New North American, Deer. 103 



Cranial characters. — Skull and teeth similar in general to those of Cari- 

 acus clavatus True [= Odocoileus truei]* from Honduras but somewhat 

 larger, skull broader, nasals shorter, anteorbital vacuities larger; antlers 

 larger (about 120 mm. long) and in one specimen (from Tonala, Chiapas) 

 developing a short prong on inner side midway of the length of the tine. 



The skull of an old buck (No. 74885), with mature antlers in the velvet, 

 was collected by Mr. Nelson at Santa Efigenia, Oaxaca, July 21, 1895. 

 The antlers are unlike those of any deer known to me, and I incline 

 to the belief that they are those of 0. thomasi when full grown. They 

 measure 200 mm. in straight line from burr to tip and 240 over curve, and 

 slope directly hack ward almost on plane of face, the tips curving inward 

 and slightly forward (spread between tips 110; greatest spread 165). 

 They give off a spike on inner side about (>0 mm. from burr, which curves 

 inward and forward (agreeing with curvature of beam) and reaches back 

 about 1 10 from burr. These spikes are symmetrical on the two sides and 

 their incurving tips are only 50 mm. apart. The left beam gives off pos- 

 teriorly a prong 70 mm. below the tip and 50 mm. in length, which is 

 directed backward and slightly inward. The burrs are very large and, 

 with the basal part of the beams, very rugose. The skull bearing these 

 antlers is somewhat smaller than the type of thomasi, and the rostrum 

 and nasals~are narrow, as usual in old age. The flesh measurements of 

 this animal were: Total length 1400; tail vertebras 165; hind foot 378; 

 height at shoulder 780. 



Measurements. — Type specimen: Total length 1544; tail vertebrae 153; 

 hind foot 425. 



Odocoileus nelsoni sp. nov. 



Type from San Cristobal, highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. No. 76201, cT 

 2d year, IT. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Oct, 1, 1895, 

 by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 8524. 



Characters. — Size medium ; color dark brownish gray, with top of head 

 and dorsal band blackish ; antlers (2d year) small sub-cylindrical spikes 

 65 mm. in length. 



Color. — Upper parts dark grizzled brownish-gray, the tips of hair becom- 

 ing pale fulvous posteriorly; a black stripe from nose pad to forehead, 

 bifurcating and sending a narrow band over each eye in type specimen 

 leaving top of head grizzled gray and black [in another specimen whole 

 top of head blackish, the difference probably seasonal] ; a blackish dorsal 

 band from top of head to middle of back on rump ; ears grizzled gray ; 

 tail like that of Virginia Deer ; fulvous above, white below. A black band 



*In 1888 Mr. F. W. True described anew deer from Honduras under 

 the name Cariacus clavatus. But the specific name clavatus for a deer of 

 this group is preoccupied by Cervus clavatus Ham. Smith (in Griffith's 

 Cuvier, Animal Kingdom, V, 315, 1827). Hence it is necessary to rename 

 Mr. True's deer, which I take pleasure in doing in honor of its describer. 

 It may he known as Odocoilrus tnu i. 



