Oh ai Uae fetes ey ig ¢ at ent y i DASE SOT en Ge i i en : AN yor oc 4 at eR ‘= Bey aaeeatantstanrn Ae as i) Fas bathe te Soni J Swen th Theatr Rea tee ee iets , : : Sr abinancei kia sunt ali Sika ld Aaeaes baa eS iuaustee aie ck Ss 5, " ¢ Te °" VW < Me dice Seen pyeaeee hss rs WANN Fete ee soy > 1 a) ais Caeakin : 7 ¥ Fomy s) Mimi : . meee - M 4, Bhai hh La : > Gene nde ai bpd edboatiac ast resacoe a tafe: tit re : Pie Aor Am Pe * er eee banat Fete Rice fos Bs eee SE Fe eT Tee atte Se eet VS) eRe EPA Te ee By reo teste ip hae ae EEE: Pathe ds sige Ay Treiy ive brine Se Na ee A he Te Ma Tata tks ithe: bat ded Te Qokte men tyatha a rp Finer tee Wee Me ep te te rte “Ae =e" ve bs beh < SEROUS te tabed Sethi S SMa Ma baste ST maith teeta te: ite hb abeles ene Aietat ’ waa 2 Des Ma Mh Pha Mn Tne a NMS 9 ps Bn OR Bai We Di eR eter Me Rete wtie Ne Ley ; Vath Bkda feta bles have Be hs YE Ua Ree ney Ts Nay Bes sao AM Se Ape hs He v Th: ANE i * ‘ Ate Swe wee Teo Sh ae »: * vax Nh a paisa oh ee 7 ne Fes = ri i 4 : et 5 lhe he Rh FTES Sra te Post eaters % ieee er Pea Pe dese Re ee af as SAE RRS PROCEEDINGS OF THE Biological Society of Washington VOLUME XI 1897 | - WASHINGTON PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY ES Tey 1897 EEEOTE {i Lise B COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS C. HART MERRIAM, Chairman T. S. PALMER F. H. KNOWLTON Jupp & Drrweiter, Printers jp AAVGIGS (ii) CONTENTS Officers and: eommittecs for 1807 ose es ee ee ca Proceedin ge sae ai ee eee wee ae eel ee. Descriptions of the Species of Cycadeoidea or Fossil Cycadean Trunks from the Iron Ore Belt, Potomac Formation, of Mary- land, by ester Po Warde iii ever dcet tars ban te sow Revision of the Coyotes or Prairie Wolves, by C. Hart Merriam. Collomia mazama, a New Plant from Crater Lake, Oregon, by Frederick Vi Coville. 0) (i ee Delphinium viridescens and Sambucus leiosperma, Two New Plants from the Northwest Coast, by John B. Leiberg .............. Descriptions of Two New Murine Opossums feorn Mexico, by C. Fert: Merriam oo 272s feck acs te ee ae ko ew Pe ee ae Phenacomys preblei, a New Vole from Colorado, by O. Hart Mer- PIGW | eS | Bc henge a i ee ee ENE ek ees Seta Notes on the Lynxes of Eastern North America, with Descrip- tions of New Forms, by Outram Bangs....................5. Description of a New Red Fox from Nova Scotia, by Outram Bane © op oes ep ae ea gee oie DBs ee eS oe The Itinerary of John Jeffrey, an Early Botanical Explorer of Western North America, by Frederick V. Coville .........7. The Technical Name of the Camas Plant, by Frederick V. Coville. Description of a New Vole from Oregon, by Gerrit 8. Miller, Jr.. A Species of Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis Gould) New to the North American Fauna, by Jonathan Dwight, Jr............. Descriptions of Two New Red-backed Mice (Hvotomys) from Oregon, by.C.-Hart Merriakt: 0052058 2S ies oe ee The Voles of the Subgenus Chilotus, with Descriptions of New Species: by ©. bart: Merrigti. 20.0. eee iol es ce Synopsis of Voles of Genus Phenacomys, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. . Synopsis of the American Sesarmze, with Description of a New Species, by Mary J: Rathoun. 2 ae a ee ws Synopsis of the American Species of Palicus Philippi, with De- scriptions of Six New Species, by Mary J. Rathbun........... Two New Moles from California and Oregon, by C. Hart Merriam. Three New Jumping Mice (Zapus) from the Northwest, by C. Hart Merrignyy sos, SVR BS SEEN eo ee Svcs BPs as Description ofa New Species of Spheroma, by Harriet Richardson. Synopsis of the American Species of Hthusa, with Description of a New Species, by Mary J. Rathbun... 6.02. .c eet ee Revision of the Genus Evotomys, by Vernon Bailey..........-. Description of a New Bat from Margarita Island, Venezuela, by isorrit S.. Miller de cece ere oe eee © eo eee es Description af a New Vole from Kashmir, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. Description of a New Muskrat from the Great Dismal Swamp, Vireinis. by-GC, Hart Mertiains oo 8 eos rcce' ss. Sy a Pe © ot Descriptions of a New Eagle from Alaska and a New Squirrel from Lower California, by C. H. Townsend... ............ Lepus baileyi, a New Rabbit from Wyoming, by C. Hart Merriam. The African Swimming Crabs of the Genus Callinectes, by Mary J. Rathbun...... Reg Gt ty ors ea OS TS EEE eres Soe wae wk A Revision of the Nomenclature of the Brachyura, by Mary J. PRACRINGD fo eee has Ee ok ws Cs a ee a ea ee as ea Two New Plants from Mount Mazama, Oregon, by Frederick V. ; Coville and Jonn 2 beibere 22 30 en es pee ts Se Notes on the Nomenclature of Four Genera of Tropical American Mammals, by T.S. Palmer..... hg ea ae with faint buffy suffusion on outer side of fore legs, and tinged wi st fulvous on outer side of hind legs; tail pale, under side white basal, .. goming buff, and narrowly tipped with black. ‘ Cranial and dental characters.—Skull and teeth similar to those of C. latrans, but slightly smaller. The lower premolars and carnassial and the upper carnassial and first molar are decided!y smaller and less swollen than in latrans. C. pallidus is a pale arid-land representative of latrans. It inhabits the Great Plains from eastern Colorado northward into Canada, and is common throughout Montana except in the mountains. On the southern plains, from eastern Colorado southward, it is replaced by another species. Specimens of both have been obtained at Arkins, Colorado. Measurements.—Unfortunately we have no flesh measurements of the type specimen, but the hind foot (dry) measures 77 millimeters. |The form averages a little smaller than C. latrans. Cranial measurements.—($\ adult, Johnstown, Nebraska.) Basal length, 177; basilar length of Hensel, 173; zygomatic breadth, 100; palatal length, 93; mastoid breadth, 63.5; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 21. Canis lestes sp. nov. Type locality.—Toyabe Mountains near Cloverdale, Nevada. No. 34332, 3 adult, U. S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. Collected November 21, 1890, by Vernon Bailey. Original No. 2223. Geographic distribution.—Transition and Upper Sonoran areas from the Rocky Mountains westward, and from the arid interior of British Columbia (Aschroft, Shuswap) southward over Washington and Oregon, and the mountains farther south to the plateau region of northern Arizona and New Mexico, and thence southward along the continental divide to the Mexican boundary. In California C. lestes inhabits the coast ranges about San Luis Obispo and probably elsewhere, as well as the Sierra Nevada, and in winter it wanders out over the deserts, invading the range of C. estor. Characters. —Size large (next to latrans); ears and tail large; coloration almost as in latrans ; cranial characters as in ee, but peal and teeth averaging somewhat larger. Color.—Muzzle very pale cinnamon rufous; top of head from a little in front of eyes to ears grizzled gray and ochraceous; crown, nape, and ears fulvous, deepest on ears; rest of upper parts grayish buffy mixed with black hairs (general effect slightly paler than in Jlatrans) ; underparts whitish, more or less suffused with buffy across middle of belly; long hairs of throat conspicuously tipped with black, forming a broad ‘ ruff’ ; fore and hind legs and feet buffy-ochraceous on outer side, whitish on inner side and on upper surface of hind feet; tail broadly tipped with 26 Merriam— Revision of the Coyotes. black ; its lower surface whitish on basal third ; ochraceous on distal two- thirds, the hairs of terminal third moderately tipped with black, th black increasing toward black end of tail. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull and teeth clearly of the pallidus type; premolar and carnassial teeth smaller and less swollen than in latrans. Compared with C. ochropus, the skull and teeth are larger and more massive and the rostrum is much broader. A much closer resem- blance exists between C. lestes and the broad-muzzled peninsule and frus- tror. Contrasted with peninsulx, the skull is somewhat larger and the eeth heavier; contrasted with frustror, the skull is smaller (decidedly shorter), more massive, the frontals flatter and less elevated posteriorly, and the teeth very much larger. Remarks.—Externally Canis lestes resembles C. latrans, being much more highly colored than its nearest relative, C. pallidus. On the other hand, it is decidedly paler than either peninsulz or frustror. Its ears are larger than those of pallidus and frustror, but smaller than those of peninsule. Measurements.—Type specimen, j‘ adult: total length, 1116 ;. tail ver- tebrze, 320; hind foot, 200. | Cranial measurements.—Ty pe specimen, ¢ adult, rather old: basal length, 170; basilar length of Hensel, 166; zygomatic breadth, 102;* palatal length, 88; mastoid breadth, 62; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 21.5. Canis frustror Woodhouse. Canis frustror Woodhouse, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., V, 147, 1851. Type locality. —Fort Gibson, at junction of Neosho River with the Ar- kansas, Indian Territory. Characters.t—Similar to C. peninsulx, but somewhat larger; colors paler, ears shorter, rostrum longer. - Color.—Muzzle cinnamon rufous; space between eyes and reaching half way to ears grizzled gray and fulvous; top of head, nape, and ears pale fulvous, deepest on the ears; rest of upper parts buffy-ochraceous, pro- fusely mixed with black; under parts whitish, with a strong buffy-ochra- ceous suffusion across middle of belly ; long hairs of throat conspicuously tipped with black, the black hairs running back over breast along median line; fore and hind legs and feet fulvous all round, deepest on outer side ; upper surface of forearm and feet abundantly mixed with black, which forms an almost continuous stripe; antero-external face of thigh well * The skull of the type is unusually broad across the zygomata. The normal zygomatic breadth in adult male skulls is about 97. + The present description is from a specimen from Padre Island, Texas, which is unquestionably paler and less red than the animal of the interior, Audubon describes one from San Antonio, Texas, as having the neck red- dish brown, ‘‘ with bars under the throat and on the chest and belly of a reddish tinge.” The type specimen of C. frustror is in the National Mu- suem and, as pointed out by Baird, is hardly half grown. Revision of the Coyotes. 27 sprinkled with black hairs which reach down more than half way to heel ; under side of tail fulvous, white basally, and with hairs of distal half conspicuously tipped with black. Cranial and dental characters. —Skulls from Padre Island and Nueces Bay are similar to those of C. peninsule from Lower California, except that they are somewhat larger, have decidedly longer rostrums and more ele- vated frontals. The elevation of the froutal shield posteriorly is greater than inany other Coyote. The teeth, though relatively smaller, are almost as large as in peninsule. Inthe Nueces Bay skulls the upper carnassial is peculiarly swollen and rounded anteriorly, with the inner cusp set back considerably behind the anterior plane of the tooth. Remarks.—Canis frustror (assuming the name to apply to the Padre Island specimen above described) resembles C. peninsulz from Lower California in general characters, differing chiefly in somewhat larger size, paler colora- tion, shorter ears, larger amount of black on forearm, and longer rostrum. Measurements.— young adult, Padre Island, Texas: total length, 1190 ; tail vertebree, 320; hind foot, 200. Cranial measurements.—f adult from Padre Island, Texas: basal length, 182; basilar lengthof Hensel,179 ; zygomatic breadth, 102; palatal length, 94; mastoid breadth, 63; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 19. Canis cagottis (Hamilton Smith). Lyciscus cagottis Hamilton Smith, Jardine’s Nat. Library, Mammals, vol. IV, 164, 1839. ? Canis nigrirostris Licht., Abhandl. K. Akad. Wiss., Berlin (1827), pp. 105- 106, 1830. Type locality.—Rio Frio, between City of Mexico and Puebla, Mexico. Characters.*—Similar to C. peninsulx, but slightly larger and redder, with somewhat shorter ears, larger teeth, and broader rostrum. Color.—Muzzle bright ferruginous; top of head grizzled buffy-grayish and fulvous, the fulvous predominating, especially posteriorly; crown, nape, and ears fulvous, deepest on the ears; rest of upper parts grizzled fulvous, buffy, and black (the black-tipped hairs worn off in the Cerro San Felipe specimen, but probably very abundant and conspicuous in winter pelage) ; fore legs and feet dull fulvous, with very little black over wrists; hind legs and feet deep fulvous on outer side, the legs abruptly whitish on inner side and feet much paler on upper surface; under sur- face of tail fulvous, whitish basally ; hairs of terminal third black-tipped. Cranial and dental characters.—The skull of the adult male from Cerro San Felipe agrees with that of the type specimen of Canis peninsule in size and general cranial characters, but has the base of the rostrum very much thicker and more swollen, a broader and shorter palate (remarkably broad posteriorly), broader interpterygoid fossa, and much shorter mandible, which is strongly bellied under the carnassial and molars. The teeth are larger and heavier, particularly those of the lower *The present description is based on a specimen (,j' adult) from the Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico, in summer pelage. 5—Bron, Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 28 Merriam—Revision of the Coyotes. jaw. The upper carnassial is much more swollen and broadly rounded anteriorly, with a relatively insignificant inner cusp (protocene). The first upper molar is very iarge and broad and is broadly rounded on the inner side, without the posterior emargination of C. peninsule. The last upper molar is subquadrate and in contact with the first for nearly half the length of the anterior face. The lower premolars and carnassial are much larger, heavier, and more crowded than in peninsule, but the pos- terior molar is minute on one side and absent on the other (without trace of alveolus). A very young skull from the volcano of Toluca, which has not shed the milk teeth, has enormous audital bull; but very young skulls of wolves always have larger bull than adults. Remarks.—Hamilton Smith’s original description of cagottis is as follows: “The Caygotte of the Mexican Spaniards, and most probably the Coyotl of the native Indians, is a second species, but slightly noticed by tray- elers. Mr. William Bullock observed it near Rio Frio, in the Mexican Territory, and was informed by muleteers then with him that it was the Caygotte, a very fierce kind of wolf. The individuals he saw were in size equal to a hound, of a brownish rusty gray, with buff-colored limbs, and rather a scanty brush.” While there is nothing distinctive about this description, it may be assumed, on geographic grounds, to apply to the animal from the Cerro San Felipe. For the same reason one would expect Lichtenstein’s C. nigrirostris to belong here also; but Lichtenstein states that his animal has a black muzzle and short pointed ears, characters not possessed by any Coyote known to me. Lichtenstein’s specimen was col- lected by Deppe at Real de Arriba, in the State of Mexico. If its skull is still in the Berlin Museum, its relations to the Cerro San Felipe skull may be easily ascertained. If not a freak it may be the large wolf of southern Mexico. Measurements —Adult 3 from Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca: total length, 1132; tail vertebrze, 304; hind foot, 195. Cranial measurements.—Adult 3 from Cerro San Felipe: basal length, 164; basilar length of Hensel, 160; zygomatic breadth, 98; palatal length, 84; mastoid breadth, 59; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 21. Canis peninsule sp. nov. Type locality.—Santa Anita, Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. Type No. 74245, § adult, U.S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. Collected May 15, 1895, by J. E. McLellan. General characters.—Similar to C. ochropus in size, large ears, and rich coloration, but colors darker and redder, underside of tail blacker ; belly marked with black-tipped hairs; rostrum much broader. Color.—Muzzle cinnamon rufous, the cheeks abundantly mixed with black hairs, almost forming a black patch under eyes; top of head griz- zled grayish fulvous, mixed with black hairs between and above eyes; ears rich fulvous; upper parts buffy-ochraceous profusely mixed with black (under fur pale fulvous); underparts strongly washed with buffy- ochraceous or even pale fulvous, with numerous black-tipped hairs be- Revision of the Coyotes. 29° tween fore legs and along middle of belly ; long hairs of throat forming a strongly marked collar, tinged with buffy and conspicuously mixed with black-tipped hairs; fore and hind legs and feet fulvous; underside of tail fulvous, whitish basally ; distal half with long hairs conspicuously tipped with black, forming a black veil over the fulvous. Cranial and dental characters.