52 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



In the collection there are three specimens of the present species ; in one 

 of these the hairs of the upper part and sides of the body are annulated with 

 yellowish white, instead of yellow ; hence the general hue of these parts is nearly 



gray 



MusRenggeri is larger than MusMusculus, and much stouter in its proportions ; 

 the fur is shorter, much less dense, and less soft than in Mus brachiotis. 

 " It inhabits dry stony places, where only a few thickets grow." — D. 



15. Mus OBSCURUS. 



Plate XV.— Fig. 2. 



Mus obscurus, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for February 1837, p. 16. 



M. suprd, fusco-nigrescens, subtus fiavescens ; pedibus obscurh fuscis ; unguibus longius- 

 culis ; auribus mediocribus ; caudd corpore breviore, supra nigrescente, subtus sordid^ 

 alba : vellere mediocri, molli. 



Description. — Head large; ears moderate ; tail shorter than the body; fur rather 

 long and glossy ; the general hue of that of the upper parts and sides of the 

 head and body is blackish brown, and that of the under parts is dirty yel- 

 lowish white. The hairs on the upper parts are of a deep lead colour at the 

 base, black at the apex, and narrowly annulated with dark yellow near the 

 apex ; those of the throat and belly are lead colour at the base and yellowish 

 at the tip ; the chin is white : around the eye, and on the lower part of the 

 cheeks a deep yellow tint prevails. The ears are well clothed with hairs both 

 externally and internally, and these are for the most part of a deep brown 

 colour, as are also the hairs which cover the feet. The tail is well clothed 

 with hairs, those on the upper surface are black, and those on the under are 

 dirty white. Both upper and lower incisors are yellow, but the lower are 



paler than the upper. 



Length from nose to root of tail 



of tail 



from nose to ears 



In. 



Lines. 



5 



3 1 



2 



7 



1 



21 



Length of tarsus (claws included) 



In. 







Lines 



of ear 



4 



Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.) 



The present species, like the foregoing, is much stouter than the common 



