GEOMYIDA—GEOMYS HISPIDUS. 619 
GEOMYS HISPIDUS, LeC. 
The Quachil, or Central American Pocket Gopher. 
Saccophorus quachil, GRAY, P. Z. S. xi, 1843, 79, ex Coban, Vera Paz, descr. nulla /—GeErR., Cat. Bones Br. 
Mus. 1862, 223. 
Geoinys hispidus, LuC., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1852, 158 (deser. orig.).—Barrp, M. N. A. 1857, 326, pl. 
22, f. 4 a-d.—Covgs, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1875, 133.—Covrs, Powell’s Rep. Colorado R. 1875, 
239 (monograph). : 
Pseudostoma (Geomys) hispidum, AuD. & Bacn., Q.N. A. iii, 1854, 306. 
Geomys heterodus, PETERS,* Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1864, 177 (Costa Rica). 
Geomys “ hirsutus”, Cours, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1875, 131 (by slip of pen for hispidus). 
Dracyosis.—Superior incisors with a single strong deep furrow, lying 
wholly in the inner half of the tooth+ Tail and hind feet naked, or nearly so; 
fore feet sparsely hirsute. Fore feet, including claws, decidedly shorter than the 
hind feet. Pouches moderate, scarcely or not reaching beyond the head. 
Pelage stiff, hispid, and almost lustreless. Color uniform dull chocolate- 
brown, merely paler, grayer, or smoky-brown below ; all the hairs one-colored 
‘from base to tip. Of largest size; nearly or about a foot long; girth some 
9 inches; tail short, about 3 inches or rather less from extreme base, its 
“naked part only about 2 inches; sole, 13-1}; palm, including longest claw, 
less than this. @ with only 3 pairs of mamme determined, 2 pairs inguinal, 
1 pair pectoral. 
Hasirat.—Mexico and Central America. (Xalapa, Mexico (De Oca) ; 
Necostla, Mexico (Swmichrast); Costa Rica (Zeledon and Carmiol); Guatemala 
City (Van Patten) ) 
The most notable external feature is the nakedness of the tail and feet. 
The tail, in extreme cases, is absolutely bare; the hind feet, from the tarso- 
metatarsal joint outward, are nearly bare, though a few bristly hairs may be 
observed, especially on the toes. The hands share the same nakedness, but 
in less degree. Specimens vary in these respects ; in some, delicate bristles 
*Special paper: ,, Ueber nene Arten der Siiugethiergattungen Geomys, Haplodon und Dasypus.“ 
< Loc. cit. pp. 177-181. 
t In the earlier notices by LeConte and Baird, the character of the upper incisors was not fully 
indicated, owing to defect of the specimens. These teeth are unisulcate, as in mexicanus, but the position 
of the groove constitutes a perfect specific character. In mexicanus,a single profound groove bisects the 
tooth ; in hispidus, a similar single groove lics on the inner half of the tooth. In some specimens, indeed, 
where the groove is widest, it may encroach slightly upon the median line; but it usually lies altogether 
to one side, the outer plane surface of the tooth being alone as wide as the groove plus the inner plane 
surface. This character is unique among the species described in this paper; and it is the basis of G. 
heterodus, as I find upon examining Prof. Peters’s paper, which I was not able to consult in the preparation 
of my previous articles upon this family. Prof. Peters alludes to the original S. quachil of Gray, but seems 
to have overlooked Dr. LeConte’s description of G. hispidus. 