—The skull which Canis peninsule resem- bles most closely is an adult male from the Cerro San Felipe, State of Oaxaca, Mexico, assumed to belong to the species named cagottis by Hamilton Smith. The skull of the type specimen of peninsulxe agrees with the Cerro San Felipe skull essentially in size and general characters, but the rostrum is not so short and broad (in the Cerro San Felipe skull it is remarkably broad posteriorly), and the lateral teeth, though large, are uniformly smaller and less swollen. The difference is most marked in the lower jaw. Compared with C. frustror from Texas, the skull of peninsulx is shorter, the frontal shield lessel evated posteriorly, and the lateral teeth larger. Compared with its neighbor from the interior of California, C. ochropus, the rostrum is very much broader, the whole skull heavier and more massive, the horizontal ramus of the mandible deeper and more * bellied,’ and the lateral teeth larger and thicker. Cranial measurements.—Type skull, § adult: basal length, 169; basilar length of Hensel, 167; zygomatic breadth, 99 ; palatal length, 90 ; mastoid breadth, 57; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 20.5. Canis microdon sp. nov. Type locality. —Mier, on Rio Grande River, State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. No. 33333, ¢ adult, U. S. National Museum, Department of Agriculture collection. .Collected April 28, 1891, by William Lloyd. Original No. 478. Characters. —Size small; coloration rather dark; upper surface of hind foot whitish; belly anvinikied with black- -tipped hairs; carnassial and molar teeth very small. Color.—Muzzle pure cinnamon rufous ; top of head grizzled grayish and ochraceous; ears fulvous; rest of upper parts buffy-ochraceous, profusely mixed with black hairs (under fur buffy or buffy-ochraceous); under parts whitish between fore legs and between thighs; middle of belly buffy, with black-tipped hairs extending all the way across and also reaching forward along median line to long hairs of throat, which latter are strongly marked with black-tipped hairs; fore legs and feet fulvous, becoming whitish on inner side of leg; upper side of forearm strongly mixed with black; hind legs and feet pale fulvous on outer side, chang- ing to white on inner side of leg and upper surface of foot ; under side of tail pale buffy fulvous, whitish at base, and with haar: of distal half broadly tipped with black. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull short and broad; muzzle and palate exceedingly short and broad ; teeth small, particularly the carnassial and first upper molar. Remarks.—Canis microdon does not require close comparison with any known wolf. From its nearest relative, C. mearnsi, it differs in shorter 30 Merriam—Revision of the Coyotes. rostrum, smaller upper carnassial, and more emarginate first upper molar. Externally it differs from mearnsi conspicuously, the upper parts being darker and the fulvous tints deeper, duller, and less extensive. In mearnsi the whole of the legs and feet are bright orange-fulvous. In microdon the white of the under parts reaches down on the inner side of the legs all the way to the wrists and ankles, and the upper surface of the hind feet is white. Canis microdon is distantly related to C. vigilis, of the southwest coast of Mexico, but it differs from vigilis in numerous and important characters. The palate is shorter and broader, and the carnassial and molar teeth of the male are about the size of those of the female vigilis. The external differences are even more marked. The sides of the face lack the con- spicuous black hairs of vigilis ; the under fur of the back is buffy or pale buffy-ochraceous instead of fulvous; the belly is white and buffy, abun- dantly mixed with black-tipped hairs instead of everywhere saturated with fulvous; the fulvous of the fore and hind legs is pale and less ex- tensive; the black of the forearm less extensive; the color of the hind legs and feet entirely different: the outer side only of the hind leg is ful- vous, the inner side being white and the upper surface of the hind foot white or whitish. In vigilis the hind legs and feet are deep fulvous all round. The hairs of the distal half of the tail are broadly tipped with black, while in vigilis they are fulvous throughout. Measurements.—Type specimen, <¢ adult: total length, 1070; tail ver- tebree, 320; hind foot, 186; weight, 28 pounds. Cranial measurements.—Basal length, 161; basilar length of Hensel, 158; zygomatic breadth, 93.5; palatal length, 84; mastoid breadth, 57; length of crown of upper carnassial tooth, 16.5. Canis mearnsi* sp. nov. Type locality.—Quitobaquita, Pima County, Arizona. No. 59899, SCOTIA. BY OUTRAM BANGS. For some years I have known of the existence in Nova Scotia * of a large red fox, much larger and of a deeper color than the small yellowish red Vulpes pennsylvanica typica (Bodd.) of the Central States. I have had some difficulty in getting specimens of this fox, but now have a series of five skins and six skulls from Digby, Bear River, and Annapolis, Nova Scotia. Unfortunately my specimens are mostly females or young. I have no skin and only one skull of a very old male. The old males are often of great size. My friend, H. A. P. Smith, Esq., of Digby, who has killed very many, has several times taken them weighing close to twenty pounds. The Nova Scotia fox presents all the color phases known as cur,’ ‘cross,’ ‘silver gray,’ and ‘black’ foxes. One of my specimens is a fine ‘cross.’ The new fox in its normal red _pel- age is a very beautiful animal, and the fur is well known to dealers, who pay much higher prices for it than for the fur of the southern red fox. 6 The new form may be known as: Vulpes pennsylvanica vafra subsp. nov. Type from Digby, Nova Scotia, No. 116, female, old adult. Collection of E. A. and O. Bangs. Collected November 3, 1898, by O. Bangs. General characters.—Size considerably larger than Vulpes pennsylvanica * This large form probably ranges throughout Boreal Eastern North America generally. 11—Brot. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 (53) 54 Bangs—A New Red Fox from Nova Scotia. typica. General color of upper parts bright ferruginous instead of tawny ochraceous, as in V. pennsylvanica typica. Color (the type in normal red phase).— Whole upper parts deep, bright ferruginous, somewhat mixed with yellow-tipped hairs on face and rump, this color extending around sides and almost meeting on belly ; abdomen, inner sides of flanks, and upper lip white; throat, chin, and central line along belly grayish white; tail ferruginous with a conspicuous white pencil, many of the hairs black tipped; upper surface of ears black, edged all round with yellowish ferruginous and dirty white inside; hand and forearm black, gradually shading into ferruginous at elbow; foot black, slightly mixed with ferruginous, the black extending up flank in a narrow line. Cranial characters. —Skull larger than that of V. pennsylvanica typica from the Central and New England States; rostrum broader; distance across roots of canines much greater; dentition much heavier. Size of an old adult @ skull (the type): basilar length (basion to front of premaxillary), 133; occipitonasal length, 133.2; zygomatic breadth, 75.8; mastoid breadth, 46; greatest breadth of rostrum, 24; greatest jength of single half of mandible, 106.8. Size of an old adult % skull (No. 2001, Bangs collection, topotype): basilar length, 134.2; occipitonasal length, 135.2: zygomatic breadth, 79.4; mastoid breadth, 47; greatest breadth of rostrum, 25.8; greatest length of single half of mandible, 110.4. Two skulls of V. pennsylvanica typica of exactly corresponding ages measure as follows: 2 old adult, from Hampton, Connecticut, No. 4286, Bangs collection: basilar length, 120; occipitonasal length, 122.6; zygomatic breadth, 71.6; mastoid breadth, 44; greatest breadth of rostrum, 21; greatest length of single half of mandible, 96.8. ne A A a A ek et merriami. Kry tro Mempers or TownsenpI Group IN ORDINARY PELAGE. Tail exceedingly long; ear stripes and post-auricular spots in- distinct. WFORGPEL COUT OPN VIB, sis sess oy beep oo one ka ok ree elias merriami. Tail not exceedingly long; ear stripes and post-auricular spots conspicuous. e Rump and general ground color clear light gray ; dark stripes rusty; flanks bright ochraceous fulvous............ ... senex. Rump and general ground color not gray ; dorsal stripes not rusty (except in hindsi). Under parts suffused with fulvous and strongly en- croached upon by color of sides; sides of throat and face strongly suffused with fulvous. General color rich dark grizzled olive-gray....... ochrogenys. Under parts white, not encroached upon by color of sides; sides of throat not suffused, and face only slightly suffused with fulvous. General color uniform yellowish olive-gray, includ- ing flanks and rump; all 5 dark stripes showing more or less black; outer pair of light stripes broad, pale yellowish, becoming grayish with WORT SG sod vert $5.9 CUA Me eh ae Oi ees ....townsendi. General color not uniform and not yellowish olive gray; flanks bright fulvous, becoming pale with wear; dorsal stripes rusty, the median one (and sometimes the inner lateral pair) showing black along middle; outer pair of light stripes narrow, WRENN seach 5 5 ts gh awigs BEA a Es oa bce ce hindsi. Key to MemsBers or TowNSENDI Group IN ReppIsu Post-BREEDING PELAGE. Tail exceedingly long. 7 Ear stripes and post-auricular spots not sharply defined ; : outer pair of light stripes whitish; inner pair grizzled PARE Nts ge oa hws ee PU EN Meee ORV IEE hie sant Space merriami. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 199 Tail not exceedingly long. Upper parts with at least 3 dorsal stripes distinetly black. Ground color of upper parts (including flanks and inner pair of light stripes) wniform dull yellowish ful- vous from neck to tail; outer pair of light stripes slightly yellower and very broad; external lateral dark stripe showing black (making 5 stripes showing black) ; ear stripes and post-auricular spots sharply - defined and very conspicuous..................05. townsendi. Ground color of upper parts not uniform; flanks and fore part of back rich ferruginous; outer pair of light stripes whitish, more or less washed with fulvous, and narrow; external lateral stripe rusty ; ear stripe and post-auricular spots only moderately defined. . . hindsi. Upper parts with only one dorsal stripe (the median) distinetly black. Top of head and rump grizzled gray ; outer pair of light stripes whitish ; inner pair grizzled gray ; under parts white ; under side of tail dull fulvous............. .senen. Top of head and rump grizzled fulvous or golden-ful- vous; outer pair of light stripes grizzled grayish, inner pair yellowish-fulvous ; under parts strongly suf- fused with salmon-fulvous ; under side of tail deep rich CRIME EER CEN Re Rigo VEE 8 Kd ee CROUTONS De Chea es ochrogenys. 5. REMARKS ON THE SPECIOSUS GROUP. The speciosus group is of hardly less interest than the townsendi group, from which it differs totally in appearance. The mem- bers of the townsendi series are large and dark, with relatively dull stripes; those of the speciosus series are decidedly smaller and lighter, with very bright stripes. Most members of the town- sendi group have become differentiated into full species, while those of the speciosus group (except palmeri, which is separately described) are still only subspecies. The townsendi group, as already shown, has both Boreal and Transition representatives ; those of the speciosus group are purely Boreal, inhabiting the Hudsonian and Canadian zones from timber-line down to the lower limit of spruce and firs. Their distribution therefore is not continuous, but takes the form of isolated colonies occupy- ing the summits of the higher mountains from San Jacinto Peak, in southern California, northward to the neighborhood of Donner, a little north of Lake Tahoe. The exact northern limit is un- known, but the group does not reach the mountains of northern California. The mountains on which members of the group are 200 Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. known to occur are San Jacinto, San Bernardino, Mt. Pifios, the Inyo and White Mts., and the High Sierra. The type locality of the species is Mt. San Bernardino, and the typical form occurs also on San Jacinto Peak, and on the eastern crest of the southern part of the High Sierra in the neighborhood of Mt. Whitney. Owing to the high altitudes it inhabits, its range is nowhere con- tinuous except in the High Sierra. Curiously enough, the northern form in the Sierra (neighbor- hood of Donner and Lake Tahoe) differs very appreciably from typical speciosus and may be known as subspecies frater (Allen). The form from the White and Inyo Mts. is also subspecifically separable and may be known as inyoensis nob. The form inhabiting the summit of Mt. Pifios is still different and may be known as subspecies callipeplus (Merriam). A closely related form, differing so little that it is included under the same name, inhabits the western crest of the southern Sierra. In studying the distribution of these Chipmunks it is interest- ing to observe that with the single exception of Mt. Pifios the mountains which encircle the west end of the Mohave Desert are too low to furnish a home for any member of the group, so that the colony of subspecies callipeplus inhabiting Mt. Pifios is sepa- rated widely not only from the nearest colony of typical speciosus, but also from the nearest part of the range of the Sierra colony of its own subspecies. - Recapitulating, it appears that there are four forms of speciosus which seem worthy of recognition by name: (1) speciosus proper, inhabiting the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mts. and the eastern crest of the High Sierra from Olancha Peak and Mt. Whitney northward an unknown distance, but not reaching the headwaters of the San Joaquin river; (2) callipeplus, inhabiting the summit of Mt. Pifios and the western slope of the Sierra from the headwaters of Tule river northward nearly to the Yosemite Valley; (8) tmyoensis, inhabiting the higher parts of the Inyo and White Mts., and (4) frater, inhabiting the higher parts of the main Sierra in the Lake Tahoe region of central California. It is difficult to understand why there should be three recog- nizable forms within a distance of 150 miles in the Sierra Nevada while two of these forms reappear on isolated mountains 100 and 150 miles south of the southernmost limit of their ranges in the Sierra. This seems the more remarkable since in the Sierra the > ON vats a hs Sak gt pi as i ick ce SN 3 ie bos A at la ol The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 201 two forms in question—speciosus and callipeplus—are separated, if at all, by a gap only 15 miles in width. In view of these facts it is important to bear in mind that the southern part of the lofty Sierra is split lengthwise by the upper valley of Kern River into two parallel ridges, one of which (the eastern) is inhabited by true speciosus, the other (the western) by callipeplus. It should be remembered also that the Mt. Pifios colony of callipeplus lies southwest of the Sierra colony, and that the San Bernardino Mt. colony of speciosus lies southeast of the Sierra colony of the same form. These facts, taken in connec- tion with the close relationship of spectosus with quadrivittatus of Colorado, point to the former continuous range of the group across the south end of the Great Basin from the Rocky Mts. to the Sierra, San Bernardino Mt., and San Jacinto Peak ; while the presence of a distinct form (callipeplus) on Mt. Pifios at the ex- treme west end of the Mohave Desert and on the western range of the Sierra not only points to a former connection between the now separated colonies of this forn’ by way of Tehachapi and the intervening low mountains, but also seems to show that the two existing colonies of true speciosus now separated by the Mo- have Desert were never united—unless in very remote times— by continuity of range along the horseshoe of mountains which connect the San Bernardino range with the Sierra. These facts argue great antiquity for the speciosus-quadrivittatus type and seem to show that very little change has taken place during the many thousands of years that have elapsed since the climate was cool enough to admit of continuity of Boreal forest across what are now the torrid Sonoran deserts of eastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. This view receives additional support from the large amount of differentiation undergone by the colonies of clearly derivative forms of these animals now stranded on isolated mountains within the area of former continuous range of quadrivittatus-speciosus across the southern part of the Great Basin. These forms are the subspe- cles inyoensis of the Inyo and White Mts., and the very distinct species palmerz of the Charleston Mts., both of which must have developed their distinctive peculiarities since the great change in climate took place. And it is interesting to note that the degree of differentiation of these forms is Eyres esas to the climatic isolation of their homes. » 202 Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. Characters of the 4 subspecies of Eutamias speciosus. Eutamias speciosus (Merriam) is the smallest and shortest-tailed mem-. ber of the series. In ordinary pelage it is the grayest of the group, and in all pelages the tail is deep rich fulvous above and below, and the fulvous of the upper surface is only partly hidden by the black tips of the hairs. The facial stripes are strongly marked and the post-auricular patches whitish and we!l defined. Euiamias speciosus frater (Allen) is considerably larger than true specio- sus; the fulvous of the sides (below the external-lateral stripe) is brighter and more extensive; the tail, particularly the upper side, is paler fulvous, the black tip is shorter, and the edges and tips of hairs on the upper sur- face are grayish instead of deep yellow. Eutamias speciosus inyoensis (nob.) is about the same size as frater and has the longest tail of any member of the group. The black tip of the tail is short, like that of frater, but the falvous of the upper side is much deeper and richer. The subspecies differs from all others in having the facial stripes less pronounced, the post-auricular patches indistinct, the back of the neck largely gray, the median dorsal stripe black, and the inner pair of light stripes grayish white. It agrees with callipeplus and differs from all the others in having the rump grizzled golden yellowish instead of gray. Eutamias speciosus callipeplus (Merriam) is the largest of the group. It agrees with inyoensis and differs from all the others in the grizzled golden yellow (instead of gray) of the rump, and the unusual amount of bright rufous in the upper side of the tail. The whitish post-auricular patches are larger and more clearly defined, and the yellow edging of the tail more extensive than in any of the others. In the typical form (from Mt. Pifios) the black tip of the tail is short ; in the Sierra form it is long—and this is the only difference Iam able to detect between the two colonies. We have no specimens from Mt. Pifios in post-breeding pelage, but speci- mens in this pelage from the west slope of the Sierra differ from frater in the same pelage in having the post-auricular patches better defined; the dark facial stripes darker and sharper and the white ones whiter; the inner pair of light dorsal stripes more obscured by fulyous; the rump yellower; the ears longer; the tail larger and more bushy, edged with deep yellow instead of grayish or pale yellowish, with the upper surface very much deeper and richer fulvous. Hutamias speciosus callipeplus in post-breeding pelage resembles EL. quadrimaculatus in corresponding pel- age, but differs in smaller size, shorter ears, very much brighter tints; in smaller, grayer, and less sharply defined post-auricular patches; broader external white dorsal stripes; blacker ant-orbital part of eye stripe; and yellowish instead of hoary tips to the hairs on the upper side of the tail. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 203 6. Nore on ‘ TAMIAS QUADRIMACULATUS’ GRAY. Eutamias quadrimaculatus (Gray). Long-eared Chipmunk. Tamias quadrimaculatus Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., 3d ser., XX, 435, 1867; Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., III, 80-82, 1890. Tamias macrorhabdotes Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc., Wash., III, 25-28, Jan. 27, 1886; Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., III, 78-80, 1890. The material necessary for the final determination of the status and interrelations of the large Chipmunks of the Sierra Nevada was collected by the Death Valley Expedition. The names that have been given to these species are Tamias quadrimaculatus Gray (1867), 7. macrorhabdotes Merriam (1886), T. merriami Allen (1889), and T. senex Allen (1890). T. merriami isa very distinct species from the one under consideration, and need not be discussed in the present connection. (See p. 197.) Tamas quadrimaculatus was described by Gray in 1867 from a specimen from Michigan Bluff on the west slope of the Sierra in Placer County, California. This specimen is in the réd_post- breeding pelage, as shown by the original description and by a note from Mr. Oldfield Thomas, published by Dr. J. A. Allen (Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., III, p. 82, June, 1890). The species was not recognized by Baird, and Allen, in his Monograph of the Sciuridee (1877), gave it as a synonym of townsendt. In 1886 I described, under the name Zamias macrorhabdotes, a long-eared and strikingly colored Chipmunk from Blue Cafion in the Sierra Nevada of central California. At this time no speci- men of Gray’s quadrimaculatus was available for comparison, the only specimen extant (the type) being in the British Museum. Subsequently I came in possession of asingle specimen in rather poor pelage from Nevada City, California, which differed from the specimens of macrorhabdotes from Blue Cafion (the type lo- cality) in having considerably smaller and less distinctly striped ears, smaller post-auricular spots, the shoulders, anterior half of the back, and flanks deeply suffused with intense ferruginous, and the hind feet of the same color, though duller. This speci- men was correctly identified by both Doctor Allen and myself as Gray’s quadrimaculatus. Owing to the differences just men- tioned, Doctor Allen, in his revision of the species of the genus Tamias, concurred with me in admitting Gray’s quadrimaculatus and my macrorhabdotes as different species. In addition to the material available when Dr. Allen wrote 204 = Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. his revision of the group, large series of specimens are now before me from the three localities involved, namely, Nevada City, Michigan Bluff (the type locality of quadrimaculatus), and Blue Cafion (the type locality of macrorhabdotes). The Nevada City specimens alone are sufficient to settle the question. Some of them have just attained the post-breeding or summer pelage ; others are in the worn breeding pelage, and others still are im- mature. Those in the fresh summer pelage agree with the speci- men above described from the same locality, except that the ears and post-auricular spots are decidedly larger. Specimens in worn breeding pelage, however, are quite different, having merely a suspicion of the rich rusty color on the back and shoulders, and the rusty of the hind feet much less pronounced. These specimens, in fact, agree with specimens of macrorhabdotes from Blue Cafion in corresponding pelage. Furthermore, to put the matter beyond dispute, a series of specimens was obtained by the expedition from Michigan Bluff, the actual type locality of Gray’s quadrimaculatus. ‘They were collected in the latter part of October by Mr. Vernon Bailey, and agree in every particular with October specimens from Blue Cafion, the type locality of macrorhabdotes. They agree also with the Nevada City specimens in breeding pelage, except that the colors are a little deeper, the coat being new instead of worn. It is obvious, therefore, that quadrimaculatus Gray and macrorhabdotes Merriam are one and the same animal—the former in summer, the latter in fall pelage.* The much greater development of ferruginous on the original Nevada City specimen and on the additional specimens in sum- mer pelage more recently obtained from the same locality is purely a seasonal character, pertaining to the short-lived sum- mer pelage. The October specimens of ‘ macrorhabdotes’ then available for comparison were believed by both Doctor Allen and myself to be in the post-breeding or summer pelage, and there- fore strictly comparable with the Nevada City specimen—the late fall or winter pelage not having been recognized at that time in this or any other species of the genus. * Doctor Allen states that he was at first inclined to regard the two as identical, and Mr. Oldfield Thomas, Curator of Mammals in the British Museum, who compared a Blue Cafion specimen with Gray’s type, wrote on the back of the label: ‘‘ Certainly identical with the type of T. quadri- maculatus Gr., which only differs by more yellowish and less sharply de- fined underside and more fulvous flanks and shoulders.’’—Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., III, June, 1890, 82. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 205 The summer pelage is of very brief duration, and a reéxamina- tion of the original Nevada City specimen (collected in October, 1872, by E. W. Nelson) shows that it had already begun to as- sume the winter pelage, which is fully developed on the tail and rump, the deep rusty back of the summer pelage remaining in sharp contrast. In August specimens from Nevada City the rusty of the back reaches farther posteriorly. All of the original specimens from Blue Cafion described by me as macrorhabdotes and also those described later by Doctor Allen were collected in June and October—the latter in winter pelage, the former in breeding pelage, which is the winter pelage with the tips of the hairs worn off. Neither of us, as already remarked, had seen the summer pelage, though at that time we believed the October specimens to be in this pelage. The original Nevada City specimen had abnormally short ears, and the ear stripes were indistinct and quite different from those of the original Blue Cafion specimens, the whole of the dark stripe, covering the anterior two-thirds of the ear, being obscured by rusty. Examination of the additional material now available shows that the full development of the ear stripes is a seasonal character and is only attained in the winter pelage. In this pelage the posterior third of the ear is clear blue-gray, sharply defined by a stripe of blackish which occupies the anterior two- thirds, and is margined with rusty in front only. In summer pelage the rusty spreads over the whole of the dark stripe, ob- scuring it and giving the ear a wholly different appearance. The outer pair of pale dorsal stripes is whiter in summer than at any other season. The excessive length of the ears, which adds much to the re- markable appearance of the animal, is most pronounced in the Blue Cafion specimens. The ears are nearly as long in the Michigan Bluff specimens and only slightly shorter in those from Nevada City. In some respects Eutamias quadrimaculatus seems to hold an intermediate position between callipeplus of the speciosus group and senex of the townsendi group, but in reality it is not interme- diate. The particulars in which it differs from callipeplus have been stated (p. 202). In post-breeding pelage it resembles senezx, but it differs from senex in the following points: ear larger and longer; white face stripe, ear stripe, post-auricular patches, and outer pair of white dorsal stripes whiter; dark facial stripes 47—Bion. Soc. Wasn., Vou. XI, 1897 206 Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. darker; tail more strongly fulvous, particularly on upper sur- face. In quadrimaculatus the lower cheek stripe is usually dusky, at least posteriorly, and reaches backward behind the plane of the ear; the post-auricular patches are larger than in senex, and are pure white instead of bluish gray; the eye stripe is usually blackish both behind and in front of the eye; the outer pair of dorsal stripes are almost as white as in speciosus, though not so broad. The geographic range of EF. quadrimaculatus is a narrow belt along the lower part of the west slope of the Sierra Nevada from the Yosemite National Park northward to Quincy, in Plumas County. In its relations to other forms, it lies below the range of senex and seems to replace merriami on the spiked slopes north of the Yosemite. 7. Descriptions oF NEW SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES. Eutamias townsendi ochrogenys subsp. nov. Redwood Chipmunk. Type from Mendocino, California, No. 67182, ¢ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 17, 1894, by J. E. McLellan. Original No. 1015. (In change of pelage: anterior half of body in fresh post-breeding coat.) General characlers.—Size large; general coloration dark and rich; post- auricular spots and ear stripe bluish gray, large and conspicuous; side of face ochraceous in all pelages; color of sides extending far down on under- parts except in post-breeding pelage when the under parts are strongly washed with salmon-ochraceous ; ant-orbital part of middle dark facial stripe obsolete. Resembles merriami in corresponding pelages, but differs in uniformly darker coloration, more conspicuous ear stripes and post- auricular spots, presence of ochraceous suffusion on underparts and sides of face, and absence of ant-orbital part of middle dark face stripe. Differs from townsendi in all pelages by color of underparts, which is always white in townsendi, and by different colors of upper parts. Color.— Winter pelage (in spring and early summer, before replaced by post-breeding pelage) : upper parts rich olive, finely grizzled with gray and golden, and becoming dull fulvous on sides; dorsal dark stripes black, more or less obscured by fulvous-tipped inci inner pair of light stripes only faintly paler than general ground color = upper parts; outer pair of light stripes grayish; post-auricular spot and posterior ear stripe bluish gray and sharply defined ; rest of ear dusky or blackish ; becoming more and more fulvous as summer advances; sides of face, including stripes, suffused with ochraceous, increasing in intensity and area as the season advances; fore and hind feet olive gray slightly tinged with pale fulvous, the fulvous increasing in summer; tail above blackish with hoary tips; below rich chestnut with broad submarginal black band. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutanias. 207 Post-breeding pelage: upper parts fulvous, brightest and richest on sides, becoming paler and duller on rump; dark dorsal stripes much redder than in winter pelage, the median one only showing any clear black; inner pair of light stripes also suffused with fulvous; outer pair grayish; face (sometimes including nose), anterior and inner part of ears, under parts, and fore and hind feet strongly suffused with fulvous. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 261; tail vertebree, 113; hind foot, 38. Average of 8 specimens from type locality: total length, 263; tail vertebree, 115.5; hind foot, 38.5. Average of 18 specimens from Cazadero and Gualala, California: total length, 260.5; tail vertebree, 111.6; hind foot, 38.5. Remarks.—In post-breeding pelage E. ochrogenys assumes a fulvous pelage, which while differing conspicuously from the corresponding pelage of hindsi is very much more like hindsi in worm spring pelage. In fact, except for the dates on the labels it would be hard to tell from the color whether certain specimens were the redwood Chipmunk in post-breeding pelage or hindsi in spring pelage. Of course the post-breeding pelage is fresher and less worn, and carries with it a salmon-fulvous suffusion on the belly which is much less extensive in hindsi. In some specimens of hindsi in summer pelage the fulvous of the sides washes across the belly, but this wash is much less extensive and less intense than in the redwood animal. There is also a difference in the color of the upper parts, although this is sometimes hard to be sure of. The post auricular patches are whiter than in hindsi, and the inner pair of light stripes are more strongly suffused with yellowish. All of the stripes are shorter posteriorly, so that the unmarked area of the rump is more extensive than in hindsi. Contrasting specimens in corresponding pelage, there is no difficulty in separating the two animals. J. hindsi in summer pelage is a very red Chipmunk, and the upper parts, particularly from the back of the neck to the lumbar region, are very bright rich fulvous. In hindsi, moreover, in post-breeding pelage the three dorsal dark stripes are black, and even the external lateral stripe is distinctly marked, though washed with fulvous. In the redwood animal the dark stripes are never black, and the external lateral stripe is nearly obsolete. EButamias oreocetes sp. nov. Timber-line Chipmunk. Type from timber-line near Summit, Teton Mts. [main range Rocky Mts.], Montana. No. 72468, 2 ad. (nursing). U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 14, 1895, by Vernon Bailey. Orig. No. 5024. General characters. -In spring pelage similar in color and general ap- pearance to Hutamias minimus and alpinus, which very distinct species bear a surprisingly close seperficial resemblance to one another ; dorsal stripe longer, broader, and blacker than in either minimus or alpinus, in this respect resembling the larger affinis in spring pelage. Color.—Type in spring pelage [= left-over winter pelage]: upper parts gray with a buffy yellowish suffusion on flanks and on side of neck just in front of foreleg; post-auricular spots whitish ; top of head grizzled 208 Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Hutamias. grayish, dorsal stripe from between ears to tail black ; lateral dark stripes black, the hairs tipped with rusty; inner pair of pale stripes whitish ; outer pair white; rump gray; feet whitish ; tail above, grizzled buffy yel- lowish ; below, pale fulvous with black submarginal band edged with buffy ochraceous. Cranial characters.