96 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Reithrodontomys lecontii impiger Bangs Virgmia harvest mouse 



1898 Reithrodontomys lecontii impiger Bangs, Proc. biolog. soc. 

 Washington. 10 Aug. 1898. 12: 167. (White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.) 

 Russet Irown above, dull -white beneath. Total length, 115 (4^) ; tail ver- 

 tebrae, 51 (2); hind foot 9 (f). (impiger; Lat., quick) 



The little known Virginia harvest mouse has been taken at White 

 Sulphur Springs AV. Va. only. It probably occurs throughout the 

 southern part of the upper austral zone, east of the high AUeghanies. 



Genus Oryzomys Baird 



1857 Oryzomys Baird, Mamm. N. Am. p. 458. Type Mus palustris 

 Harlan. 



Front teeth without grooves ; cheek teeth with tubercles arranged in two 

 rows; slcull distinctly ridged over eye soclcets ; form slender; total length more 

 than 230 (9) ; tail long, scant haired ; belly not white. (Oryzomys; Gk.,rice 

 mouse) 



The genus Oryzomys is widely distributed in the warmer parts of 

 America. Many species are known, only one of which reaches the 

 upper austral zone of the eastern United States. 



Oryzomys palustris (Harlan) Rice field 7?iouse 

 1837 Mus palustris Harlan, American jour. sei. ^1 : 386. (Fast island, 



near Salem N. J.) 

 1857 Oryzomys palustris Baird, Mamm. N. Am. p. 459. 



Dark brown above, paler below. Total length, 240 (9^) ; tail vertebrae, 115 

 (4|) ; hind foot, 30 (li|.) (palustris; Lat., pertaining to a marsh) 



The ricefield mouse [is locally common in marshes throughout the 

 austral zones of the eastern United States, north to New Jersey. The 

 form , which occurs within our limits is the typical subspecies, 

 O- palustris palustris. Two others are found in Florida and a 

 fourth in Texas. 



Genus Peromyscus Gloger 

 1842 Perom y s c u s Gloger, Gemeinn, Hand-u. hilfsbuch der naturgesch. 

 p. 95. Type Peromyscus arboreus Gloger^C ricetus myoides 

 Gapper^M us sylvaticus noveboraceusis Fischer. 

 Front teeth without grooves, cheek teeth in upper jaw with tubercles arranged 

 in two longitudinal rows; skull smootJdy rounded between eye sockets ; form slender. 

 Total length, (in our species) under 220 (8|) ; tail long, well furred, belly white, 

 (Peromyscus; Gk., little pocket mouse) 



The genus Peromyscus, which contains nearly 100 species, is 

 confined to America. It reaches its greatest development in Mexico and 

 the western United States. Three species occur within our hmits, all 

 members of the subgenus Peromyscus. 



