (Goldman, /. c., p. 23). 



The specimen identified by Mr. F. E. Wood as Neotoma floridana 

 from Havana, Illinois (Bull. 111. State Lab. Nat. Hist., VIII, 1910, p. 

 550), and preserved in the collection of the Illinois State University at 

 Urbana, was kindly sent to me by Dr. S. A. Forbes for examination. 

 It is an alcoholic specimen and proves to be a small female Epimys 

 norvegicus, somewhat abnormal in color, probably due to its having 

 been kept in alcohol for a considerable time. 



Specimens examined from Illinois: 

 Illinois Wolf Lake, Union Co., 6; (B. S.) Wolf Lake, Union Co., 



2 = 8. 



