304 ORANGE-COLOURED MOUSE. 
HABITS. 
In symmetry of form and brightness of colour, this is the prettiest spe- 
cies of Mus inhabiting our country. It is at the same time a great 
climber. We have only observed it in a state of nature in three in- 
stances in the oak forests of South Carolina ; it ran up the tall trees with 
great agility, and on one occasion concealed itself in a hole (which ap- 
parently contained its nest,) at least thirty feet from the ground. The 
specimen we have described, was shot from the extreme branches of an 
oak, in the dusk of the evening, where it was busily engaged among the 
acorns. It is a rare species in Carolina, but appears to be more common 
in Georgia, as we received from Major Le Conte, three specimens obtain- 
ed in the latter State. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
We found this species in Carolina, where it is rather rare ; we also ob- 
tained specimens from Georgia ; we have no doubt but further investiga- 
tion will give it a more extensive geographical range. 
GENERAL REMARKS 
We have arranged this species under the sub-genus of Mr. Waterhouse, 
proposed in the Zoological Society of London, Feb. 17th, 1837, (see their 
transactions.) It is thus characterized ; “ Sub-genus Calomys, (from 
beautiful and mus.) Fur, moderate, soft ; tarsus almost entirely clothed 
beneath the hair. Front molar, with three indentations of enamel on the 
inner side, and two on the outer ; and the last molar with one on each 
side. The type mus {calomys,) bimaculatus. Two other species have 
been described, from South America; mus {calomys) elegans, and 
m. gracilipes. 
