MAMMALS FROM MOUNT COFFEE, LIBERIA 635 



MUS RATTUS LinnjEus. 

 Four adult black rats are in the collection. They give the follow- 

 ing measurements : total length 342.6 (323-354); tail vcrtebrje 187 

 (171-200); hind foot with claws 31. i (28. 4-33. 5); hind foot with- 

 out claws 29.8 (27-32.6). 



MUS DEFUA sp. nov. 



Native name, Deh-foua. 



7^/^^.„Adult male (skin and skull) no. S3837, U. S. National 

 Museum. Collected at Mount Coffee, Liberia, Africa, May 13, 1897. 

 Original no. 53. 



Characters. — Nearest Mus rutilans Peters, but with larger feet and 

 ears, and more closely annulated tail ; color duller throughout, the 

 hairs of under surface plumbeous at base; pale area behind ear ob- 

 solete or absent; skull more slender than that of M21S rutilans, the 

 teeth larger and antorbital foramen much narrower. 



Pur.—^\\& fur is soft and dense though rather short. It is com- 

 posed of the usual three elements, underfur, grooved bristles, and long 

 terete hairs. The bristles and long hairs are inconspicuous and ex- 

 cept on the rump, where the latter are somewhat noticeable, both might 

 readily pass unnoticed. At middle of back the bristles and underfur 

 are about 10 mm. in length and the terete hairs 5 mm. longer. 



Color.— Doxh^X surface russet, clear on forehead, occiput, and nape, 

 elsewhere slightly dulled and varied by the yellowish tips and dark 

 brown subterminal bands of the longer coarser hairs. Sides dull cin- 

 namon in faint contrast with back. Cheeks and face concolor with 

 sides, the former clear, the latter strongly tinged with brown. Ven- 

 tral surface ecru-drab, slightly washed with Isabella color and ir- 

 regularly darkened by the slate-gray bases of the hairs. Feet and ears 

 scantily clothed with very short russet hairs. 



77eg/._Sole naked to heel, the surface without reticulation ; plantar 

 tubercles six, all well developed ; thumb very small, its claw blunt. 

 r«/7.— The tail is slender and closely annulated, the rings uniform 

 and distinctly outlined. They show no clearly defined traces of scales. 

 At middle of tail there are 16 rings to the centimeter. Numerous 

 fine, inconspicuous hairs spring from the spaces between the rings, 

 their length about i>^ times width of rings. Near tip of tail the 

 rings become irregular and much narrower, and the hairs increase m 

 length though without forming a pencil.' 



1 In Mus rutilans there are only 11 rings to the centimeter at middle of tail, 

 and they are distinctly divided by cross furrows. The hairs are slightly longer 



