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MUS LE CONTII. — Bach. 
Le Conte’s Mouse. 
M. Supra rufo-fuscus, subtus albo-fiavus ; cauda corporc breviore. 
CHAEACTEES. 
Tail shorter than the body, reddish brown above, light fawn beneath. 
SYNONYMES. 
Mus Le Contei. — Aud. and Pach, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., vol. viii., pt. ii., 
p. 306. 
Reithrodon Le Contei. — Le Conte, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Ihila., Oct. 1853, 
p. 413. 
DESCBIPTION. 
About half the size of a full grown mouse. Its body is covered by 
a very thick coat of soft fur and coarser hairs intermixed. The upper 
fore-teeth are deeply grooved. The head is of a moderate size ; the lore- 
head so much arched as to present nearly a semicircle. Nose rather sharp, 
with a caruncle beneath each nostril pointing downwards- Whiskers 
shorter than the head. Ears round, moderate in size, and slightly pro- 
truding beyond the long fur, nearly naked ; a few hairs are sprinkled 
along the inner margins. The legs are short and rather stout ; feet 
covered with short adpressed hairs ; nails long and but slightly hooked ; 
adapted to digging. The rudimentary thumb is armed with a blunt nail. 
The tail, which is round, is sparsely clothed with hair. 
COLOUE. 
Teeth yellow ; eyes black ; nails light brown ; whiskers white and 
black. The fur on the back and chest is plumbeous at base, tipped with a 
mixture of reddish brown, and dusky, giving it a dark reddish-brown 
appearance. The lips, chin, and feet are a soiled white. On the throat, 
belly, and under surface of the tail, the fur is cinereous ; at the roots tipped 
with fawn colour. Upper surface of tail brown. 
