316 



New Species of Aplodontia. 



APLODOXTIA MAJOR §p. nov 



CALIFORNIA SHOW TL 



•MOUNTAIN BRAVER. 



Diagnosis. — Length about 400 mm. ; hind foot with claws 

 about 60 mm. ; height of ear about 8 mm. 



Pelage comparatively coarse and harsh ; hairs of Hanks longer 

 than those of the surrounding parts, forming on each side a more 

 or less pronounced oval patch from 60-80 mm. in length and 

 40-60 in breadth, which terminates abruptly about opposite the 

 hip-joint, and which is most marked in specimens not fully 

 adult. 



Color. — Whiskers black ; back grizzled grayish-brown, the tint 

 of the brown being that of a dilute bistre ; hairs at base, and the 

 under fur, very dark plumbeous ; rump and belly grizzled mouse 

 gray, sometimes faintly and superficially washed with very dilute 

 brown ; a distinct patch of white in the anal region ; tip of nose 

 sooty-brown, which color sometimes extends backwards in a nar- 

 row stripe. almost to a point midway between the eyes. 



DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS BASED ON EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. 



APLODONTIA RUFA. 



Length of head and body about 

 340 mm. 



Hind foot with claws about 53 

 mm. 



Height of ear from crown about 

 10 mm. 



Pelage comparatively fine and 

 soft. 



Long hairs of the sides not form- 

 ing a distinct flank patch, and not 

 ending abruptly posteriorly. 



Whiskers white. 



Back pale burnt-umber largely 

 mixed with black-tipped hairs, the 

 burnt-umber becoming lighter and 

 brighter on the sides and flanks. 



APLODONTIA MAJOK. 



Length of head and body about 

 400 mm. 



Hind foot with claws about 60 

 mm. 



Height of ear from crown about 

 8 mm. 



Pelage comparatively coarse and 

 harsh. 



Long hairs of the sides forming 

 a more or less pronounced flank 

 patch, which posteriorly ends ab- 

 ruptly opposite the hip joint, 



Whiskers black. 



Back grizzled grayish-brown (tint 

 of brown dilute bistre) which color 

 terminates posteriorly about opposite 

 the hip joints. 



