RODENTIA-MURINAE-HESPEROMYS COGNATUS. 
469 
HESPEROMYS GOSSYPINUS, Leconte. 
Cotton Mouse. 
Hesperomys gossypinus, Leconte, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phila. VI, Oct. 1853, 411. 
Hypudaeus gossypinus, Leconte, M. Murtries Cuvier, I. 1831. App. (No. desc.) 
g P- c H ._Larger than II leucopus. Tail considerably shorter than the head and body; above, rusty yellowish brown, 
brightest on cheeks, a dorsal wash of darker. Beneath, ashy white. Tail scarcely, if at all, lighter below than above. 
Hind foot from heel .90. 
In size this animal considerably exceeds the specimen described of H. cognatus, though the 
essential characters appear the same. The ears are large and thin; higher than broad; entirely 
dusky. The upper parts are of rather a rusty yellowish brown, the median portion of the hack 
darker. The under parts are dull ashy white ; the feet are grayish white. The tail is brown 
above, passing beneath into a dark ashy brown, little, and in one specimen not at all, different 
from the upper part. The dull brownish rusty on the cheek is more clear than elsewhere. 
I am hardly satisfied that this animal is different from the smaller H. cognatus , as the 
difference in size is no greater than is to be seen in series of Hesperomys from more 
northern localities. The tail is still duskier beneath than in H. cognatus, and the sides more 
rusty; otherwise, I can realize only the larger size. Should both prove to be the same, the 
name H. gossypinus must, of course, take precedence. 
There is every reason to consider this mouse as specifically distinct from H. leucopus of the 
north; although skins, when much stretched, (as Nos. 1105, 1112, from Middleboro’, Massa¬ 
chusetts,) of the latter, may measure as much as those recorded here, yet they are certainly 
actually smaller, as shown by the feet, which never attain anything of the length of .45 for 
the anterior and .90 for the posterior. 
List of specimens. 
1 
I 
fl 
1 
I 
Locality. 
Whence and how obtained. 
Nature of 
specimen. 
•Measurements. 
Nose to tail. 
^ Tail to end of vert. 
Tail to end of hairs. 
Fore foot, length. 
Hind foot, length. 
Ear, height. 
546 
Riceboro’, Ga.. 8e «.... 
Major J. Leconte .......... „ „...... 
Skin . . 
4.56 
2.65 
2.70 
.45 
.90 
.60 
1361 
South Carolina... 
William Cooper.. 
4.00 
2.35 
2.40 
.90 
HESPEROMYS COGNATUS, Leconte. 
? Hesperomyspolionotus, Wagner, Wiegmann’s Archiv. 1843, ix, 52. (Georgia.) 
Hesperomys cognatus, Legontk, Pr. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sciences, VII, Dec. 1855, 442. 
Sp. Ch. —Smaller than H. leucopus. Tail considerably shorter than head and body. Young, slaty plumbeous. Adult, 
yellowish brown, with a dorsal wash of darker. Under parts and feet soiled white or light ashy. Under surface of tail, 
ash gray, not conspicuously different from the dorsal color. Ears without hoary edging. 
This species is a very near relative of the Hesperomys leucopus of the north, but differs by 
quite appreciable characters. In size it is considerably inferior to the last mentioned species, 
