72 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[No. 36. 



parts are so thoroughly suffused with fulvous that it can almost be called a 

 "red mouse." The upper surface of the hind foot is dark brown to base of 

 toes. The toes are whitish. The skull has never been removed from the skin 

 There is a skin of this species or a closely related subspecies in the United States 

 National Museum (No. 7007a) collected at Tehuacan, Puebla, Mexico, by Sumi- 

 chrast. Upperparts rusty fulvous, but not quite so deep or bright as in the mounted 

 specimen [the type]. The only departure of importance from the type is the color 

 of the upper surface of the hind foot, which is soiled whitish instead of dark brown, 

 and the color of the underside of the tail, which is whitish instead of being concolor 

 with the upper surface. 



These differences — whiter feet and bicolor tail — are sufficient to 

 show that the Tehuacan specimen can not be referred to mexicanus. 

 No mention is made, either by Allen or Merriam, of the color of the 

 underparts, but taking into consideration the soiled and faded condi- 

 tion of the Tehuacan specimen (and probably, also, of the type) this 

 omission is not strange. 



On the evidence of this determination the name mexicanus was used 

 by Allen for the dark form of the fulvescens group later described 

 from Orizaba by Merriam as R. difficilis, but, as shown above, it prop- 

 erly appHes to the species now under consideration — a member of the 

 subgenus Aporodon. 



The species exhibits considerable individual variation in color. One 

 specimen from To ton tepee, Oaxaca, is fairly typical, while another 

 from the same place is considerably darker, with darker ears and tail. 

 A specimen from Jacaltenango, Guatemala, is considerably paler 

 than Vera Cruz specimens, but agrees with them in other characters. 



Intergradation with goldmani on the north and withc/j.emiin Central 

 America seems fairly certain to be estabUshed. 



Specimens examined. — Total number, 10, from the following locaH- 

 ties in Mexico and Guatemala : 



Vera Cruz: Jalapa, 2.^ 

 Oaxaca: Totontepec, 2. 



Chiapas: Comitan, 1; Tenejapa, 1; Tumbala, 3. 

 Guatemala: Jacaltenango, 1. 



REITHRODONTOMYS MEXICANUS GOLDMANI Merriam. 

 GoLDMiiN Harvest Mouse. 

 (PI. Ill, fig. 6; PI. VI, fig. 6.) 

 Reithrodontomys goldmani Merriam, Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., Ill, 1901, p. 552. 



Type locality. — Metlaltoyuca, Puebla, Mexico (altitude 800 feet). 



Distribution. — Known only from northern Puebla. 



Characters. — Similar to mexicanus, but smaller and paler. 



Color. — Upperparts pinkish cinnamon, faintly darkened on top of 

 head and back with brownish hairs; general tone of back about 

 snuff-brown; sides of nose, upper hps, and underparts white, the 



1 One in Collection Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 



