124 SMITHSONIAN M ISCICLLANEOUS COLMCCTIONS VOL. 69 



itidio.ilrs probable inlci^r.-ul.'ilion. Spccitncns fiojii extrctnc caslcni 

 ran.iiiKi show an approacli lo //. i:;ywnunis in sotucwhat bj;htcr 

 zygomata and sb'pbtly smaller andilal bnllac. Gcop^rapbic variation 

 of relatively unimportant cranial details sni^j^ests the advisability of 

 rej^ardini^ the Middle American forms as subspecies of lloplomys 

 i^ymnurus.^ 



I ,ike the sjiecies of rroccliimys this spiny rat seems to be terrestrial 

 in habits. Several examples were trapped under shelter of fallen 

 Irces and rocks in the forest. One was canpht in a steel trap set on a 

 narrow led.qc under an overhanj^inq- river bank. Anthony (1910, 

 p. 370) lists specimens from CJatun and the old vill.a.!;e of Tacarctma 

 (-1,650 feet). 



.S])ecim(iis examined: ('ana, 5; (iainn. j"; Kio Indio (Ivpc 

 locality) ; I'acaicuna. 6." 



Genus DIPLOMYS Thomas. S\m\y K.its 

 The spiny rats of the i^^eiuis Diploniys are dislini;uishable from 

 those of the other i^enera occttrrini;' in Panama by (he short and 

 conspicuously lufled ears, the blackish hairs projectint; about half 

 an inch beyond (he margins. The face is marked by narrow vertical 

 s(ripes a( (he p()s(erior bas(> of (he whiskers. The dorsal pelat;e is 

 bristly, bu( sofler (ban in Uol^loinys and Procchimys. The molari- 

 form (eelh are more clouj;a(e(l ;uilero-p(is(eriorly, the crowns rec- 

 tangular instead of cylindrical in general oudine, and each divided 

 until old as;c by three deep transverse furrows. The long tail is well 

 haired. The short, bro.id hind feet, ;nid shoit, sti'oni^Iy cm-ved claws 

 exhibit adap(a(ion for an arboreal life. 



niPLOMYS LABILIS (Bangs) 



(Hiding Spiny Rat 



L.oiitlirrrs InbiUs Bancs, Anicr. Nat., Vol. 35, p. 638, AuRiist, 1901. Type 

 from San Miguel bsland, Panama. 



roncerninq; this insular species I can add little to Mr. Banp:s' full 

 orii;inal account. It was discovered by W. W. Hrown, Jr., at (he 



I 



* Pcndinp fnrtlicr revision oi tlir k'i'iU' die foi nis sliiniid ihcrciOn,' stand as 

 follow.s: 



Ifof'loiiiys f:yintiuriis ^yiiiutinis 'I'liomas, Cadiavi, Fcnador. 



//(»/"/() »(v.v iiymtiiuus niwIhnLii G<ddnian, Rio Indio, near Gatun, Canal 



Zone. 

 Jlofilomys f:y>niiunts trurl Allen, lavala, Mataj^alpa, Nicaragua. 



* Collcclion Ainei. Miis. Nat. liist. 



