88 



NORTH AMEEICAlsr FAUNA. 



[No. 36. 



REITHRODONTOMYS MEGALOTIS ARIZONENSIS Allen. 

 Chiricahua Harvest Mouse. 

 Reithrodontomys arizonensis Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VII, 1895, p. 134. 



Type locality. — Rock Creek, Chiricahua Mountains, Ariz, (altitude 

 about 8,000 feet). 



Distribution. — Known only from the type locality. 



Characters. — About the size of megalotis; tail averaging slightly 

 longer; colors much darker and more ochraceous. Very similar to 

 longicaudus, but a little redder on the head, ears blacker, and tail 

 paler (hoary gray instead of brown). 



Color. — Upperparts ochraceous-buff, heavily mixed with black; 

 front and sides of face nearly pure buff; ears dark hair-brown, with 

 darker patches on both inner and outer margins; feet white; ankles 

 dusky; underparts white, with an ochraceous patch on the breast 

 between the fore legs; tail mouse-gray above, grayish white below, 

 clothed all around with scattered whitish hairs. 



STcull. — Closely similar to that of megalotis. 



Measurements. — Average of 4 adults from type locality: Total 

 length, 149 (145-152); tail vertebrae, 78 (74--80) ; hind foot, 17 

 (16-18); ear, 13 (12.5-14). Skull: (See table, p. 81). 



Remarlcs. — This subspecies, as noted by the original describer, 

 bears a surprising resemblance to R. megalotis longicaudus of Cali- 

 fornia, but the ranges of the two forms are separated by an extensive 

 area occupied by R. m. megalotis, and the present form is probably 

 more closely related to R. m. zacatecx of the mountains of western 

 Mexico, the range of which is known to extend north at least to 

 southern Chihuahua. The latter differs from arizonensis chiefly 

 in its more ochraceous underparts. 



No intergrades between arizonensis and megalotis are known, 

 but quite probably such will later be found. Likewise the present 

 form is so close to zacatecse that the two will probably be found 

 to intergrade. Mr. W. W. Price, who collected the type series, 

 thus describes its habitat: 



Five specimens of this species were trapped on Rock Creek, in the Chiricahua 

 Mountains, July 7-8, at an elevation of about 8,000 feet. Two were in rocks and 

 dry soil away from the bed of the creek, and the others were caught under logs and 

 brush near the water. ^ 



Specimens examined. — Four, from t^^-pe locality 



1 Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VII, 1895, p. 235. 



2 Two in Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 2 in Field Mus. Nat. Hist. 



