180 BULLETIN OF THE 



in East Florida than they generally are in the Northern States, their 

 work would here be of course much more noticeable. 



27. Hesperomys auroolus Wagner. Golden Mouse. 



Afcieola Nutta/li Harlan, Month. Amer. Journ. Gcol &. Nat. Sri., I, 440, 

 1342. — Iisid., Med. & Plus. Researches, 55, pi. , 1835. 



Mus (Calomys) aareolus Aud. & Bach., Jouin. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., VIII, 

 302, 1842. — Aud. & Bach., Quad. N. Am., II, 305, pi. xcv, 1851. 



Hesperomys aureolas Wagner, Wieg. Archiv, 1 S43, ii, 51. 



Hesperomys Nuttalli Baird, .Mam. N. Am., 467, 1857. 



A single specimen which I refer to this so-called species was obtained 

 by Mr. Maynard at Dummitt's. While this example is of the size and gen- 

 eral proportions of H. It ucopus, it is markedly different in color, being of a 

 bright golden yellow above, which color reaches on the outside of the legs 

 to the feet : the under surface has also a yellowish wash. It also differs in 

 the texture of its fur, which is remarkably soft and fine. It is a little lighter 

 colored than Audubon and Bachman's description and figure of //. am i olus 

 represent that animal to be, but the distribution of the colors is the same, 

 the specimen in question being not orange, but bright yellowish-cinnamon. 

 It is, however, much nearer this than to Dr. Harlan's Arvicola Nuttalli. 

 The latter does not differ very appreciably, judging from Dv. Harlan's 

 very unsatisfactory description and his wretched figure of it, which 

 was evidently made from a badly stuffed skin. Mr. Maynard believes 

 the specimen referred to above to be a young animal, and states that it 

 was so regarded by the people in whose house it was caught. He further 

 informs me that he captured another of the same color, but very much 

 larger, which was lost. This he regards as merely the adult of the same 

 species. His measurements show the latter to have agreed in size and 

 proportions with the so-called H. gassy pinus. The texture of the fur <4' 

 the small specimen above referred to agrees with that of the plumbeous, 

 immature stage of //. leucopus. This form, whether a valid species or 

 not,* is now known to occur in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern 

 Illinois, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, and at several intermediate 

 points. 



28. Hesperomys gossypinus LeConte. Cotton Mouse. 



Hesperomys gossypinus LeConte, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sei., VI, 411, 1853, 

 — Baird, Mam. N. Am., 469, 1857. 



* This and the following species arc only provisionally adopt See a previous 

 number of this Bulletin (Vol. I., No. 8, p. 227) for a fuller expression of my \ 

 to the number of North American species of this group, and their mutual affinities. 



