NO. 1147. MAMMALS OF THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS— MEARNS. 851 



ol" old stiuni)s, in brush heaps, jind in open, grassy places; in short, it 

 was found everywhere, but nowhere in abundance. Jt was much less 

 common than PeromyHcun leiicopuH alojig" Schoharie Creek, where both 

 species were sometiines taken in the same spot. When trapped, its 

 cheek pouches are as likely to be lilled with food as those of the chip- 

 munk. I do not remember ever to have found food in those of Pero- 

 myacuH leucopus. In his descri])tion of Pero)nf/scn.s ccmadensis,^ Mr. 

 Geriit S. Miller, Jr., observers: "It is worthy of remark, in this con- 

 nection, that I have found the cheek pouches of S\itomy.s\ canadensis 

 [= Peromysciifi canddcnsis] much the more frequently and conspicuously 

 distended with food [than those of Peromyscus leucopusy For the his- 

 tory of the discussion concerning? the presence or absence of cheek 

 ])ouches in the mice of the genus Peroinysvus, and their use when i)res- 

 eut, consult especially IJaird- and Allen.' 



In the flesh, this species is easily distinguished from fresh speci- 

 mens of P. leucopus by its larger ears, different quality and coloration 

 of pelage, and by its longer and tufted tail. These differences are not 

 so striking in cabinet si)ecimens; still it is remarkable that tliis species 

 should have remained so long unrecognized. The occirreuce of Pe- 

 romyscns leucojius and /'. canadensis together on Schoharie Creek makes 

 it quite certain that they are i)erfectly distinct species. In the High- 

 lauds of the Hudson /'. leucopus is abundant; but in the highest parts, 

 where the black spruce and tamarack grow, no species ot Peromyscns 

 could be found. In other words, Avhere 7*. canadensis should have been 

 found the ^euus was unrepresented. Eighteen specimens were col- 

 lected in the Catskills. 



Measnrcnicnts. — Averages of seven adult males: Length, ISI mm.; 

 tail vertebrae, 89; tail, measured to end of caudal pencil, 96.5; hind 

 foot, 21-.2; height of ear from crown, 13.G; ear from notch, 17.7; length 

 of head, 28.7. Average of three adult females: Length, 190; tail ver- 

 tebra', 94; tail to end of hairs, 100; hind foot, 21.5; ear from crown, 

 15; ear from notch, 17.7; head, 28.2 \^ 



MUS MUSCULUS Linnaeus. 

 HOUSE MOUSE. 



Common in fields and houses. Several were trapped under stacks 

 of fodder (;orn standing in the fields. None were caught in the woods. 

 Three specimens preserved. 



MUS DECUMANUS Pallas. 

 NORWAY RAT. 



Abundant. One was trapped on the base of East Kill Mountain at 

 the altitude of 2,000 feet. No others were seen in the woods. 



'Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Juuo 20, 1893, VIII, p. 02. 

 ■'North AiiHTican Mammals, ISf)?, p. 4(iO. 

 •'Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoul., 1869, I, p. 229. 



