134 



CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Pboc. 4th Ser. 



v/hereas the open condition is typical of longicaudus. Antero- 

 external loop of second lower molar as in longicaudus. Outer 

 triangle oij same tooth moderate in size, often opening very nar- 

 rowly forward or back, practically intermediate in condition be- 

 tween longicaudus and the orophilus-intermedius series. Back 

 lower molar as in longicaudus. 



In coloration dorsally and laterally alhipes has been de- 

 scribed as "grizzled bister" differing from the grayish or 

 light brownish orophilus-intermedius series in being darker, 

 and from longicaudus in being browner. Its general aspect 

 is much like that of Evotomys calif ornicus. The coloration 

 of the lighter hairs is of a tint a little paler than the cinna- 

 mon of P. longicaudus, from which albipes differs markedly 

 in having a much larger proportion of black hairs. Laterally 

 there is an inconspicuous paling, the result of a slight in- 

 crease in the number of hairs of a cinnamon or buffy hue. 

 Ventrally alhipes is white, as in longicaudus, but with a faint 

 wash of buffy, as in Evotomys californicus. Feet white. 

 Tail sharply bicolor, "dusky" above and "broadly whitish" 

 below. The tail is also longer than in any other species 

 of the genus except longicaudus (see p. 129, above). 



As may be inferred from the fact that only two specimens 

 of alhipes have been taken to date the habits of the form are 

 practically unknown. Dr. Walter K. Fisher, who collected 

 the type specimen, informs the writer that the type was 

 taken in a trap set close to the base of a redwood perhaps 

 two feet in diameter, which formed one of a clump. The 

 trap was set on top of a small, rotten log, which leaned 

 against the tree and was covered with "needles." The clump 

 was made up of second growth redwoods and the general 

 surroundings were dry. The second specimen (Jewett, 1915, 

 p. 38), was collected among rocks at the side of a small 

 stream where it flows through a dense forest of spruce and 

 fir timber. At this point both banks of the stream were lined 

 with an almost impenetrable jungle of salmon-berry bushes 

 and sword fern, where jumping mice and deer mice, as well 

 as several species of shrews, were collected. Thus there is 

 no evidence of any arboreal habit in Phenacomys alhipes. 



Summarizing, it should be noted that Phenacomys alhipes 

 resembles P. longicaudus in that there is present on the back 



