﻿2o8 Allen's naturalist's library. 



Size small ; form slender ; tail long, and generally much ex- 

 ceeding the length of the head and body ; relative lengths of 

 the hind toes as in the preceding sub-genus, but in some 

 species the fifth not longer than the second ; pouch wanting ; 

 fur straight, slightly woolly in some species. The dark streak 

 down the face characterising the two representatives of the 

 preceding group is absent. 



From the allied forms the species under consideration may 

 be distinguished by the following characters : — 



Size larger than in any other member of the group, although 

 considerably inferior to that of the smallest of the species de- 

 scribed above ; fur soft, close, and slightly woolly ; naked 

 portion of muzzle as in D. pJiilafider^ with two notches on each 

 side of its lower margin. General colour clear grey, washed 

 with yellowish on the sides, and not unfrequently tinged with 

 rufous; face grey, with a more or less distinct black band through 

 and round each eye ; under-parts yellowish-white, with the 

 hairs grey at the base ; limbs grey ; feet nearly naked, and 

 either whitish or pale brown. Ears large and rounded, with a 

 large pointed projection at the base. Soles of feet with large, 

 rounded, and finely striated pads, six anterior and five or six 

 posterior, that of the hallux not being fully divided. Nine teats. 

 Tail furry for one or two inches at the base, then becoming 

 naked and scaly, its colour slaty-grey basally and white or 

 yellow terminally, without any mottling at the junction of the 

 two colours. Length of head and body about 7 inches ; of 

 tail 9^ inches. 



Distribution. — Costa Rica to Brazil. 



In size this species may be compared to the English Black 

 Rat ; but the form from Ecuador described as D. waterhousei, 

 and identified with this species by Mr. Thomas, is smaller, and 

 also differs in the lengtli of the furred portion of the tail. It is 



