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886 



MONOORAPns OF NORTH AMERICAN RODBNTIA. 



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SPERMOPIIILUS ANNULATUS Au.l. & Bacli. 

 Annulated-talled Spermopblle. 



SjH-rmophilui aimulalHi AuDUnoN & IIaciiman, Juiirn. Acml. Nnt. 8ai. Plilla. viii, 1848, 310; Quail. N. 



Aiiier. li, IH5I, 2i:i, pi. Ixxix. Sue also BAlRn, M»in. N. Amer. 18r.7, :ia7. 

 Seiurut rufobraehiatum Muiiiiav, Oi>0|;, Olntr. Maiiim. IHtiti, :ir>4 (not Sciariu rufobrackiaUm Waterboiiau). 

 tSciunu lewiti It.-8MITII, Orlffith's Cnvier's Ad. Kiug. ili, IS'J7, lUO, anil plate. 



Specific chaus. — Length of head and body 9.50; of tail to end of 

 vcrtebrre 6.50; to end of hairs 9.00; hind foot 2.10; fore foot 1.15; height 

 of ear 0.50. AI)ove, coarsely varied with yellowish-brown and black; top 

 of head black, varied slightly with yellowish-brown ; sides of the head, neck, 

 shoulders, outer surface of fore limbs, and upper surface of hind feet dark 

 reddish-brown or chestnut; sides of the nose and a ring around the eyes light 

 brownish-yellow ; beneath, pale straw-yellow, more brownish anteriorly and 

 on the edges of the thighs. The color of the dorsal surface extends low 

 down on the sides of the body, the blackish tint involving the basal portion 

 of the hairs even on the abdomen. Lower surface of the tail nearly uniform 

 reddish-cinnamon, with an interrupted narrow black border edged with yel- 

 lowish ; upper surface banded transversely with black and yellowish-white, 

 the black bars rather the wider and about fifteen in number, becoming indis- 

 tinct on the basal portion of the tail. 



The general f()rm of the body is highly Sciurine. The ears are broad, fully 

 half an inch high, and well rounded above. The tail with the hairs is nearly 

 as long as the body, flat and distichous, but rather narrow. Claws short, 

 strong, and mo.e highly curved than in any other of the American Spermo- 

 philes (except perhaps S. gmmmurus), having nearly the form seen in Sciurus. 

 The pelage is sparse, coarse and stiff, and without under fur. The hairs of 

 the dorsal surface are grooved above, black, ringed once near the tip with pale 

 yellowish-brown. 



The only specimen of this animal that I have seen is a skin, in excellent 

 condition, of an adult female, in summer pelage, collected on the Plains of 

 Colima, Western Mexico, in 1863, by Mr. John Xantus.* • Judging from the 

 characters afforded by the skin, this species belongs to the subgenus Oto- 

 spcrmophilus, but in some features is rather more Sciurine than even S. gratn- 

 murus, its nearest ally. The ears, tiiough large, are less pointed than in that 

 species, and tlie tail less bushy ; the claws are short, deep, and much 



* It bears the Natiunal Hiiseam nnmber 7018 ; original number 134. 



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