—The skull of Eutamias oreocetes is so much smaller than that of its geographical neighbor, £. affinis, that no detailed com- parison is required. Contrasted with the skull of E. alpinus from the High Sierra of California, the skull is slightly larger, the frontals decidedly narrower between orbits; parietals longer; rostrum blunter and much more swollen; teeth disproportionally larger, especially the molars. Measurements.—Type specimen, 2 ad.: total length, 193; tail vertebree, 90; hind foot, 31. Cranial measurements: basal length, 26; zygomatic ‘breadth, 18; palatal length, 15.5 ; upper molar series on crowns, 5. Butamias speciosus inyoensis subsp. nov. Inyo Chipmunk. Type from White Mts., Inyo Co., Calif. No. 22333, Jf yg. ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 7, 1891, by E. W. Nelson. Original No. 1069. Geographic distribution.—Boreal summits of White and Inyo Mts., Cali- fornia. General characters.—Similar to E. speciosus, but facial stripes less pro- nounced ; post-auricular patches ill defined; rump grizzled golden yel- lowish instead of gray; middle dorsal stripe blacker; gray on back of neck more extensive; black tip of tail shorter. Color.--Type (July 7): top of head grizzled grayish ; dorsal stripe from between ears to base of tail black, faintly edged with rusty along middle of back ; lateral dark stripes rusty anteriorly, becoming black edged with rusty on posterior half; outer pair of light stripes white; inner pair gray ; sides, from in front of foreleg to rump, bright fulvous ; back and sides of neck grayish white, the post-auricular spots indistinct ; rump golden yel- low, grizzled by black hairs ; upper surface of hind feet fulvous; fore feet washed with pale fulvous ; tail above, grizzled yellowish-ochraceous and black ; below, fulvous with submarginal black band. Measurements.—Type: total length, 225; tail vertebra, 102; hind foot, 34. Average of 4 specimens from type locality: total length, 227; tail vertebrae, 100; hind foot, 33.3. Butamias palmeri* sp. nov. Palmer’s Chipmunk. Type from Charleston Peak, Nevada (altitude about 2450 meters or 8000 feet). No. 28978, gf ad., U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey Coll. Collected by T. S. Palmer and E. W. Nelson Feb. 13, 1891. (Original No. 4382.) * Named in honor of Dr. T. S. Palmer, who was in command of the expedition during my absence, and who was in charge of the party that visited Charleston Peak and discovered the species. The Chipmunks of the Genus EHutamias. 209 General characters. —Eutamias palmeri resembles E. dorsalis in size and in the pallid grayish color of the upper parts in winter pelage, but differs in having the stripes more distinct, and in other particulars. In size it agrees very well with typical quadrivittatus, though the body is a little larger and the tail a little shorter, but it differs radically from quadrivit- tatus in coloration, resembling panamintinus much more closely, though differing in having the upper side of the tail black, and in other respects. Its real affinities are with the quadrivittatus group, as shown by cranial characters. The ears are rather small. The dorsal stripes are short at both ends, except the median one, which reaches the occiput. In the clear gray of the neck it resembles the pigmy £. pictus. Color.— Winter pelage: upper parts gray; no fulvous on back of neck ; flanks suffused with pale fulvous; light stripes hoary gray, the outer pair whitish ; the three dark dorsal stripes pale ferruginous, the middle one blackish or umber along the median line; outer pair of dark stripes obso- lete; facial stripes faintly developed, the lower (cheek) pair failing an- teriorly ; post-auricular spots dull whitish and not well defined; ear stripes distinct, the posterior dull bluish-white; the anterior dusky, edged along the anterior base with fulvous; feet grayish, faintly suffused with fulvous. Tail: upper side black for three-fourths its length (the base grayish), the extreme tips of the hairs on the base and sides (except the terminal part which is solid black) yellowish ; under surface rufous, bordered with black, and edged on the sides only with yellowish. Summer pelage unknown. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull slightly larger than that of quad- rivittatus, with larger audital bulle, and larger and heavier molar teeth, both above and below. The lower premolar is longer and narrower an- teriorly than in quadrivittatus, and the last lower molar is broader. Measurements of type specimen (taken in flesh).—Total length, 219; tail vertebree, 98; hind foot, 33. Average measurements of 13 specimens from type locality: total length, 219.3; tail vertebree, 93.4; hind foot, 33.3. General remarks.—Palmer’s Chipmunk has one of the most restricted ranges of any known mammal, being confined to the boreal summit of Charleston Peak —a lofty isolated mountain in southern Nevada. © This mountain is completely surrounded by arid deserts which prevent the spread of the species as effectually asan ocean. Though Eutamias palmeri bears points of resemblance to several species it is not closely related to any. Still it was evidently derived from the quadrivittatus-speciosus stock. The complete isolation of the mountain peak on which it lives sufficiently explains its peculiarities. Dr. Palmer has given me the following memorandum respecting the place where his chipmunk was obtained. Hesays: ‘‘ Thirteen specimens of this species were secured at an altitude of about 8,000 feet on the north- west side of Charleston Peak, where Mr. Nelson and I camped for two days, Feb. 12-14, 1891, in the bottom of a deep east and west cafion. At this time snow lay on the ground to the depth of a foot or more in the bottom of the cafion and covered the upper parts of the main ridge of the Charleston Mountains, but on the north slope of the cafion there was little 210 Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. orno snow. The timber in the cafion was composed mainly of yellow pines (Pinus ponderosa scopulorum), which formed a belt extending at least 1,000 feet above the altitude of camp. On the north side of the cafion Pinus monophylla and Juniperus californica wtahensis were the characteristic trees and here reach their highest altitude, owing to the effects of slope exposure. ‘* The chipmunks were abundant during the warm part of the day, run- ning along the logs and in open spaces on the sunny north side of the cafion. Nearly all the specimens were taken within a mile of camp. On the 13th of February an ascent was made of the main ridge northwest of Charleston Peak, but no chipmunks were seen more than 1,000 feet above the camp, doubtless owing to the snow and cold.”’ Eutamias dorsalis utahensis subsp. noy. Utah Cliff Chipmunk. Type from Ogden, Utah. No. #7%8, gj ad., Merriam Collection. Col- lected by Vernon Bailey Oct. 9, 1888. Original No. 289. General characters.—Similar to E. dorsalis, but slightly smaller and paler, with all of the markings less distinct, particularly the post-auricular patches and facial stripes ; under side of tail fulvous instead of rufous. Color.— Winter pelage: Upper parts hoary buff, darker on the top of the head, which is grizzled from the admixture of rusty hairs, suffused with pale fulvous on the sides; post-auricular spots small, indistinct, and pale buffy ; dorsal stripes nearly obsolete, the median only being noticeable in ordinary lights ; facial stripes distinct, but pale and pallid contrasted with those of typical dorsalis ; under side of tail fulvous, bordered with black and edged with yellowish. Summer pelage: Similar, but paler and more hoary from bleaching of the old hairs. In the young all of the stripes are distinct. Cranial characters. —The skull of subspecies wtahensis differs from that of typical dorsalis in smaller size, conspicuously shorter rostrum, and smaller teeth. The length of the nasal bones is conspicuously shorter than the combined length of the basioccipital and basisphenoid. In E. dorsalis the length of the nasals equals or exceeds the occipital-sphenoid length. Measurements of type specimen (taken in flesh).—Total length, 220; tail vertebree, 97; hind foot, 33. Ear from notch, 16 (in dry skin). Average of 10 specimens from type locality: total length, 223.6; tail vertebre, 102; hind foot, 32.9. ; General remarks.—The type specimen of ‘ Tamias dorsalis’ Baird,* came from the Silver mines in the Mimbres or Pifios Altos Mountains, about the sources of the Gila River in western New Mexico. Mr. Clark P. Streator was sent to the type local- ity late in November, 1892, and obtained 17 specimens in fresh winter pelage. The contrast between these specimens and the *Tamias dorsalis Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., VII, 332, 1855. The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. 211 series of wtahensis in corresponding pelage from the east base of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah is most striking. In typical dorsalis the post-auricular spots are white and much larger and more sharply defined than in wtahensis. They are bordered below by chestnut, a continuation of the lower facial stripe. All of the facial stripes are broad, sharply defined, and highly colored. The under side of the tail is deep chestnut—in some specimens bright orange-rufous—instead of fulvous, as in utahensis. The upper parts also are somewhat darker. The difference between summer and winter pelages seems to be much greater in dorsalis than in utahensis. The two forms would undoubtedly have been separated before if any recent mammalogist had seen typical specimens of both; but until the present series was obtained from the type locality the typical form was practically unknown. The difference in size between the two forms is marked, dorsalis’ being much the larger, as may be seen by reference to the ac- companying average measurements of specimens from the type localities of both : Average measurements of Hutamias dorsalis and E. dorsalis utahensis from type localities (measured in flesh). 2 > | 8 2 ee = 5 ‘ . om mM SY cs] or = e Species. Locality. ot oS lS @ og te 8 re eo) = x SQ ee ro) Ss ® a z Zi Be | a so Eutamias dorsalis..| Pifios Altos Mts.,| 14 | 236.3 | 128.6 | 107.7} 35.4 : . N. Mex. Eutamias dorsalis | Foot of Wasatch | 10 | 223.6 | 121.6 | 102 32.9 utahensis. Mts., near Og- den, Utah. Eutamias dorsalis utahensis was obtained by the Death Valley Expedition in but a single locality, namely, the Beaverdam Mountains in the extreme southwestern corner of Utah, where several were seen in rocky places in the pifion belt at an altitude of 1200 to 1375 meters (4000-4500 feet). They were so shy that only one was secured, although Mr. Bailey and I spent several hours in watching the rock heaps into which they had disap- peared. Two years later (in 1893) I found the species in the so-called ‘San Francisco’ or ‘ Horn Silver’ Mts., between the south end 212 = Merriam—The Chipmunks of the Genus Eutamias. of Sevier Lake and the mining camp of Frisco, in southwestern Utah. The Cliff Chipmunk (including both £. dorsalis and subspecies ulahensis) is restricted so far as known to the Upper Sonoran and Transition Zones along the western and southern part of the Great Colorado Plateau and its outliers, where it ranges from the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in northeastern Utah southward as far as the Plateau extends in Arizona, and thence easterly to the Mimbres in the Pifios Altos Mountains in western New Mexico. Apparently the range of wtahensis is much more ex- tensive than that of the typical form, since specimens from east- ern Arizona are intergrades, and those from western Arizona and southeastern Nevada are nearly typical wtahensis. The name ‘Gila Chipmunk,’ commonly applied to E. dorsalis is a glaring misnomer, since it implies that the species inhabits the valley of the Gila, one of the hottest and most arid of the torrid Lower Sonoran Deserts. As a matter of fact it never enters this desert at all, but lives in a higher zone, under widely different conditions. The early use of the name Gila Chipmunk is due to the circumstance that the original specimen came from the mountains near the headwaters of the Gila River. Since the species always lives among rocks, and its favorite haunts are cafions and the faces of precipitous cliffs, the appropriate name Cliff Chipmunk is here given it in place of the old misleading one. VoL. XI, pp. 213-216 Juty 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ‘DESCRIPTIONS OF EIGHT NEW POCKET GOPHERS OF THE GENUS THOMOMYS, FROM OREGON, CALIFORNIA, AND NEVADA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Owing to unavoidable delay in the publication of my revision of the Pocket Gophers of the genus Thomomys, it is thought best to publish the following new species at once: Thomomys nevadensis sp. nov. Type from Austin, Nevada. No. 23993, d' yg. ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 11, 1890, by Vernon Bailey. Original No. 2097. General characters.—Size large —largest of the genus after 7. bulbivorus. Two color phases: pale buff and dark plumbeous slate. Skull suggesting that of 7. bulbivorus; incisors curving far forward, tail of medium length. Color.—Normal pelage: upper parts buff, pinkish buff, or buffy gray, becoming darker (sometimes dusky) on nose and around mouth ; under parts whitish buffy, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish; ears and small post-auricular spot dusky. Plumbeous pelage: uniform slate color above and below, with irregular white patch on throat and inner side of cheek pouches; fore and hind feet and terminal part of tail (irregularly) white or whitish. Cranial characters. —Skull large and heavy, only exceeded by that of 7. bulbivorus, which it resembles in general characters except in the pecu- liar form of the pterygoids; zygomata widely spreading ; squarely angu- lar, the jugals essentially parallel; temporal ridges meeting in a low sagittal crest in old males; premaxillee pushing far back behind nasals ; pterygoids normal (not expanded and inflated as in bulbivorus) ; incisors projecting forward, but not so far as in bulbivorus. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 275; tail verbobirte, 90 ; hind foot, 38. 48—Brion. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 (213) 214 Merriam—Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers. Thomomys angularis sp. nov. Type from Los Bafios, Merted Co., California. No. 58123, jad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Jan. 1, 1894, by J. E. Me- Lellan. Original No. 418. General characters.—Size medium ; color grizzled fulvous, varying in in- tensity ; skull similar in general to that of T. fulvus, but more massive, and differing in several characters ; upper incisors moderately produced. Color.—Upper parts fulvous, grizzled with black tipped hairs, which are most numerous on middle of back; top of nose and ears blackish ; under parts plumbeous strongly washed with buffy ochraceous ; fore and. hind feet and tail whitish. Cranial characters.—Skull large. and massive; braincase broad ; zygo- mata widely and squarely spreading; jugals parallel; temporal ridges meeting in old age; nasals emarginate posteriorly; interorbital region rounded; angular process of mandible expanded and produced. The skull of 7. angularis, contrasted with that of J. fulvus, is heavier, with larger and more squarely spreading zygomata, more rounded interorbital part of frontals ; approximating temporal ridges ; larger pterygoids, much larger angular processes of under jaw, and more prominent incisors. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 257; tail vertebra, 75; hind foot, 32. Thomomys mazama sp. nov. Type from Crater Lake, Mt. Mazama, Oregon. Exact locality, head of Anna Creek; altitude, 6000 feet. No. 80502, gj’ ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 3, 1896, by E. A. Preble. Orig- inal No. 1485. ~ General characters.—Size rather small; color dull fulvous; similar to T. monticolus Allen, but somewhat darker and differing materially in cranial characters. Color.—Upper parts from just in front of eyes to base of tail dull ful- yous brown; under parts strongly washed with fulvous; nose, end of muzzle all round; small circle round eye; ear and post-auricular spot dusky; fore and hind feet and tail whitish. Cranial characters.—Skull rather long and slender; similar to that of 7. monticolus Allen, but audital bulle decidedly larger ; zygomata somewhat more spreading, and sulcus on inner side of upper incisor less marked. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 214; tail vertebree, 71; hind foot, 27.5. Average of 3 specimens from Crater Lake: total length, 214; tail vertebree, 71; hind foot, 28. Thomomys quadratus sp. nov. Type from The Dalles, Oregon. No. 57134, j ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 2, 1893, by C. P. Streator. Orig- inal No. 3359. General characters.-—Externally similar to T. mazama and T, nasicus, but with a totally different skull. Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers. 215 Color.