'IMII'l WIIITIO-FOOTI-:!) DKKH MOUSE, 



407 



In.ismneli as tlio typi^ locality, wlicthci- we acccipt Ilickman, K(3n- 

 lucky, which is (lesi^^natcd ])y this author, or- tho ofk; that has been 

 currently accepted, the pine barrens of Kentucky, is much nearer 

 oiir boundaries than that of the subspecies, it seems best to include 

 the species in our list. 



Habits. — The habits resemble those of the subspecies following. 



PEROMYSCUS LEIKJOPUS NOVEBORACENSIS (Fischer). 

 NORTHERN WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE. 



Mus sylvaficus uoveboraccnsis Fisher, Synopsis Mammalium, 

 p. 318, 1829. 



Peromyscus leucopus novchoracensis Miller, Proc. Bost. Soc. 

 Nat. Hist., Vol. 28, p. 22, 1897. Osgood, N. Am. Fauna No. 

 28, p. 117, 1909. 



Diagnostic characters. — Similar to P. leucopus, but slightly 

 larger, less brown in winter and with the dark dorsal stripe lacking 

 or poorly defined. 



Description. — Of about fifty mice of this species now before 

 me, from a number of localities in the State and representing all 

 ages and seasons, the brightest colored individual is one taken at 

 Mitchell on October 21, 1906. The color all over the upper part 

 of this specimen is bright, deep fulvous. On the top of the head, 

 neck and back, there are a number of long, coarse black hairs that 

 overlie the others and give a darker tinge, but there is no distinct 

 stripe. Hairs of throat and lips pure white; those of belly, chest 

 and legs, white at the tips and plumbeous at the base, the dark color 

 show'ing through somewhat. 



All other specimens taken in the winter coat have either a fairly 

 distinct dark band down the middle of the back or a suffusion of 

 blackish all over the back. In March and April most individuals 

 are noticeably darker and the darkening continues until in midsum- 

 mer the predominating tint is dark bluish gray with a suffusion of 

 brownish on the legs and flanks. At this season the color of the 

 dorsal surface closely resembles that of some house mice. This 

 change of color is due, in part, to the wearing away of the bro\vTi- 

 ish tips of the hairs and perhaps in part to a fading of the color. 

 The under surface also becomes grayer in the worn summer pelage, 

 because of the wearing off of the white tips of the hairs. 



The young are at first plumbeous all over excepting the belly, 

 the hairs of which are always tipped with white. The flanks first 

 become covered with brownish hairs and this color spreads to the 

 thighs, shoulders and cheeks. At this stage, which is reached short- 

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