540 
Average length 4 Ratio of 
(hee se a ee A. = | length of 
No. of specimens | a | ae tail no 
measured and | ead in ‘length o 
places of capture | eel and body ten foot | head 
| dene Se SSW erie Re (Ee | ees th. ‘| and 
| | | | bendy 
|= aint, mm. ibal, ||| raahaal. in. | mm. | in. |mm. 
| 
178, whole state. .| 6.42 | 163.8 | 3.56 
96, Champaign Co 6.53 | 165.7 | 3.55 | 90.2 | 2.97 | 75.5 | .79 | 20| 83 
28, Olive Branch, | | | | 
Sogtheral ll: 33) Odi Misses 123-3) || e872 25) 2684 
| | 
This table indicates that the specimens from the southern part of 
the state are rather smaller, and their tails both absolutely and com- 
paratively shorter, than those from this county. The specimens 
from Olive Branch were all taken the last week of December and 
the first of January. 
The color varies with the aye and the condition of the coat. In 
all specimens, however, the hairs of the feet and chin are white to the 
base. Very rarely a few dark hairs are found below the wrist or 
ankle. The hairs on the belly, throat, and inside of the legs are white 
except for the plumbeous base. In immature individuals the 
general color on the sides is hair-brown slightly warmed with 
ochraceous. Toward the dorsal line this becomes darker, being 
nearly blackish slate over the back. This coloration is often quite 
indistinguishable from that of the white-footed prairie-mouse. In 
the brightest-colored mature forms the majority of the hairs on the 
upper parts are tipped with warm ochraceous buff, but mingled with 
these are black-tipped ones, producing the general effect of Vandyke 
brown over the back, while the sides are paler. All shades possible 
between these brighter hues and the general color of immature 
specimens may be found among adults. Part of this variation is 
probably due to the fact that the ochraceous tips of the hair fade or 
wear off as the pelage becomes shorter. The tail is usually bicolor— 
mouse-gray to dark sepia above, white below. The ears are large, 
thin, and dusky except at the margin, which is very narrowly bor- 
dered with white. 