—Upper parts from half way between eyes and nose posteriorly to tail, russet fulvous; under parts dark plumbeous, washed with salmon fulvous; nose, muzzle all round, and ear spot dusky ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish, irregularly clouded with dusky. Cranial characters.—Skull short and broad; zygomata abruptly and widely spreading, with anterior-external angle nearly square and jugals parallel; nasals rather short, broad, squarely truncate posteriorly, and early ankylosed together; temporal ridges distant, parallel ; interparietal rather large and roughly oval; audital bulle rather large; upper incisors not sloping forward. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 220; tail vertebrae, 67; hind foot, 29. Average of 6 specimens from type locality: total length, 205; tail vertebrae, 64; hind foot, 27. Thomomys leucodon gp. nov. Type from Grant Pass, Rogue River Valley, Oregon. No. 32234, j) ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Dec. 17, 1891, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 1394. General characters.—Similar to T. laticeps from Humboldt Bay, but smaller; under parts brighter fulvous; incisors white instead of yellow and sloping more strongly forward; all the teeth much smaller. Color.—Upper parts from nose to tail dull fulvous brown, becoming brighter on sides and belly ; nose, sides of mouth, and ear spots dusky [no dusky ring round eye]; fore and hind feet whitish; tail yellowish buff. Cranial and dental characters. — Braincase broad ; zygomata widely spread- ing; temporal ridges parallel, distant; interparietal rather large, shield shaped ; skull similar to that of 7. laticeps but smaller ; nasals narrower and more deeply notched posteriorly ; basi-occipital narrower; incisors sloping far forward, their anterior faces white (sometimes slightly stained with pale yellow), narrower and more rounded than in laticeps. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 221; tail vertebra, 68; hind foot, 29. Thomomys operarius gp. nov. Type from Keeler, Owens Lake, Inyo Co., California. No. 33934, J ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Nov. 29, 1890, by E. W. Nelson. Original No. 1. General characters.—Size small; color pale buffy ; fore claws very long and slender; cranial characters peculiar. Does not require comparison with any known species. Color.—Uniform buffy yellowish or buff gray (according to pelage) from end of nose to tail; post-auricular spots plumbeous; under parts plum- beous strongly washed with white; fore and hind feet and tail white. _ Cranial characters.—Skull short, broad, and massive, with widely and squarely spreading zygomata, short and broad rostrum, broad interorbital region, and well marked temporal ridges (1-2 mm. apart in adults).. 216 Merriam—Descriptions of Eight New Pocket Gophers. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 228; tail vertebrze, 67 ; hind foot, 30. Average of 14 specimens from type locality: total length, 217; tail vertebree, 67; hind foot, 29.2. Thomomys alpinus sp. nov. Type from Mt. Whitney, High Sierra, California. Exact locality, Big Cottonwood Meadows (altitude, 10,000 feet', 8 miles SE. of Mt. Whitney peak. No. 39328, jad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Col- lected August 6, 1891, by B. H. Dutcher. Original No. 167. General characters. —Size rather small; coloration dark; similar in gen- eral to 7. fulvus, but fulvous tints much duller and paler; skull smaller and less angular. Color.—Type (in pale pelage): upper parts between sepia and drab brown, suffused with very pale dull fulvous brown; nose and sides of mouth dusky, the dusky reaching up between eyes; ears dusky, but with- out distinct post-auricular spot; under parts plumbeous, strongly washed with ochraceous buff; throat, fore feet, and tail irregularly white; hind feet white. There is a very much darker pelage in which the tips of the hairs are russet brown. Cranial characters. —Skull rather small, rounded; zygomata spreading ; frontals broad and flat interorbitally ; nasals rather short. The skull of T. alpinus differs from that of 7. fulvus in smaller size, shorter and less angular zygomata, shorter nasals, more smoothly rounded braincase, and less pronounced temporal ridges. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 228; tail vertebrze, 67 ; hind foot, 80. Average of 6 specimens from type locality: total length, 220.5; tail vertebrze, 63; hind foot, 30.2. Thomomys nasicus sp. nov. Type from Farewell Bend, Des Chutes River, Oregon. No. 79815, 3 ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 4, 1896, by E. A. Preble. Original No. 1274. General characters.—Similar to T. mazama, but slightly paler, and with distinctive cranial characters. Color.—Upper parts from in front of eyes to tail uniform pale russet fulvous; under parts dark plumbeous, strongly washed with pale fulvous ; nose and front of muzzle pale dusky; a dark spot around and behind ear ; fore and hind feet and tail whitish. Cranial characters,—Skull long and slender, similar to that of 7. mazama, but rostrum longer; nasals exceedingly elongated; zygomata sloping strongly backward ; audital bullee very small; temporal ridges distant ; interparietal large and transversely elongated. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 214; tail vertebree, 69; hind foot, 27. VoL. XI, pp. 217-218 JULY 15, 1897 ~ PROCEEDINGS OF THE ~BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON OVIS NELSONI, A NEW MOUNTAIN SHEEP FROM THE DESERT REGION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Mountain sheep were found by the Death Valley Expedition in several of the desert ranges of southern California and south- ern Nevada, where ten specimens were secured by Mr. EK. W. Nelson. They were killed in the northern continuation of the Funeral Mountains, locally known as the ‘Grapevine Range.’ Compared with the well known Bighorn of the Rocky Moun- tains and Cascade-Sierra system, they are much paler in color, somewhat smaller in size, and have very much smaller molar’ teeth. Compared with Ovis stonet recently described by Dr. Allen, the contrast in color is even more marked; but the pat- tern seems to be the same, and the darkening of the under parts and legs is also a character of stoner. In the absence of neces- sary material for comparison it seems best to treat the new form as a full species. The geographic range of the southern Bighorn is unknown, but it is probable that all of the sheep of the semi-barren desert ranges of Mexico and the southern United States, from Texas to California, belong to the present form. It is a noteworthy coincidence that Mr. Nelson, who in north- ern Alaska discovered and named the northernmost American Sheep (Ovis dalli), should also secure, in the Sonoran deserts of California, the southernmost representative of the group. In view of these facts, it seems peculiarly appropriate that the new sheep should perpetuate Mr. Nelson’s name, which I take pleas- ure in bestowing upon it. 49—Btot, Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 (217) 218 Merriam—Ovis nelsoni, a New Mountain Sheep. Ovis nelsoni sp. nov. Type from Grapevine Mountains, on boundary between California and Nevada, just south of latitude 37°. No. 238388, Q ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected June 4, 1891, by E. W. Nelson. Orig- inal No. 942. . General characters.—Apparently similar to Ovis stonet Allen in pattern of coloration, but much paler; rump patch small and completely divided on median line; tail short and slender; molar teeth very small. Color.—Upper parts, except rump patch, pale dingy brown; under parts and legs much darker, contrasting sharply with the white areas ; inguinal region, hinder part of belly (narrowing to a point anteriorly some distance behind forelegs), inner aspect of thighs and posterior as- pect of fore and hind legs, white. Measurements (taken in flesh by collector).—Total length, 1280; tail vertebre, 100; hind foot, 360; height at shoulder, 830. In the dry skin the rump patch measures about 190 in breadth by 150 in length (from apparent base of tail). ee i a ae See he oe rene eee Paes Te RE VoL. XI, PP. 219-220 JuLY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW PUMAS FROM THE NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Felis hippolestes sp. nov. Type from Wind River Mts., Wyoming (near head of Big Wind River). No. 57936, 3 old. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected in November, 1892, by John Burlingham. General characters.—Size enormous; color reddish brown; skull and teeth large and massive ; frontal region elevated ; upper carnassial with well developed inner cusp. Color.—Upper parts dull pale rufous brown, darkest along middle of back and on tail; tip of tail black; nose to eyes grayish brown; a pale patch over each eye; outer sides of legs and feet pale dull grayish ful- vous; back of ears blackish; chin, lips (except dark patch at base of whiskers), throat, breast, under side of fore legs, inguinal region, and -hinder part of belly soiled white ; under side of tail grayish white. Cranial and dental characters.—Contrasted with skulls of Felis concolor from Patagonia and Costa Rica, the skull of F. hippolestes differs in very much larger size (basal length 178, instead of 160 or less; zygomatic breadth 160, instead of 135 or less); frontal much more elevated and swollen; postorbital processes broader, shorter, more swollen, and more decurved ;* nasals more angular (deflexed) with a pit in frontals over their apex ; teeth uniformly larger ; upper carnassial with well developed inner cusp; lower premolars much more swollen. Measurements (from well made skin).—Total length, 2600 ; tail vertebree, 930; hind foot, 270. Cranial measurements : basal length, 178; zygomatic breadth, 160; palatal length (from gnathion), 93; postpalatal length (basion to postpalatal notch), 98; occipito-sphenoid length, 65; breadth across postorbital processes, 84; interorbital breadth, 49. *In F. concolor of corresponding age (rather old) from Pacuare, Costa Rica, the frontals are flat, with relatively long, slender, and only slightly decurved postorbital processes. 50—Bion. Soc. Wasn., Vou. XI, 1897 (219) 220 Merriam— Descriptions of Two New Pumas. Felis hippolestes olympus subsp. nov. Type from Lake Cushman, Olympic Mts., Washington. No. 77973 (‘¥'\’?) ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biol. Survey Coll. Collected April 18, 1896, by Thomas Hayes. : General characters.—Similar to F. hippolestes, but color very much darker ¢ tail concolor to black tip (not grayish white below, as in hippolestes) ; whitish areas on under parts much more restricted and less white. Color.—Upper parts dark rufous brown, darkest along middle of back and on tail; tip of tail blackish ; nose to eyes dusky; whole top and sides of head dark except a pale spot over each eye; backs of ears black except posterior edge, which is grayish; lips (except blackish patch at base of whiskers), chin, and anterior part of throat white; neck dull ful- vous, palest below; breast and inguinal region soiled whitish; under side of fore legs only lightly washed with whitish; tail dark all round—not grayish white below as in hippolestes. Remarks.—The type, though fully adult, is very much smaller and has a much smaller skull than F. hippolestes. It is marked ‘¥,’ but possibly this may be an error. Measurements (from well made dry skin).—Total length, 2095; tail verte- bree, 775; hind foot, 260. Cranial measurements : basal length, 162; zygo- matic breadth, 127 ; palatal length (from gnathion), 76; postpalatal length (basion to postpalatal notch), 85; occipito-sphenoid length, 60; breadth across postorbital processes, 71; interorbital breadth, 39. VoL. Xl, pp. 221-223 JuLy 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW RODENTS FROM THE COAST REGION OF ALASKA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Microtus sitkensis sp. nov. Type from Sitka, Alaska. No. 73839, jiad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected August 3, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 4745. General characters.—Similar in color and general appearance to M. cali- fornicus in corresponding pelage, but somewhat darker and more reddish brown; belly washed with pale buffy fulvous; ears smaller; tail rather short, upper side black. Cranial and dental characters distinctive. Color.—Upper parts uniform grizzled brown, not conspicuously lined with black hairs, and with a distinct ‘reddish, brown’ suffusion, espe- cially on rump and neck, which is probably peculiar to late summer pelage; under parts plumbeous (without white), the belly washed with ochraceous buff; tail sharply bicolor, black above, white beneath ; fore and hind feet and ankles dusky. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull long and narrow, very broad inter- orbitally ; braincase rounded (not angular); interparietal subtriangular and rather small; zygomata not spreading; audital bull large and rather elongated (not rounded) ; incisive foramina very narrow and slit like, falling far short of molars; teeth as in subgenus Microtus ; first lower molar with 3 closed loops on inner side and 2 on outer side, the anterior loop with no external and only 1 internal salient angle. Remarks. —While externally Microtus sitkensis resembles M. californicus, its cranial characters place it in a different group, along with the small M. kadiacensis. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 155; tail vertebree, 42; hind foot, 23. Cranial measurements : basal length, 25; zygomatic breadth, 14; palatal length, 13 [to incisor]; interorbital constriction, 4.2. 51—Bion Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 (221) 222 Merriam—Descriptions of Five New Rodents. Microtus kadiacensis sp. nov. Type from Kadiak Island, Alaska. No. 65827, 2 ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Sept. 12, 1898, by B. J. Bretherton. Original No, 213. General characters.—Similar to M. sitkensis in color and general appear- ance, but much smaller, somewhat paler, and under parts white instead of ochraceous buff; tail and ears rather short. Color.—Upper parts uniform grizzled pale brownish with pale dull ful- vous suffusion, not conspicuously lined with black hairs; under parts plumbeous, strongly washed with pure white; tail sharply bicolor, dusky above, white beneath ; fore and hind feet grayish brown. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull similar to that of M. sitkensis, but very much smaller; interparietal much more elongated transversely and narrower; audital bulle very much smaller and narrower; postpalatal pits deeper; teeth essentially as in sitkensis, but first lower molar with only 2 completely closed loops on each side. Measurements.—Type specimen, measured in flesh by collector: total length, 141; tail vertebrae, 23 [probably 33]; hind foot, 18 [probably 19 or 20]. Cranial measurements : basal length, 23.5 ; zygomatic breadth, 13.5; palatal length, 12.8; interorbital constriction, 3.8. Microtus unalascensis sp. nov. im. U.S. Nat. Mus., Bio- Type from Unalaska, Alaska. No. $3273, 9 91, by C. Hart Merriam. on 7 6 logical Survey Coll. Collected Aug. 13, 18 inal No. z. General churacters.—Similar to M. kadiacensis, but apparently somewhat darker; audital bulle much shorter and more globular; front lower molar with two closed and two open loops on inner side, and two closed and no open loops on outér side. Color.—(Specimen immature): Upper parts yellowish brown, darkest on head; under parts plumbeous washed with whitish; tail ahxenly bi- color, narrowly black above, broadly white below; fore and hind feet grayish. Measurements.—Type specimen (not full grown): total length, 122; tail vertebra, 28; hind foot, 19. Remarks.—This species, which resembles 4M. ratticeps of Europe in the enamel pattern of the first lower molar, is closely related to M. kadiacen- sis, from which it may be distinguished at a glance by the much shorter and more globular audital bulle and the pattern of m 1. During the single night spent at Unalaska on my return from the Seal Islands, I caught several of these Voles along the edges of a small pond on the outskirts of the Aleutian village of Iluliuk. Unfortunately, all but one were eaten by Ravens shortly after daylight. The one secured had dragged the trap into the water and drowned out of reach of the Ravens. ee ‘ Descriptions of Five New Rodents. 223 Peromyscus sitkensis sp. nov. Type from Sitka, Alaska. No. 73809, j' ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biolog- ical Survey Coll. Collected July 30, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Original No. 4720. General characters.—Size very large—much the largest of the species - occurring north of Mexico except P. californicus, from which it differs in so many characters as to require no comparison; tail long; ears medium or rather small; coloration dark, in summer pelage reddish brown. Color.—Upper parts brown, becoming russet posteriorly on back, rump, and sides; ring round eye (broadest in front of eye) and posterior aspect of ankles, dusky; under parts white, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; fore and hind feet whitish ; tail sharply bicolor, blackish above, broadly white below; ears dusky, narrowly edged with whitish. Cranial characters.