66 Osgood — Thirty New Mice of the Genus Peromyscus. 



that have not passed beyond the plumbeous juvenile pelage are decidedly 

 darker than comparable specimens of typical melanophrys. Two adults, 

 however, show only very slightly darker shades than melanopJtri/i^. Speci- 

 mens from Zimapan, Hidalgo, are questionably referred to this form, but 

 in cranial characters they ai)proach consobruius. Four specimens from 

 Querendaro seem to be typical za/nonc. 



Specimens examined. — Total numbei', 43, from localities in Mexico as 

 follows: Hidalgo, Zimapan, 24 (aberrant); Mickoacan, Querendaro, 4; 

 Zamora, 15. 



Peromyscus melanophrys consobriiius subsp. nov. 



Type from Berriozabal, Zacatecas, Mexico. Adult female. No. 79,626, 

 U. S. National Museum, Biological .Survey Collection, July 10, 189(5, 

 E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. 



Characters. — Similar to P. melanophrys, hut tail slightly shorter ; skull 

 with larger audital bullae and other slight peculiarities. 



Geographic distribution. — Southern part of Me.x:ican tableland in the 

 Sonoran zone. 



Color.— A^ in melanophrys. Topotype No. 58,028, in full winter jielage 

 (Dec), has the upper parts and sides tawny ochraceous thickly lined with 

 black to the edge of a narrow tawny lateral line ; orbital ring black, 

 sliarply contrasting with a grayish area about it which extends from the 

 base of the whiskers around the eye to the anterior base of the ear ; 

 under parts creamy white with a very small tawny pectoral spot ; tail 

 bicolor, white below, dnsky above; feet creamy white, ankles dusky. 



SJadl. — Similar to that of melanophrys but somewhat shorter; nasals 

 shorter and slightly ])roader ; audital ])ullfe larger; l)raincase more bulg- 

 ing and less elongate. 



Measurements. — Type: Total length, 250 ; tail vertebrte, 1.31 ; hind foot, 

 26.5. Average of 5 adult topotypes: Total length, 256; tail vertebras, 

 135 ; hind foot, 27.5. Skull of type : Greatest length, 30.8 ; basilar length 

 of Hensel, 25.3; zygomatic width, 16.3; intei'orbital constriction, 4.9; 

 nasals, 11.1; upper molar series, 4.7; palatine slits, 6.6x2.5; bony 

 palate, 4.4. 



Remarks. — This is not a strongly marked subsi^ecies, but its characters, 

 such as they are, have great constancy throughout its range. It is appar- 

 ently the form of the Mexican tableland, but its distribution maybe con- 

 tinuous with thatof 2o»jon'f and thence with true melanopJirys. Specimens 

 from Zimapan, Hidalgo, appear to approach consobrinus in cranial char- 

 acters but retain the coloration of zam,orx. 



Specimens examined. — Total number 22 from localities in Mexico as 

 follows: Aguas Odientes, Chicalote, 1; Gnanajuafo, Silao, 3; JaZ/sco, Colot- 

 lan, 1; Sa)i Luis Potosi, Ahualulco, 1, Hacienda La Parada, 3; Zacatecas, 

 Berriozabal, 12, Monte Escobedo, 1. 



