Article XX. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF 

 GEOMYS FROM COSTA RICA. 



By J. A. ALLEN. 



A specimen of Geomys, collected at Santa Clara, Costa Rica, 

 by Mr. George K. Cherrie, has recently been received from that 

 gentleman for identification, which on examination appears to be 

 undescribed. It belongs to the G. hispidus section of the group, 

 but differs from it markedly in size, coloration and in the char- 

 acter of the pelage. It may be described as follows : 



Geomys cherriei, 1 sp. nov. 



Above everywhere blackish chocolate brown, except a large patch of pure 

 white on the crown, subtriangular in shape, 30 mm. in length and 6 to 17 mm. 

 in breadth, broadest behind ; inner surface of fore and hind limbs, throat and 

 breast, dusky grayish ; rest of lower surface pale grayish buff. Tail (except 

 extreme basal portion), and upper surface of both fore and hind feet naked, 

 apparently reddish in life. 



Measurements (approximate from dried skin) : Total length, 275 mm. ; head 

 and body, 195 ; tail, 80 (naked portion, 65) ; hind foot, 40 ; middle claw of 

 same, 5 ; fore foot, 34 ; middle claw of same (arc of curve), 15. 



Skull, total length, 60 ; basal length (posterior border of occipital condyle to 

 posterior base of incisors), 47 ; zygomatic breadth, 34 ; occipital breadth, 30 ; 

 length of nasals, 20 ; lower jaw (posterior border of condyle to posterior surface 

 of incisor), 38 ; height at coronoid process, 17. 



Type, No. 664, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, Santa Clara, Costa Rica, 

 October, 1892 ; George K. Cherrie. 



The specimen described above is evidently about full grown, 

 but the sutures of the skull indicate a rather young animal. The 



1 Named for Mr. George K. Cherrie, Acting-Curator of Birds and Mammals, Museo Nacional 

 de Costa Rica, the discoverer of the species, and to whose kindness I am greatly indebted for 

 mammalogical material from Costa Rica. 



[December, 1893^ [33?J 22 