—Skull large; braincase rather flat; rostrum greatly elongated; pterygoid fossee unusually developed. Contrasted with the skull of P. californicus, the only species which equals or exceeds it in size, the braincase is very much smaller and lower and the rostrum very much longer. The total length of the skull is greater than in californicus, al- though californicus is much the larger animal. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 222; tail vertebrae, 112; hind foot, 26. Average of 20 specimens from type locality : total length, 218; tail vertebrae, 111.6; hind foot, 26.2. Cranial measurements: total length, 31; basilar length of Hensel, 24; zygomatic breadth, 15; incisors to postpalatal notch, 13; length of nasals, 13. Remarks.—Apparently Peromyscus sitkensis is related to P. macrorhinus (Rhoads), from Skeena River, which latter animal I have not seen. It differs from P. macrorhinus in uniformly larger size, ‘redder’ color, and much longer nasal bones. Zapus hudsonius alascensis subsp. nov. Type from Yakutat Bay, Alaska. No. 73584, J’ ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 5, 1895, by C. P. Streator. Orig- inal No. 4660. General characters.—Similar externally to Zapus hudsonius from northern Minnesota, but slightly larger; rostrum and zygomata longer; mandible larger; molars heavier ; crown of last lower molar longer. Color.—Dorsal area well defined, grizzled dusky and yellowish; sides from nose to base of tail ochraceous, conspicuously lined with black hairs ; ankle dusky posteriorly; tail sharply bicolor, grayish brown above, whitish beneath ; fore and hind feet soiled whitish. Remarks.—Zapus alascensis is much more closely related to Z. hudsonius of the northeastern United States and Canada than to Z. trinotatus of the Puget Sound region. It agrees with hudsonius and differs from trinotatus in the narrow braincase, small incisive foramina, and relatively small under jaw. The crown of the last lower molar is longer than in either hudsonius or trinotatus. Measurements. —Type specimen: total length, 225; tail vertebra, 139; hind foot, 52. Average of 4 specimens from type locality: total length, 217.5; tail vertebrae, 132; hind foot, 31.5. Voi. XI, P. 225 JULY 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW FLYING SQUIRREL FROM FT. KLAMATH, OREGON. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Sciuropterus alpinus klamathensis subsp. nov. Type from Fort Klamath, Oregon (Transition zone, altitude 4200 feet). No. 87310, 2 ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected Jan. 11, 1897, by B. L. Cunningham. Original No. 355. General characlers.—Similar to 8. alpinus fuliginosus Rhoads, but smaller ; tail paler above and buffy below (not clouded with dusky). Differs from fuliginosus in having the nose and head much paler, cheeks yellowish white instead of bluish gray, and audital bull smaller. Color.—Upper parts dark drab brown, sometimes tinged with pale dull fulvous brown; under parts yellowish buff, the plumbeous under fur showing through ; tail: upper surface like back, but somewhat darker, especially toward the end; under surface uniform deep buff; nose and face pale ; cheeks pale yellowish gray; top of head very pale grayish ful- vous; ears decidedly paler than in true alpinus or fuliginosus. Cranial characters.—Contrasted with S. alpinus the skull is narrower posteriorly, particularly the braincase and posterior roots of the zygomata. Compared with fuliginosus the audital bulle are decidedly larger and the braincase is less strongly decurved posteriorly. Measurements.—Ty pe specimen : total length, 329; tail vertebree, 138 ; hind foot, 38. 52—Bton. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 (225) a we x, VoL. XI, PP. 227-230 — Jucy 15, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW SHREWS FROM MEX- ICO, GUATEMALA, AND COLOMBIA. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Blarina thomasi sp. nov. Type from Plains of Bogota, Colombia (on G. O. Child’s estate near City of Bogota, alt. about 9000 feet). Collected Nov. 14, 1895. Type in British Museum. General characters. —Size large ; coloration sooty-plumbeous, Similar to B. fossor, but fore feet very much smaller and molariform teeth not exca- vated posteriorily. Color.--Sooty plumbeous, darkest on the back. Cranial and dental characters. —Skull and palate almost exactly as in B. fossor, but molariform teeth solid (not excavated posteriorly) and uni- cuspidate teeth with inner cusp behind instead of in front (on postero- internal instead of antero-internal angle). Remarks.—For the opportunity to describe this very interesting shrew I am indebted to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, Curator of Mammals in the Brit- ish Museum, who sent me seven specimens from the type locality. Here- tofore the genus Blarina has not been recorded from any point south of Costa Rica; hence the discovery of the present species in South America is of unusual interest. Measurements (from dry skin).—Total length, 110; tail vertebrae, 28 ; hind foot, 14.5; skull, 21 x 10. Notiosorex gigas sp. nov. Type from Mts. at Milpillas, near San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico. No. 88012, Q ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected March 15, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 10706. General characters.—Similar to Notiosorex crawfordi, but very much larger; tail relatively as well as actually longer. Color.—Uniform slate gray, slightly darker on rump and slightly paler 53—Br1on. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XI, 1897 (227) 228 Merriam—Descriptions of Five New Shrews. on under parts; belly with a faint brownish tinge; tatl concolor with upper and lower surfaces of body. Cranial and dental characters. —Skull large and massive, widely different from N. crawfordi and evotis ; braincase highly arched, as in Blarina mex- icana, which it greatly resembles (see figure of skull of B. meszicana, N. Am. Fauna, No. 10, pl. 1, fig. 11, Dec. 1895): constriction swollen; walls of anterior nares thickened; teeth white throughout, without trace of color on tips; molars swollen and crowded, not excavated posteriorly. Remarks.—Mr. Nelson caught 3 specimens of this fine shrew near the creek, just below the mouth of the canyon, at Milpillas. He says they were living under shelter of logs, rocks, and banks in damp places grown up to bushes and weeds away from the woods. | Measurements (from dry skin*).—Total length, 128; tail vertebrae, 45; hind foot, 15. Cranial measurements : total length of skull, including in- cisors, 23; greatest breadth, 10.5. Sorex sclateriy sp. nov. Type from Tumbala, Chiapas, Mexico (alt., 5000 ft.). No. 75872, 9 ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture Coll. Collected Oct. 23, 1895, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman, Original No. 8567. General characters.—Size large; tail long; hind foot very long (16 mm.); color similar to S. macrodon, but ears smaller, and skull very different. Color.—Upper parts dusky, finely mixed with sepia brown, darkest over the rump ; under parts seal brown; tail dusky; paler below, without line of demarkation ; feet dusky. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull large, long, and rather slender (20 x 9 mm.); rostrum, palate, and dentition (in general) much as in S. saussurei caudatus, but postpalatal region and braincase decidedly longer ; interpterygoid fossa broad and long; first and second unicuspids subequal or second slightly the larger; third unicuspid, as seen from the side, de- cidedly larger than fourth; as seen from below, subequal or slightly smaller; teeth very white, the red tips greatly reduced. Remarks.—Sorex sclateri is a very peculiar species, and does not seem to be at all closely related to any of the other shrews known from Mexico or Central America. The large size of the hind foot and peculiar elongation of the postpalatal part of the skull suffice to distinguish it from the species that approach it in size, while the relatively large size of the third uni- cuspidate tooth is distinctive. Singularly enough, in general form of skull and relative proportions of unicuspids Sorev sclateri resembles S. oreopolus, a small short-tailed species inhabiting the Sierra Nevada de Colima of Jalisco. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 126; tail vertebrae, 52; hind foot, 16. Average of 5 specimens from type locality: total length, 125; tail vertebree, 53; hind foot, 16. * Field measurements not yet received from collector. + Named in honor of Dr. Philip Lutley Sclater, the distinguished Secre- tary of the Zodlogical Society of London. Descriptions of Five New Shrews. 229 Sorex salvini* sp. nov. Type from Calel, Totonicapan, Guatemala (alt., 10200 ft. = 3100 meters). No. 77035, Q ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture Coll. Col- lected Jan. 12, 1896, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 9057. General characters.—Size small (about equalling S. ventralis) ; ears me- dium or rather large ; tail rather short ; belly very dark, thus differing from all the other known small species from either Mexico or Guatemala. Color.—-Upper parts rich dark sepia brown, darkest over the rump ; under parts seal brown ; tail faintly bicolor. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull similar to that of ventralis, but somewhat larger (18.5 mm.) ; constriction of rostrum more swollen. First and second unicuspids subequal ; third slightly larger than fourth as seen from the side, but really smaller as seen from below. Molariform teeth moderately excavated ; larger than those of ventralis. Remarks.—This small shrew seems to be more nearly related to ventralis than to any other. It is very much darker than ventralis, both above and below, has a slightly longer tail, larger skull, and larger molariform teeth. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 104; tail vertebrae, 41; hind foot, 135. Average of two specimens from ivi Santy : total length, 106; tail vertebrae, 42; hind foot, 13.75. Sorex godmani®* sp. nov. Type from Voleano Santa Maria, Quezaltenango, Guatemala (alt., 9000 ft. = 2740 meters). No. 77044, 9 ad. U.S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture Coll. Collected Jan. 28, 1896, by E. W. Nelson and E, A. Goldman. Original No. 9239. General characters.—Size rather large (hind foot nearly 15 mm.) ; tail long; ears conspicuous; similar to S. caudatus, but color less dark and skull decidedly smaller. Color.—Upper parts uniform dark sepia brown with a faint chestnut tinge; under parts seal brown; tail dark all round. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull of normal shape (braincase some- what flattened in type specimen), rather small for size of animal; first and second unicuspids subequal, third slightly smaller than fourth; mo- lariform teeth rather deeply excavated posteriorly. Skull similar in general to that of caudatus but much smaller (18x 8 mm. instead of 19.5 x 9.5); molariform teeth much smaller and more deeply excavated posteriorly. Remarks.—Sorex godmani agrees with S. stizodon in color, but is larger, has a much longer tail (55 mm. instead of 41) and very different skull and * These two species are named in honor of Osbert Salvin and F. Du Cane Godman, the distinguished editors of the Biologia Centrali- A meri- cana. Their names must ever be associated with the natural history of Guatemala. 230 Merriam—Descriptions of Five New Shrews. teeth (skull more slender and delicate; pm and m + and m 2 much more deeply excavated posteriorly ; second unicuspid not larger than first). Its nearest relative seems to be S. saussurei caudalus, which differs from it in somewhat darker coloration, in having the tail decidedly paler below, and in the cranial and dental peculiarities already described. Measurements.—Type specimen: total length, 120; tail vertebre, 57 ; hind foot, 15. Average of 4 specimens: total length, 122.5; tail verte- bree, 55; hind foot, 14.7. Specimens examined.—Total number, 4, from the following localities in Guatemala: Volcano Santa Maria, Quezaltenango (type locality), 3. Todos Santos, Huehuetenango, 1. VoL. XI, pp. 231-234 SEPTEMBER 17, 1897 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DIAGNOSES OF NEW SPECIES OF FISHES FOUND IN BERING SEA. BY THEO. GILL ann CHAS. H. TOWNSEND. In 1895 the junior author served as naturalist on the U.S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross and obtained many fishes at various depths. Among them were 14 species apparently hith- erto undescribed. Diagnoses of these are here given by permis- sion of Captain John J. Brice, U. 8. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and will hereafter be described at length and illus- trated. RAIIDA. Raia rosispinis. Snout moderately produced, with a soft, moderately narrow rostral car- tilage and a blunt tip. Interorbital space nearly plane. Snout with a number of plates having stellate bases about middle, and many smaller asperities, leaving only the borders of the pectorals and ventrals naked. Larger spines with stellate bases are interspersed between the disk and the pectoral rays. A row of about 26 thorn-like spines, with radiating ridges, extends from the interhumeral area to the dorsal fins; two spines on each shoulder. Onespine above antocular region, another above post- ocular region, and another behind it about half the distance. Raia obtusa. Snout not at all produced, but very bluntly rounded. Interorbital space narrow. Mouth small, rectilinear. Minute distant prickles on the snout, the anterior portion of disk and interorbital area, as well as in a broad median band extending on tail to dorsal and commencing at the inter- humeral area ; a row of scarcely enlarged acute spines above the eye; an uninterrupted row of unguiform spines with smoth bases extending from the interhumeral area to dorsal fin; two similar spines arm each shoulder. 54—Buon. Soc. Wasn., Von. XI, 1897 (231) 232 Gill & Townsend— Diagnoses of New Species of Fishes. Raia interrupta. Snout moderately produced, with a soft very attenuated rostral cartilage and a blunt tip. Interorbital space concave. Mouth small; the width equal to half preoral area. Entire back covered with very small embedded ‘spines, extending nearly uniformly over the disk and snout, leaving only the tip of the latter naked ; a row of compressed acutely curved, smooth spines along middle of back, extending from the interhumeral region to dorsal, but interrupted along the posterior half of disk, where the spines are absent or obsolete; about four spines are in the anterior por- tion and the series recommences on a line with the emargination of the disk ; a single spine on each shoulder and occasionally a rudimentary second ; no specialized supra-orbital spines. NOTACANTHID &%. Macdonaldia alta. D., 32; A. (31 to end of dorsal) 52 spines, 125 rays. » Body comparatively high; greatest height equal to 3% the distance be- tween vent and tip of snout. Pectoral fin with its root twice as far from upper cleft of branchial aperture as from the lateral line, and much nearer to the posterior end of operculum than to lateral line. , Bering Sea, {Lat. N. 54° 54’, Long. W. 168° 59” (station 3604, Aug. 13, 1895; 1401 fathoms). Macdonaldia longa. D., 33; A. (26 to opposite end of dorsal) 55 spines, 111 rays. Body comparatively slender, with the greatest height about one-fifth distance between vent and tip of snout. Pectoral fin with its root three times as far from upper cleft of branchial aperture as from lateral line, and very much nearer lateral line than end of operculum. Bering Sea (station 3607, 1895; 900 fathoms). ALEPOCEPHALID “4. Ericara, new genus. Alepocephalids with small, perfectly smooth, imbricated cycloid scales, wide cranium, projecting snout, deeply cleft mouth, uniserial and acro- dout teeth on vomer and anterior portion of palatines, and dorsal and anal of normal extent and opposite each other. Ericara salmonea. Dorsal, 17; anal, 24. Maxillary extending to vertical of posterior bor- der of orbit. Head large: length, 84; depth, 5; width, 44. Bering Sea, 8. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3603, 1895; 1771 fathoms). LYCODIDE. Lycodes digitatus. Body moderately elongate, its greatest height being between } and } of the total length ; covered with small, entirely separated embedded scales, Diagnoses of New Species of Fishes. 