448 BULLETIN 56, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



northern base of the Huachiica Mountains, Arizona, "- are selected, for 

 the reason that they were taken at nearly the same season of the year, 

 the type having been taken in April and these specimens in March, 

 both being in faded winter pelage. The coloration of the Arizona 

 specimens is much darker. The upper surface is composed of a mix- 

 ture of plumbeous, black, gray, and ferruginous colors, the underfur 

 being plumbeous black and the ov^erhair black, banded with brown 

 and rusty white, giving a coarsely grizzled aspect. Under surface 

 tawny ochraceous buff. Feet rusty gra3dsh white. Ears black on the 

 anterior portion of the convex surface; residue of ear with the Ijairs 

 tipped with rusty white. Tail brownish black, darkest above. Nine 

 specimens from the Santa Cruz Valley, taken during November, are 

 in fresh pelage and darker, with less rusty than those taken in early 

 spring. For measurements see j). 452 



Habits and local distribution. — This hairy-tailed cotton-rat lives in 

 open, grassy country and is both nocturnal and diurnal. During 

 excessively dry seasons many of them perish. 



SIGMODON HISPIDUS TEXIANUS (Audubon and Bachman). 

 TEXAS COTTON-RAT. 



Arvicola texiana Audubon and Bachman, Quad. N. Am., Ill, 1853, p. 229, pi. cxlvii, 



fig. 2 (original figure and description). 

 Sigmodon hispidus texianus, Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VI, 1894, p. 175. — 



Bailey, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XV, p. 105, June 2, 1902 (part).— Miller 



and Reiin, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XXX, No. 1, Dec. 27, 1901, p. 91 (Syst. 



Results Study N. Am. Mam. to close of 1900); XXXI, Aug. 27, 1903, p. 80 



(Syst. Results Study N. Am. Mam. during the years 1901 and 1902). 

 Sigmodon hispidus lerlandieri Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., II, 1889, p. ISO (in 



text); III, 1890, p. 186 (in part); p. 224 (in part; as to Texas specimens). 

 [Sigmodon hispidus] texensis Elliot, Field Col. Mus., Zool. Ser., II, 1901, p. 144 



(Synop. Mam. N. Am.). 

 Sigmodon hispidus berlandieri, Bailey, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XV, p. 106 June 2, 



1902 (in part; as to specimens from Fort Clark and other portions of the Middle 



Texan Tract). 



Type-locality. — ''This was first discovered on the river Brazos and 

 afterwards seen in the countr}' along the Nueces and Rio Grande, 

 where chapparal thickets afford it shelter." 



Geographical range. — Southern Texas, east of the desert. 



a These specimens are referred to by Mr. W. W. Price in the Bulletin of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, New York (VII, 1895, p. 221), as follows: "A cotton-rat, prob- 

 ably of this species [i. e., Sigmodon hispidus arizonse Mearns], is found at Igo's ranch, at the 

 north end of the Huachuca Mountains. It was said to be common in a moist garden plot. 

 However, I had no opportunity of visiting the place." Mr. Price collected a small .series of 

 S. hispidus anzonsn at Fairbank, on the San Pedro River, only a few miles from Igo's ranch, 

 and naturally supposed the cotton-rats of the two places to be of the same species. It is 

 interesting to find these two species living practically together here and also in the Yaqui 

 River valley. 



