282 MR. R. F. TOMES ON A COLLECTION [June 25, 



21. NeOTOMA FERRUGINEA, n. Sp. 



The present species of Neotoma is so well-marked a species, that 

 it will be scarcely necessary to lengthen the description by comparing 

 it with other species of the genus. 



It is typically a Neotoma, and in size about equals the Mus rattus 

 of Europe. General form rat-like ; the head rather elongate, and 

 the muzzle somewhat pointed. Muffle small, being little more than 

 a flat space between the nostrils, and with scarcely any part quite 

 free from short, fine, scattered hairs. Upper lip cleft from the muffle 

 downwards, and well covered with short hairs ; nostrils rather small 

 and rounded. Ears simple, roundish, of medium size, and not con- 

 cealed by the fur. Whiskers quite as long as the head. Fore feet 

 short ; the two middle toes of equal length, the outer one about 

 \\ line shorter, and the inner one not more more than 1 hue shorter ; 

 claws very short, thumb rudimentary, its nail rounded. Palms with 

 fi\e well-defined and rather large tubercles, of which the anterior 

 one occupies a position at the root of the middle toe, two others are 

 placed one at the root of each of the outer toes, and the remaining 

 two have a transverse position behind those just mentioned, nearly 

 as far back as the carpus, the outer one being a little the further 

 hack of the two. The hind feet are remarkable for their breadth, 

 and for having, like the fore feet, toes which are nearly of a length. 

 The tibia is rather long in relation to the foot, although perhaps not 

 in relation to the size of the animal. On the sole of the hind foot 

 are six tubercles, the three anterior ones arranged like those of the 

 fore feet, and a fourth appears at the root of the inner toe. Imme- 

 diately behind the tubercle of the outer toe, and near to the middle 

 of the sole, is placed the fifth, which is much smaller than the others ; 

 and behind that of the hmer toe is the sixth, much the furthest 

 back, and near the inner boundary of the sole. The arrangement 

 of these tubercles is much the same as in N. Jloridana ; but in con- 

 sequence of the shortness of the foot, they are of a less elongated 

 form, though fully as prominent. The claws, like those of the fore 

 feet, are short. The tail is as long as the head and body, and tapers 

 evenly to a somewhat obtuse point ; it is finely annulated, and pretty 

 evenly suffused with short black hairs, which, even towards the end 

 of the tail, where they are most abundant, do not conceal the scales. 

 The under surface is much less distinctly hairy than the upper. 



The distribution of hair on the under surfaces of the fore and hind 

 feet is as follows : — Short and thick fur, of nearly the same quality 

 as that of the body, extends on the fore legs quite to the carpus ; it 

 is white inside the leg, and of the same colour as the upper parts of 

 the body outside of it. On the upper surface of the toes the hairs are 

 silvery white, adpressed, short, and projecting forward around the 

 claws so as to hide them. The hind legs have the tibicc densely 

 hairy behind, quite to the as calcis, and from thence there is an ex- 

 tension of adpressed greyish hairs along the inner side of the sole to 

 the posterior tubercle ; but there is a very narrow line left near the 

 outer boundary of the sole, which is quite free from hairs. On the 

 upper surface of the foot the hair of the legs extends somewhat 



