Vol. XII. pp. 97-98 April 30, 1898 



PROCEEDINGS 



OK THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



A NEW RABBIT FROM MARGARITA ISLAND, 



VENEZUELA.* 



BY GERRIT S. MILLER, JR. 



The small collection of mammals taken on Margarita Island, 

 Venezuela, by Lieut. Will Robinson during the summer of 1895 

 proves to be exceptionally rich in novelties. Of the six species 

 that it contains, two f have already been described in these Pro- 

 ceedings as new, while I now find that a third, the rabbit pre- 

 viously recorded as Lepus brasiliensis, differs specifically from its 

 mainland representative. It may stand as : 



Lepus niaigaritae sp. now 



Lepus brasiliensis Robinson, Proc. U. S. National .Museum, XVIII, p. 651. 



Type No. 63217, United States National Museum, $ adult, collected on 

 Margarita Island, Venezuela, .July 1, 1895, by Lieut. Wirt Robinson, 

 U. S. Army. Original number 369. 



General characters. — In size, cranial characters, and general appearance 



most like Lepuz cumanicus Thomas j of the adjacent mainland, but with 

 underside of tail dull yellowish brown instead of white, rump strongly 

 suffused with rufous, and sides of head without eonspicuous black spot 

 between eye and base of ear. 



Color. — General color of back and sides a conspicuous grizzle of black- 

 ish brown and pale whitish buff, the buff slightly paler on sides, and the 

 black somewhat heavier on hack. Soft, woolly under fur light plum- 



* Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. 



t Rhogeessa minviilla Miller, and Marmosa robinsoni Bangs. 



X Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 6th ser., XX, p. 552, December, 1897. 



23— Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. XII, 1898 [97) 



