lSy8.] MR. O. THOMAS ON SMALL MAMMALS FROM TEXAS. 443 



2. On the Small Mammals of Duval County^ South Texas. 

 By Oldfield Thomas. 



[Eeceived July 25, 1888.] 



Mr. William Taylor, a resident of San Diego\ the capital of Duval 

 County, South Texas, has for many years past occupied himself in 

 the useful task of studying and collecting the small mammals of that 

 county, transmitting the specimens obtained to the British Museum, 

 and at the same time making many valuable observations on the habits 

 of the different species. These observations are embodied in the notes 

 attached to the names of the several species below, and distinguished 

 by having Mr. Taylor's initials appended to them. 



Considering our ignorance of the variation and exact distribution 

 of most small mammals, the value of such work as Mr. Taylor's 

 cannot be exaggerated, and it is to be hoped that he will continue 

 his observations, and, perhaps, extend his area of research into 

 neighbouring counties, and even into North-western Mexico, where 

 he has already made some preliminary expeditions. Mr. Taylor 

 has been successful in discovering one new species, a diminutive 

 Vesper-Mouse, besides adding no less than six species to our 

 National Collection of Mammalia, a result for which Mammalogists 

 in this country have every reason to be grateful. In all, of Insectivora, 

 Chiroptera, and Rodentia, Mr. Taylor has obtained examples of 

 seventeen species within the limits of Duval County, a number that 

 would no doubt have been largely augmented had not his attention 

 been mainly concentrated on the most difficult, and therefore the 

 most important, group of all, that of the rats, mice, and other Myo- 

 morpha. 



Insectivora. 



1. ScALOPS AaUATICUS, L. 



«. ? , 4/86. 



Head and body 107 millim., tail 29, hind foot 14-5, head 40, tip of 

 muzzle to eye 17" 6. 



" Is common throughout the county. Although blind it is very 

 cunning, and it is the only animal I have had in confinement that 

 found out the way to lift the fastening of the cage-door and escape." — 

 W. T. 



2. SoREx (SoREx) PERSONATUS, GeoflFr. (?). 



a. S ■ 



Head and body 49 millim., tail 36, hind foot ]0'5, ear 3'1. 



I am not fully satisfied as to the determination of this specimen, 

 but tlie dimensions agree so closely with those of S. personatus that 

 I hesitate to distinguish it without seeing a larger series. 



1 About 98° 25' W. and 27° 50' N. 