233 which become nearer anteriorily and extend in advance of the dorsal fin as wel] as on the vertical fins. No specialized area of smaller scales be- hind base of pectorals. Pectorals scaleless. Head moderate, + in length, entirely naked. Color (in alcohol) brownish yellow suffused with reddish in front, varie- gated, darker anteriorily, with four dark longitudinal bands most distinct about middle of body, fading out backwards. Fins light and without dark margins. Head dark above and laterally, light below. Dorsal, 101; ventral, 81; pectoral, 18. Bering Sea, Lat. N. 56° 14”, Long. W. 164° 87 (station 3541; 49 fathoms). Lycodes concolor. Body rather elongated, its greatest height being less than + total length ; covered with very small, entirely separated embedded scales which be- come more distant anteriorly and extend in advance of the dorsal fin and scapular region, as well as on the vertical fins; pectorals with scattered scales on external and internal surfaces near base. A specialized area of smaller scales behind base of pectoral and a naked area around upper axilla of pectorals. Head moderate, a fifth of total length, entirely naked. Color nearly uniform, only relieved by the apparently lighter hue of the scales and the somewhat darker margins of the fins. Dorsal, 118; ventral, 98 ; pectoral, 21. Bering Sea, Lat. N. 55° 19’, Long. W. 168° 11” (station 3608, Aug. 12, 1895; 276 fathoms). MACRURID&. Macrurus lepturus. Type 22 inches long. D., 14-122. A., 116. P., 20. V., 8. Scales deciduous and moderate, oblong or oval with reduced exposed surfaces; those on the back or above the lateral line have a few (3-5) ridges beset with spines, but those below are mostly unarmed. Head one-sixth of entire length, regularly conical. Snout moderately ex- tended. Median tubercle very projecting; lateral well developed, con- nected by well defined ridge ; infraorbital vertical, with the ridge linear and near the orbit. Teeth cardiform in both jaws; the lower teeth beset the outer slope of the jaw. Bering Sea, 8. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3604; 1401 fathoms). Macrurus dorsalis. Type length, 26 inches. D., 15-120. A.,122..P., 21. V., 9. Scales deciduous and rather small, diversiform, with small exposed sur- faces; near the dorsal they have about five radiating spinigerous ridges, but below the lateral line these ridges are fewer and unarmed. Head a little more than one-sixth of the length. Snout short, projecting a con- siderable length beyond the eye and a little beyond the supramaxillary. Median tubercle very prominent ; connecting ridge is well defined ; infra- orbital nearly vertical, with the ridge linear and near the orbit. Teeth cardiform. j Bering Sea, 8. W. of Pribilof Islands (station 3604; 1401 fathoms). 234 Gill & Townsend—Diagnoses of New Species of Fishes. Macrurus firmisquamis. Type 31 inches long. D., 12-126. A., 105. P., 20. V., 8. Scales firmly affixed, oblong or rather short, and with considerable ex- posed surfaces, which have subequal radiating ridges beset with numerous acute spinelets; the ridges vary from 3 to 8 in number. Head regularly convex in profile, a fifth of the entire length. Snout longer than the diameter of the eye. Rostral tubercles obsolete and infraorbital ridge rounded. Teeth biserial or triserial. This species is distinguishable from all its American congeners, at least, by the very firm scales. Bering Sea, S. W. of Pribilof Islands, 1895. Macrurus (Nematonurus) magnus. Type 43 inches long. D., 9-128. A.,121. P., 15. V., 6. Scales moderately large, readily deciduous, decidedly oblong or long, with a small exposed surface which is beset with five to seven radiating unarmed ridges. Head regularly conical, less than one-fifth of the length. Snout rather long; projects half its length beyond the mandible. Tuber- cles feebly developed, plain and continuous from 38 parallel ridges; infra- orbital flat, with the crest rather nearer the orbié than its lower margin ; its entire surface scaly. Teeth in the upper row biserial or triserial; in lower jaw imperfectly biserial or uniserial. Bering Sea, 8S. W. of Pribilof Islands. Macrurus (Nematonurus) suborbitalis. Type 20 inches long. D., 12-85. Gbbankabeey 48 Cervus CANade NSIS o.oo 0.265 5. cin son ses noose 273 WOOBG VE oe sok cc ca chstgeae anes ines 271 RPS tose es cacks ce sas gsi oxo caw sacs ncanases 252 SELOMIYS sins cucievvccsns cnsccssyantvcd-nsesetesues 250 MORES PICO Shi oe ok vag gn fo oad esnnb oe ap bund sarces soaees 246 MURS FIMO Eo hoaccsicohs voavs acae socbe¥ach acccsgaietp’s 161 CAT DCI seo insssec sche dedteges Cacse jppsoceennnse 166 vie Og 3 oC) creme a Paget OET, See aR RR ar 161 Ow a Pe ce bc ae aig eee re EER AR ES a7 an Rae aoe TBO 246 Chesnut, V. K.: Exhibition of Cicuta vagans and Nerium oleander...... vii Poison of black nightshade... x Casesof mushroom poisoning. xi Se ec ccaccasal ca tsseebetecapect onlactivedosnass 255 MPETTOLTIS Gs, ciecs iis eh cosdakslis Sb asuekaseav tears 73, 257 Be Ss Ud 2 V4 ROE py OE gr 2 SSD 248 CIO MOD ACES cose 5 lores coves eosieassescasesahaseens 254 POPOV Seles cers 5s occ ela cauebssceetedeee 259 Se on hrs qe. ROR peep SRR prea, Arey AEE 259 Chlorogalum leichtlinii............5. 0. ...086 63 OTe EE CC Ey Re enna wear cre phen a ern 157 TOP OCIS TIO rosea esc each 156 RRIOTOIN YS 55 Jepasccss 2 52.c5 soe actaas Cussouesensioe 246 CS OEOTIIIB 5 focs cookie bs pceeee ths vannncss pha clans 257 NPIS cx cies sot ak cgestocaksaksnetbeacheses 268 COE GSOLNSU I 5 iss hie popesdscestonta stb -se> 174 RR EMODOCESUSS foccScirccasassce tices os-angbsagieney 258 CTI VAS OTS oases ieass onan cots ase vii MORE SEAS eos oa tosis au sd ces Soak aos cewek 266 MTV AVS 5 Sey isnis ceo be ineda vag desis Assad aan sonees 252 NOE OONIS iA anaes acs aoa a tos 248 PODAGA Sooo iee esse Fett SE TPA 247 SOROS IS o.oo So ccses oeeseenee cesses cespspsabtes 248 COC NOG oe casi cits wasaceseeks 173, 243, 250 SCR CONTY Sey oss eeS iiss erence seve emesete 245 Collomia MaZamMa...............0.c: cee 35 WEDGES ecsGanices tos cph ou Fecese oh Seas chceals pagbune 266 RIDING RI YS. nice catacceesheeceansureor sp Mesewe evade 253 POI OUR SIS ac Ne a eae ahaa 253 CO IOSCE I WG Go ss aks cance ps evkesv nai etasacaes 248 Condy lita cristata 5 ise sens ontke ee opis 240 Oa THIS TIS esas deco ak hb ck psa Sakae s cons . 259 COTOGOMECS. ois si atoessieesiescivseccs stra rasctsens 246 GQONOMUSE iiesice te ahauvecssirescaseanec see asceskons 246 PONTTACR WIAs 2.3 ssi Gilesckcuseed cecete avis onc tee 247 Cook, O. F.: A new wingless fly......... xi US INOTIOEA 5.5 oan ds ee ines saeree teks Satvennet 166 OUT N OMSL ie idn sie saakeecitan Sssusaeieanee 2 Coville, F. V.: Plant food of ducks in Chésa ptake Bay sivciisiiacgst s:- x Water hyacinth i.0. sis secces Abies shastensis «.............5..200 xi Exhibition of peculiar forma- tion of pine needles..................004. xii Collomia mazama,anewplant 35 Itinerary of John Jeffrey........ 57 —— Name of the Camas plant....... 61 Index. Page Coville, F. V.,and John Leiberg : New plants from Mt, Mazama wees... 169 CFA BRON YR sieioneoorveaweses moniicesinneswives ix CraberOm YSe isos sews daivcesde ve tavcctnpaneeW edie 259 CT ALOL COBY S aos csccst vavas dies sidseverdeeduitne sone 251 CrAWTOtHTI Rs i hisecceet de oss cise advae eee 259 CHicetodi puss ici: vices Hes euros 252 CHICGtOG OM: a0. a rieenrscaescesteeaviis ces tatoee 255 Gricetom ysiuiZiwaedcassinsiucanieomene 259 SPCeU i Hts ss csseeornt ob tavarseeeoarreaeees ious 255 POEL COCNE A ivais tna ates selene tne s case uaeieeen 255 ROPE TUS 55 os a aaivetins cmetaseencn a malelaeeh 166 Cry ploChiras .c..) (iiss esscin asiivivessceones . 161 OEY PEON YS is is ia Veceinepsensniancverienes 245 CtenodactHlUsycissiiccaapecneiwacesss 262, 263 CLE BONLYS: ics ceccrorsarsivewen veces . 262, 263 CMA NGG... esiic ciewanessneseovwnwrdensnue Merle 250 CRPRIGIN ATG i ere reneuureesirdy.e avs 249, 254, 258 MOOR i hee sabvutevia geste rate ue eee ante 248 SEVIOTUIN YS 5 .o.5 ss ouaddeahs jasuss unde eovaenee vs 269 Cyanotis scillnides . voeuoiwanss Golancoaglovss 266 PIII iio Fis ose ca nwdichsics ssicceeeeup ethene 266 G ASOIG Bs ciate cisiset eet) op aS 247 Galloway, B. T.: Effects of environ- ment on host and parasite in plant CISGASEG 5 i5-5.55 cere 164 FLY POQEOMYS. ............ceecesseessovesenwaceenane 255 Hypopeltarium.,............0+ Geaare gaa N eesisae ve 165 Index. Page FLY PUCaeuS........seecceseceerrereee: steers eters 258 Hystricomys RNS Pee PCE PENT RRO See 269 EL VSELICODS co cosecets isi cocsne such tans mead evoune 251 Hystricotherium........... pra es lees toutes 253 RESET oiieis sscinss cncnenss cn avicegtetvcrcentrsaptvs 253 I FERERYVORIVY Silica cavccsuickes | rene fetes Go nenee Re 63 quamash... 64 R Raila ODUUIS8 si. 65 bin eins 231 {terra Pts .. 62.0566 .0 acites ised 232 POMS UTES cog «sees ceva cy 231 Ra phomotaas qo... s.ccevecevcrsescicsssesncoses 166 Rathbun, M. J.: American Sesarme... 89 American species of Ethusa... 109 New species of Cancer and NOte OF SESALMAL.. 0s ce. csc ewervecncases III African crabs of genus Calli- nectes 149 Nomenclature of Brachyura... 153 RUGS G iaictsicvasveeny bbabeessvevesss tes euinetucceee 261 BRE Es asl sencis eve < cite tecscstacnteuensbabernctoags 267 RetntodGn. Kaciiinlctaicunshalahs 256 REithrodomtomi ysis. cio acsexcer ers 256 FEET NEOSCUUITUG. cases cape sctsessee (ieekasagceees 267 Rhinosciurus 267 RAGING, visi aos sovcns ouqn ack jp nsnenatsquiets 256 RAHA ON soko. os socsescseevureveshecapersises 256 RUN FOSCLOTUS, 5. c5050s seve enter ase covncnseoestes 267 RAI POUV GB oniiessacsgicn sess scscasiiadsseteyevink eee The Biological Society of Washington. Page RP RR TR ee a sea ales gtr By ere 165 Rhogeesa minutilla...................... 139 SRI WUNI sei ns a8sicances a cx Gene duane dn laenee 139 BRUISES ss coos fe is cans gassececiouinasaanee 257 FRAP OT issn alos posse hay ctacaee ees 261 Richardson, Harriet : New species of BARE OUNG oases csp Ve naepeepe ke canad 105 New genus and species of RRNA SINR on cecevs vasa cecg eeesehepeous 181 POSE IT STIS, sco sak wihsateces et ccisascnascie vedeebe 256 Romerolagus........ Weagarns £pa sop wovanseacben su’ 254 Roosevelt, Theo. : Remarks............... x RO MRICEANG occ sons igh to basyee casey enpanaecd Saeeak 268 PEUSCINGUMAYS a o5 5d scosak sdsbses pdssecesy coae 262, 265 s SSO IIL Sha coos shanna soto tapas eennn dd cwaseentin ech 253 SSCOOMBGIUS oo iccecnsavecsstesniocnaseassnoseiies 251 BECOCOSTOAUS osseous 02 -ctvsisters chess cpesss anes 268 SPHATAMLYS ei iitiscs wzeeevacesecwsate usa cevoees 248 PUA TOUMA ssi. sche sous ces sebseety WWiadd geteiysseste 182 Spheeroma destructor................... 105 vastator ..... Pati elsdauvaketetnkeitee whats 106 Sphenome rides. ................cc cece eee 164 SPHenOmMers:us ...........ss0. ceeeesseeeneeweceeees 164 SPHiIGGOMYS., .....2...sesceecserseseccsssenseeneecs 248 spreeurus Wea iconvusiubedecoxpiensex capecdeecrees 251 SUNOGLOIN YS. Wid. sasceeusvescaewiss cre eea 248 BECHLOMEYS ce. ica erilady se eocessvivsurstanescdcuk 256 GECIFORIYS 55 sriasissscgaseitrkvcielsaseeieceastol 251 SHLETOOMDET | sass seecciiey seuderacsvicrbekccsoeens 246 ECU COCU ELI IN Ay anisc asi ceoss eease cucteastacs 246 Stenocionops cervicornis................06. “157 ECHO PUB eso. sisi ub sevens dae ss eve evsepea dese 159 BLONOTYNCHUS -iscsiss,ccsn seetacs eeu aes ies 167 Stenorynchus phalangium... Seik wetses ESO SCHCOPMS 65555 .55; 5s cies 158 REST ROR CCE 2 oes es sscsuy ts an caewceees a ears 268 RSPICTOULY 9 costae: cnetsicrascemehsoeessies 262, 265 Stiles, C. W.: The honorary Ph. D...... xii International committee on NOMeEHCANITE 054.4: caceeeren xi Stiles, C. W., and F. A. Lucas: A par- asite of the fur-seal......60.660.5. 0000 xi BEPOALAA., tooo sesitseetasecs catcranbacimenmebeareeee 247 Strophostephanos PGcbestoiser tear evecvesesveee 248 SUS CHIOPICUS. ...-5.-sesciesecrveciessesevescones 174 COVA riceyccecsses ecient e 174 Swingle, W. T.: Exhibition of alge... vii REMI INOS as goss Fes ssvdiyinernandiler tabi0en chs 253 PE VIWICOlG |. isvrecisseac ove rcubeskts sss canals 259 “ECU EEDY oa 1S Ripper rogeramin tr pyc b ee pr rsrnreanen Grr pre 254 MVAAPLOMYS..iccnpceesperssuccsness eke rs 259 Synaptomys innuitus............c..ccccseeees 238 BV SPOL ROTOR oe als uci al sspaesaeea ideas iveurss 251 65—Brou. Soc. Wasu., Vor. XI, 1897 T Page RACHMOE VOLES cha sc divecc rs ecussep sancnensss ceased 268 PE PRO Sia a2 Uae a Ny acces savs ware saupenasaawed 2 PAIPORICS. 040 cissnsscoosvenesnnsacsesveansces 243, 268 ORSINI aso Vacca sis sce ive aici vonie Cie aa sas mendes 268 PAIMMIAS ASIBLICUS, «(roi )e veto scs.c os severe inti: 189 (ato bac GAR LATS eases cine poh ae Ne Bye tec 210 PTHAPTORNADAOLES: sc 3. pacscoe eben eaiee 203 quadrimaculatus...........c.e ee eeees 203 (N RLTRDOUETIR. 205) 5 5 sco. p sss veseas dass séedunpsc nap 268 EDDC Chios aay is inde Petras owns she seo ten hvad entices atone 254 ‘Tapirus americanus................ REA ye 174 ME ROLE ec aay ate o's veda as coer enveceess 257 (att movemometal (05056 resis ctets 174 PRAPCESE Re s. Shispucrc acest cendents tue eee shisaseckee ss 173 SE VOSSIY PALIT AE a ies as cacserccwcs ches 174 PRECAT Roni sit diet cnc oth seat resecent ay eemceta 174 EE; ATU gions Gs gener cas ons gto deeurtees sUbccnaas tape 253 TE OOUNDOIID Li Siskin cae sasoas os bsvieccceelieaneacs 181 Tecticeps alascensis..,...................... 182 PERCE YS eo ciictcsgesev ce sevsai ve sasekos cctestoxcbevaae 261 FU OREO MIS as ve hic was SSAsas gsises bpvcusoet shut cheveSeoens 268 ER ac). fob cat: aire Be ee PE ADT ARR BE DE eS 261 SE CETICOUN ius pire. soon soo Seago a eweeHdal > 259 BEY ATCT OOONE oi eiar aves ceased a scagsoassavere’ 259 POCA OMEN Ga. aut ccscensv cesnsssoeenrecsssttensse am 161 RDA SE RR cca as sginesusalecpeblsnisase tenes’ 248 Thelphisa Hievtatinis.......sis6.. ol oc ecess 164 DOES YS Lacs Likcve ce besscancsbesnend abedeccete 269 PR CH SAME E US... 6... cece ccs acekeccsdees canst ceee 164 UTA! saxegusdyesisieh osccctasesaates sboaeccvesdeessaant 166 MTG BONEY Sccwip anc capccsuie cut che dacuandereunes 256 ES HOMPOTEY Sigucssscstas Gesscested ceesdascactens 213, 251 Thomomys al pinus......................6. 216 LL eg |. Sees apps Si nA Re itr tae 214 PUERTO ES, oe 8 cas son seks ppascevecneees 213 gb 095 5 > papery eros pee seaeuae be aweebae 214, 216 TARIDO PSS chip ota eer eee 215 BORGO GOM 5.5 6 ope0 i aise secaescdep teense 215 RI LT: 0 2 11ND NNeMpEs Bbyintn leer map onee eerie 214 MU OHERQU NES iy spocestoasissancissbokcodenees 214 WRENN, 5 coo oss as haces vce Nobex dee aaeans 216 MEW AGSMMBIG ooo 0... 8 ee 213 POKING 2S. es sa rdscessvavecse 215 Pe ts bg 2 (i Ren eee re ree 214 RMU TCRIOME ss cP osscpsevicnstvie sine nents 262, 265 ET ROT goes Seacsecviedartaee 262, 265 RE SLE OMMSIAM Ry cic cca Dice dusversssts savas. 262, 265 TLIO Rea eos te recee een eeraoeeeckeesstabehosiaeds 253 SE TUR TOUS oo secs wedscscisctavsaten secon ssuetes 262 NE OUTCOME Ss pacere ese yetus si cnbagine Sodsteys bedeaees ccs 160 Townsend, C. H.: Alaskan live mam- WHOLE BEOLY 5555. svi csv siden ca acewsthas viii Distribution and migration of GALATI best csGsacgauynvev bere sors sayeess viii New eagle and new squirrel... 145 Townsend, C. H., and Theo. Gill: Diagnoses of deep-sea fishes ics.¢. ix New fishes from Bering sea... 231 ET OCHOMEVS os ci drcbcs Sc cptrcey plcctbsevetaccentteuns 269 ALC COMEY Sogou yins cscs ost aouus vsbes vances asbawes 261 EVIOUITA COS: py ieuisvspecie encceesucesdsed 262, 265 PRI DOCU cert otal vers «Gs ke a etic 262, 265 SE CROA TOE Soper sie: as os a basin Gacessavey evel 250 gS cls PR ea eRe peers SAH DARIN OPEL res 166 OE PORN Oe cota esd poaes Shes be eece sais secawowsyesdbees 253 PENG Te aaEs tac, spa cs sees News cai yore nius cab yesh cues 254 AL PRROEIIOU YG tcciss 2ohds tenis cs spieecassueeeyieses 261 ETINOGO LORI YS sco c sks snatnscs ac astdsepacss cece 256 EPOP ONC CFI 3 onc ccs sc pes saih conan cost stoats 246 SEO RIIELES AS Once Abuses nck cas Chor cose toeeeo ee 251 DL PAGEL SaaS aus Se scuend cords yok bsctakovelarscsenaves 256 PE PRE cite ps ec eeccdt ko asses poeciebas vce sues 259 Ty mpanomerue...................:0cceeeee 164 PEST OL wa es'b dicchcnpestaacencies savoeseesnetes 268 EV RPEROPIEY Sic cioucniy css spiceesseccsea cue Suases caus 252 TYPHIOLyCtes......sseereereceersececssrerneeseees 245 Tysonia marylandica .......0.....csesecereens 9 U Page TIGA ARTO 525 81k ac5ss ccs wn sndeacatevenan sacaqenccanse 154 Ucides............ 154 Ucides cordatus... 154 RIMS MO Ls cic iasvacuss. cad saghiheaaboleia ce coke nes ueias 1x WI PORTS: c.5-osccsse ute ccmesid gaa vinee oaeaeecsssce as 261 Vv Vandeleuria... 261 Vaughan, T. W.: Eocene corals of the Uited SEALER cai a gtasees occ on star ix Vaughan, T.W., and R. T. Hill: Lower Cretaceous Grypheas of Téxas.i33. viii WESDOTIIIS ooo insets eegstins us cana naaes 256 VESPCTOMYS.......200essseeseeeceeseeceeeenteeeneees 256 Vespertilio’ pallidus. coo. ccc dsccc cen cnssen 179 MG@SPETHPO Parvialus:.is.csc.c.cs.nscesne amie ena a eh Da eS: ow eee eerie ed ---- 27-30 Two New Skunks of the Genus Mephitis, by Outram Bangs..... 31-33 The Newfoundland Otter and Red Fox, by Outram Bangs ..... 35-38 © A New Parasitic Isopod of the Genus A’ga from the Southern Coast of the United States, by Harriet Richardson........... 39-40 The Arcturide in the U. 8. National Museum, by James E. Ben- CONC oS aie Sees Sy ee tye ban ee bee ie ea nS | 41-51 Two New Isopods of the Genus Jdotea from the Coast of Califor- ; nia, Dy dames KE, Betiediee oo tee rs 58-55 New Birds from Mexico, with a Revision of the Genus Dactyl- atts By 3s. We eOtin eee s oe ae s . 57-68 Six New Ground Squirrels from the Western United States, by GC, Bart Merriam os eee SA RR ees Ue eae. 69-71 A New Rodent of the Genus Idiurus, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr.... 73-76 The Eastern Races of the American Varying Hare, by Outram BAGS: oo Sos ae eee A epee oa a eo he ewes 77-82 A New White-footed Mouse from the Mount Baker Range, Brit- init Columbia, by Outtani Bangs oh 2 Pua a 83-84" Kleven New Species and Subspecies of Voles, by Vernon Bailey. 