490 



U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



List of specimens. 



1 Collected by II. B. Mullhausen ; color, plumbeous. 



NEOTOMA MEXICANA, Baird. 



Bush Rat. 



Neotama maieana, BAIRD, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. VII, April, 1855, 333. 



Neotoma Jloridana, GEOTFROY, Voyage de la Venus, Zoologie, 1855, 154 ; pi xiii. 



SP. CH. Ears very large. Feet small. Tail three-fourths ( ? ) as long as the head and body, covered with stiff hairs, so a; 

 to conceal the annuli. Fur long and very soft. 



Color. Above, light yellowish brown, lined with dark brown ; on the sides clearer fulvous. Feet and nnder parts white. 



Of two specimens of this species the largest is about the average of N. Jloridana, or less 

 The whiskers are longer than the head, mixed gray and black. The ears are very large, larger 

 than in either N. Jloridana or micropus ; they are thin and coated scantily with short hairs, & 

 as to appear nearly naked. The tail in the larger specimen is broken off; in the smaller it iV 

 longer than in N. micropus and more thickly haired, longer even than in N. Jloridana. The 

 feet are small, as in N. micropus ; the third and fourth fingers longest ; the claw of the second 

 reaching to the end of the third finger; the fifth claw beyond the base of the fourth; th-- 

 second and fifth being thus but little shorter than the third and fourth. The palms are naked. 

 The first toe is very short, scarcely extending beyond the base of the second ; the second, third, 

 and fourth are equal and longest ; the fifth claw reaches to the base of the fourth ; the solt^ 

 are hairy towards the heel ; naked towards and under the toes. 



Color. The upper parts generally are of a pale yellowish brown, or even brownish yellow, 

 much lined on the back with dark brown ; the former, however, very decided on the sides, whic i 

 are still more distinctly colored along the line of junction of the white of the lower parts. The 

 outside of the legs are like the rest of the sides ; the feet and whole under parts white, with i 



