NO. 5 MAMMALS OF PANAMA — GOLDMAN 145 



SYNTHEOSCIURUS BROCHUS Bangs 

 Groove-toothed Squirrel 



Syntheosciurus brochus Bangs, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 39, No. 2, p. 25, 

 text figs. 1-4, April, 1902. Type from Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama (alti- 

 tude 7,000 feet). 



Concerning this peculiar squirrel nothing has been added to the 

 full original account by Mr. Bangs. In general external appearance 

 it is much like Microsciurus, but as the author states, is larger, 1 with 

 " ear still smaller, hardly standing up above the fur, and very woolly ; 



pelage very long, dense, and woolly General coloration dark 



reddish olive, with under parts varying from orange rufous to 

 ferruginous." Perhaps the most important as well as easily recog- 

 nizable differential character is the grooved condition of the upper 

 incisors. 



Mr. Bangs further remarks : " Mr. Brown [ W. W. Brown, Jr.] 

 met with this remarkable squirrel but once, when he took the pair 

 described. It was unknown to the native hunters who accompanied 

 him, and who expressed much astonishment on being shown the two 

 examples. Judging by the long, dense fur, even at this time of year — 

 April 30 — when the female was nursing young, it is evidently an 

 animal of high elevations only. 



" Among tree squirrels, Syntheosciurus brochus has no very near 

 ally; its light, papery skull recalls that of Sciuropterus, but the 

 audital bullae are much smaller. Its peculiarly straight, slender 

 rostrum, weak, projecting, and grooved incisors at once distinguish 

 the genus from any other." 



Specimens examined : Boquete, 2 (including type). 



Order LAGOMORPHA. Rabbits 

 Family LEPORIDAE. 2 Rabbits 



The single genus Sylvilagus of the family Leporidae is known 

 from Panama. 



Genus SYLVILAGUS Gray 



The only representative of this genus within the region under 

 review is a forest rabbit of Middle America, easily distinguishable 

 from its North American congeners by the short ears, dark color, and 

 extremely short tail. 



1 Type: Total length 320 mm. (total length in Microsciurus less than 

 300 mm.) ; tail vertebrae, 150; hind foot, 46. 



2 The family Leporidae, formerly placed by authors in the order Rodentia, 

 has recently been elevated, along with the family Ochotonidae, to a group 

 of full ordinal rank (see Gidley, Science, N. S., Vol. 36, pp. 285-287, August 30, 

 1912). 



