nPAO Neotropical MuridtB. 351 



Oryzomys meridensis, sp. n. 



Size moderately large. Fur thick, of medium length, the 

 hairs on the back about 11 millim. long. General colour dark 

 rufous, heavily lined with blackish, especially along the 

 median line of the back, while the head is more brown than 

 rufous. Sides clearer and brighter rufous. Chest pure white, 

 the hairs white to the base ; sides of muzzle, chin, and belly 

 grey-mixed white ; line of demarcation on sides well-marked. 

 Ears very large, thinly clothed with dark brown hairs ; ante- 

 rior edge without projection. Palate-ridges 3 — 5. Hands and 

 feet very thinly haired, whitish ; fifth hind toe reaching 

 nearly to the end of the first phalanx of the fourth. Tail 

 long, thinly hairy, brown, rather paler below. 



Skull strong, with widely expanded zygomata ; nasals long, 

 well-expanded anteriorly ; interorbital region long, flattened 

 above, but quite rounded and without beads laterally ; ante- 

 rior palatine foramina rather short, although not so short as 

 in 0. albigularis. 



Dimensions of the type (an adult skin) : — 



Head and body 139 millim. ; tail 143 ; hind foot (moist- 

 ened) 30*7 ; ear (shrunk) 21 ; heel to front of last foot-pad 

 14-2. 



Skull : tip of nasals to back of interparietal 34*5, greatest 

 breadth 18"7; nasals, length 13*6, breadth 4; interorbital 

 breadth 5*4; interparietal, length 3'4, breadth 10 ; outer wall 

 of infraorbital foramen, length 4 ; palate length to henselion 

 15 ; diastema 9'5 ; palatal foramina 5*9 ; upper molar series 

 5'5. Lower jaw : condyle to incisor-tip 23*5 ; height of ramus 

 below ^^i 5. 



Hob. Merida, Venezuela. Coll. A. Mocquerys, April 

 1894. 



Type: B.M. 94.9.25.13. 



This species seems to be allied to 0. albigularis, Tomes, 

 by its general coloration, short palatine foramina, and rounded 

 supraorbital edges, but it differs conspicuously by its very 

 much larger ears. 



It may also be related to 0. velutinus, All. & Chapm., but 

 is distinguished by its larger size, heavier teeth, and longer 

 fur. 



Oryzomys Jlavicans J sp. n. 



Size rather small, build rather Myoxine. Fur long, straight, 

 and close, hairs of the back about 13 millim. long. General 

 colour rich fulvous, lined with brown on the back, clearer and 

 more yellowish (approximately ochraceous buff of Ridgway) 



24* 