85-90 A New Raccoon from Nassau Island, Bahamas, by Outram PHME en Pees ee ee i pees Sa e ee eet Tes + 91-92 A New Fox from Santa Marta, Colombia, by Outram Bangs.... 93-94 A New Murine Opossum from Margarita Island, by Outram Pees eee Weg oe tare: SNP Ee eee eerie Garey been rac Se 95-96 A New Rabbit from Margarita Island, Venezuela, by Gerrit 8. Miller, Jr... .. Te eCE Nig Ege Ube Che g HEE ERG WS G POUL fan ks 97-98 The Earliest Generic Name for the North American Deer, with Descriptions of Five New Species, by C. Hart Merriam ..... 99-104 Two New Subgenera and Three New Species of Microtus from Mexico and Guatemala, by C. Hart Merriam.... ........... 105-108 Random Notes on the Nomenclature of the Chiroptera, by T. S. PANG cs oo Se aes Se ee iy ho es eee ... ]09-114- Twenty New Species and a New Subgenus of Peromyscus from Mexico and Guatemala, by C. Hart Merriam .. ........... » 115-125 A New Genus (Neotomodon) and Three New Species of Murine Rodents from the Mountains of Southern Mexico, by C. Hart WECTPIGID ov eae og oan Suk Ce Oe EE ae ere 127-129 Birds from Santa Marta, Colombia, by OutramBangs ........ . 181-144 New Squirrels from Mexico and Central America, by E. W. NOOR 230.4035 SRO E eR RRR hale OE ts Ge een ees -.. 145-156 (iii) iv Contents and Illustrations. Page Birds from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia, by Outram Bangs...... ... 157-160 New Mammals from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colom- bia, by Cutram Bangs bo pete es we eee ee ee 161-165 A New Race of the Little Harvest Mouse from West Virginia, PE ED TH ek he ee Se 167-168 A New Weasel from the Queen Charlotte Islands, B. C., by Ed- ward A, Preoies.. oo og ee ok as oy BA hg Ee eg Sk 169-170 Birds from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, by (utram: Baneao!s csio oe SU atae cee Saas) rae MaRS 171-182 Sciurus variabilis from the Santa Marta Region of Colombia, by OR BARS Scie uas ea eae ware ba ar ek bs eee ae 183-186 A New Rock Vole from Labrador, by Outram Bangs .......... 187-188 A New Sigmodon from the Santa "Marta Region of yolonbin, by Otraty Danie. os oe ok oss este ves hie ss Sue Reg ceed 189-190 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES I. Potamon abbottt Rathbun. Il. Potumon macropus Rathbun and P. levicervia Rathbun. TEXT FIGURES Page Nigure «|: Geis? pera oe oti asks Ss wee ho ee Ole ae ib gees we 39 2. LsOQ8: OF F0 CRAs . EFe ae se e ee S 40 3, : Avelairas Feu eis se oe cde ean ek « tas Ons RS FS 44 A ALPAGTUS LONBINUAR So Bry cv Eee WE ae oe ROU 45 Tis: | AP OUUTUE GUIDE ES es aes fg os ie oan ek eS Me cea 46 0, AY CRIPUS DETIRGIABUE C59 oe oe oan ok Coa is bo GS PV ONE XS a oe BO 7. Arcturus tenuispinis............ Societe Actes Rawk ees 47 Bi Arcee nepal gr aah io hon Sens bees 48 GD AP Le IN UY OCI eS ae eich oe cy eee es 49 10. -Astacilia Giomedtm. se ees Se as pre eee 51 13; AMGCUIG COO is ees i EA RH OO dd OA aL 12. £0 Ot6G: POMP OD Sp sie da ak oe ee os Us Sar es 54 1S. ; JORG BEAN ee a cs a oe ee ee ew Se a 54 14. Bills of Guiraca chiapensis and Guiraca cerulea eurh yncha. 62 15. Front foot Of; cere Muerte on oe oe Seis as 74 16. Base of tatl-of sdrsruecMaceons «2k sic cos enn ee ee 74 17. Karat Jaap mira gk ro es oe 8 aed basa st 74 ae 18. (SRO OF fais rer ois ns ee eee at 79 OFFICERS AND COUNCIL OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON For 1898 (ELECTED DECEMBER 18, 1897) OFFICERS President L. O. HOWARD Vice- Presidents RICHARD RATHBUN B. E. FERNOW CHAS. D. WALCOTT FREDERICK V. COVILLE Recording Secretary CHARLES L. POLLARD Corresponding Secretary F. A. LUCAS Treasurer F. H. KNOWLTON COUNCIL WM. H. ASHMEAD GEORGE M. STERNBERG * WILLIAM H. DALL* CH. WARDELL STILES THEODORE GILL * FREDERICK W. TRUE EDWARD L. GREENE M. B. WAITE C. HART MERRIAM * LESTER F. WARD* CHARLES A. WHITE* STANDING COMMITTEES—1898 Committee on Communications B. E. Frernow, Chairman Freperick V. CoviILLe “M. B. Warre K. A. Dr ScHWEINITZ W. H. ASHMEAD Committee on Publications C. Harr Merriam, Chairman T. S. PALMER F. H. KNow.ron * Ex-Presidents of the Society. (v) VoL. XII, PP. ViI-xIl DECEMBER 30, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PROCEEDINGS, ———EE The Society meets in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club on alternate Saturdays at 8 p.m. Brief notices of the meetings, with abstracts of communications, are published in Science. January 7, 1898—Special Meeting. The President, Dr. L. O. Howard, delivered the annual address at Columbian University on the topic, ‘The Gypsy Moth in Massachusetts: A Great Experiment in Economic Entomology.”* January 15, 1898—285th Meeting. The President in the chair and 51 persons present. C. Hart Merriam discussed a recently issued biography of Audubon. The program for the evening consisted of a symposium on the topic, * Recent Additions to our Knowledge of the Cell,’ with the following speakers: Frank Baker, D. G. Fairchild, H. J. Webber, and W. T. Swingle. The communications were illus- trated by diagrams and lantern slides. January 29, 1898—286th Meeting, The President in the chair and 24 persons present. The following communications were presented : William Palmer: The Birds of the Pribilof Islands.f * Bull. No. 11, New Series, Division of Entomology, U. S. Dept. of Agri- culture. + ‘Avifauna of the Pribilof Islands,’ to be published as a chapter in the Report on the Fur Seal Islands, by David Starr Jordan, U. 8. Treasury Department. (vii) vill The. Biological Society of Washington. L. O. Howard: The European Hornet in America. The remainder of the evening was occupied with an informal discussion on the classification of birds, F. A. Lucas, Theodore Gill, W. H. Ashmead, and William Palmer participating. February 12, 1898—287th Meeting. The President in the chair and 27 persons present. L. O. Howard exhibited specimens of Mantidee and Locus- tidee collected by Dr. W. L. Abbott at Trong, Lower Siam, com- menting particularly on the prevalence of aggressive resem- blances among tropical Mantids. The following communications were presented : K. A. De Schweinitz: The Treatment of Animal Diseases with Antitoxic Serums.* O. P. Hay: The Protospondyli and Aethiospondyli of A. 8. Woodward.t | Theodore Gill: Classification of the Astacoidean Crustaceans. February 26, 1898—288th Meeting. The President in the chair and 57 persons present. The evening was devoted to a symposium upon the topic, ‘The Teaching of Biology, with the following speakers: EK. L. Morris, W. H. Dall, Erwin F. Smith, Theodore Gill, H. J. Web- ber, B. W. Evermann, Ch. Wardell Stiles, and Edward L. Greene. March 12, 1898—289th Meeting. The President in the chair and 26 persons present. Theodore Gill. exhibited and discussed a new text-book on zoology by Parker and Haswell. M. B. Waite gave an illustration of fasciation in the black locust. The following communications were presented : Ch. Wardell Stiles: Practical Suggestions in Regard to Trichi- nosis. | Erwin F. Smith: Migula’s ‘ System der Bakterien.’ F. C. Kenyon: Some Recent Advances in our Knowledge of the Nervous System. * To be published as a Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry. tAm. Nat., XXXII, No. 377, pp. 341-349, May, 1898, under the title, ‘ Classification of the Amioid and Lepisosteoid Fishes. Proceedings. 1x March 26, 1898—290th Meeting. The President in the chair and 45 persons present. The evening was devoted to a symposium on ‘ The Compara- tive Value of Factors Influencing the Distribution of Life,’ with the following speakers: C. Hart Merriam, L. O. Howard, W. H. Dall, F. V. Coville, Theodore Gill, B. E. Fernow, B. W. Ever- mann, and F. W. True. April 9, 1898—291st Meeting. Eix-President Theodore Gill in the chair and 28 persons present. Vernon Bailey exhibited specimens of sticks cut by beavers, explaining the methods pursued by the animal in this operation. The following communications were presented : O. P. Hay: Observations on the Cretaceous Fishes called by Professor Cope ‘ Portheus.’ * W. H. Osgood: Notes on the Natural History of the Farallon Islands. (Illustrated by lantern slides.) William Palmer: A Phase-of Feather Repigmentation. April 23, 1898—292d Meeting. Kix-President W. H. Dall in the chair and 65 persons present. © Charles L. Pollard exhibited the fruit of Poinciana regia and of Cxsalpinia bonducella, commenting on their occurrence in south Florida. The following communications were presented : C. Hart Merriam: Life Zone Conformities in the Distribution of Oregon Ground Squirrels. Ernest Seton Thompson: The Personality of Some of Our Wild Animals. (Illustrated by lantern slides.) | May 7, 1898—293d Meeting. Vice-President B. E. Fernow in the chair and 60 persons present. The topic for the evening was ‘The Fauna and Flora of the Florida Keys,’ illustrated by lantern slides, the speakers being O. F. Cook, E. L. Morris, and Charles L. Pollard.t * Zoological Bull., 2, No. 1, pp. 25-54, 1898. + A portion of the topics discussed in this communication will form the basis for a report to be published in Contr. U. 8. Nat. Herb. TI—Browu. Soc. Wasu., Vor. XII, 1898 x The Biorogical Society of Washington. May 24, 1898—294th Meeting. The President in the chair and 20 persons present. The following communications were presented : F, C. Kenyon: Recent Experiments on the Nervous System of Arthropods, their Significance, and the Problems that Remain Unsolved. | Nathan Banks: The Scorpions of the Eastern United States.* Gilbert H. Hicks: The Vitality of Seeds. H. J. Webber: Researches on the Reproduction of Cycada- ceous Plants. October 22, 1898—295th Meeting. The President in the chair and 387 persons present. kK. L. Morris commented on the frequency with which speci- mens of Colocasia esculenta in cultivation in Washington had bloomed during the pastsummer. He also cited a case of morn- ing flowering in Cereus grandiflorus. T. A. Williams noted the occurrence of a rare lichen, Hydro- thyria venosa, at several localities in the West. T.S. Palmer spoke of Neomylodon, an alleged living representa- tive of a family of extinct edentates. The following communications were presented : _J.N. Rose: Proposed Rearrangement of the Subfamily Aga- vee. (Illustrated by numerous living plants.) T F. A. Lucas: The Fossil Bison of North America, with De- scription of a New Species. { : A. J. Pieters: Problems of Aquatic Vegetation. § Gilbert H. Hicks: The Effect of Certain Fertilizers on the Germination of Seeds. November 5, 1898—296th Meeting. The President in the chair and 42 persons present. F. V. Coville exhibited a piece of lava from Mt. St. Helens, bearing the impression of the bark of a pine. * To be published probably in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. t To be published in Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. t To be published in Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 2 To be published as a Bulletin of the Division of Botany, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Proceedings. xi Albert F. Woods exhibited some leaves skeletonized by the small fresh-water crustacean Cypridopsis. H. J.Webber noted the occurrence of seed production in some seedlings from a sport of Clarkia pulchella. The following communications were presented : D. G. Fairchild: The Dutch Botanical Gardens at Buiten- zorg, Java. (Illustrated by numerous photographs.) L.O. Howard: The Outbreak of the Fluted Scale in Portugal and Its Results.* Chas. T. Simpson: The Destruction of the Pearly Fresh-water Mussels.+ IF. A. Lucas: The Occurrence of Mammoth Remains on the Pribilof Islands. November 19, 1898—297th Meeting. The President in the chair and 31 persons present. Ki. L. Morris gave an account of the ascent by a small snake of the polished nickel surface of a vertical stand-pipe. F. W. True exhibited a copy of an entomological journal pub- lished in Japan, stating that it was probably the first journal of this nature issued in that country. L. O. Howard exhibited posters prepared by the German gov- ernment describing and figuring the Colorado potato beetle and the San José scale, and also one issued by the Russian govern- ment describing a destructive Russian grain beetle, Anzsoplia austriaca. The following communications were presented : Cleveland Abbe: Climate and the Corn Crop. H. J. Webber: A Comparison of Types of Fecundation of Flowering oe December 3, 1898—298th Meeting. The President in the chair and 40 persons present. Upon invitation Professor A. D. Hopkins, of West Virginia, addressed the Society briefly, explaining a new method of illus- trating specific and generic relationships by means of diagrams. * To be published as Bull. 18, New Series, Division of Entomology, Dept. of Agriculture. t+ Substance embodied in a paper to be published ee the U. 8. Fish Commission. t To be published in Science. xl The Biological Society of Washington. The following communications were presented : Charles LL. Pollard: Floral Asymmetry in Chamecrista. H. J. Webber: The Affinities of Casuarina. O. F. Cook: Four Categories of Species.* December 17, 1898—299th Meeting. (NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. ) The President in the chair and 82 persons present. The annual reports of the Recording Secretary and ‘Treasurer for the year 1898 were presented, and officers for the year 1899 were elected as follows: President—Frederick V. Coville. Vice-Presidents—Wm. H. Ashmead, Ch. W ardell Stiles, B. W. Everman, F. A. Lucas. Recording Secretary—H. J. Webber. Corresponding Seeretary—O. F. Cook. Treasurer —F. H. Knowlton. Additional Members of the Council—C. L. Marlatt, T. 8. Palmer, Charles L. Pollard, F. W. True, M. B. Waite. The following standing committees were appointed by the Chair: On Communications—F. A. Lucas, chairman; Wm. H. Ash- mead, L. H. Dewey, E. A. De Schweinitz, A. F. Woods. On Publications—C. Hart Merriam, chairman; T. 8. Palmer, F. H. Knowlton. *To be published in the American Naturalist VoL. XII, PP. 1-3 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON FISHES COLLECTED BY E. W. NELSON ON THE TRES MARIAS ISLANDS AND IN SINALOA AND JALISCO, MEXICO. . BY BARTON WARREN EVERMANN, Ichthyologist, U. S. Fish Commission. While engaged in collecting other objects of natural history in Mexico during the summer of 1897, Mr. Nelson obtained a few fishes, which were submitted to the writer for identification and report. The collection contains four species, one of which proves to be new. ‘The specimens were obtained at Rosario, Ixtapa, La La- guna de Juanacatlan and the Tres Marias Islands. Rosario is situated about 80 miles southeast from Mazatlan and about 18 miles from thesea. Thespecimens from that place were obtained from freshwater pools left by the drying up of that portion of the Rosario River. The exact locality was about 15 miles above tide. Ixtapa is in the State of Jalisco, on the Ixtapa River, about 12 miles above the head of the Bay of Banderas. The specimens from Maria Magdalena Island came from the interior about 250 feet above tide level, from a small stream which communicates with the sea during the rainy season. Those from Maria Cleofa came from a small freshwater stream close to the sea, but com- municating with it only in wet weather. Maria Magdalena and Maria Cleofa islands are the two most southern of the Tres Marias group, situated about 60 miles off the coast of Jalisco. La Laguna de Juanacatlan is in the Sierra de Juanacatlan, in west- ern Jalisco, at an altitude of 6,500 to 7,000 feet. 1—Biou. Soc, Wasu., Von. XII, 1898 (1) Re Evermann—Notes on Fishes of Mexico. This collection, though small, is of interest, in that it increases our knowledge of the distribution of the species, and probably indicates a close relation between the freshwater fish fauna of the Tres Marias Islands and that of the adjacent mainland. - LIST OF SPECIES. Family Atherinide. The Silversides. 1. Chirostoma humboldtianum (Cuvier & Velenciennes). The collection contains 5 specimens of this species. They do not differ materially from specimens from the City of Mexico, the type locality. Head 3} to 44 in length of fish; depth 43 to 53; eye 3? to 43 in head ; snout 3 to 35. Dorsal IV-I, 10 to 12; Anal I, 16 to 19; scales 46, 13 to 15 in a transverse series. Family Mugilide. The Mullets. 2. Agonostomus nasutus Gunther. The collection contains one specimen from Ixtapa, 3 from Maria Mag- dalena, and 2 from Maria Cleofa. The specimen from the mainland agrees well with those from the islands. . The specimens are from 2} to 4} inches in length and present the fol- lowing measurements: Head 33 to 4; depth 3} to 4; eye 3? to 4% in head ; snout 34 to 4; interorbital width 23 to 31; maxillary 3} to 34. Dorsal IV-I, 8 ; ikfiad II, 9; scales 42 or 45, 11 in transverse series. Type locality, Rio Geronimo, Central America. Family Cichlide. The Cichlids. 3. Heros beani Jordan. Kleven specimens of this common species obtained at Rosario, July 27, in the same pools from which the Bpeessene of Awaous nelsoni were taken, Head 22; depth 23; eye 4; snout 2,%. Dorsal XV, 11; Anal V, 7; scales 6-30-11; pores in lator line 19 + 11. Type only, Mazatlan, Sinaloa. Family Gobiide. The Gobies. 4. Awaous nelsoni, new species. The collection contains 8 specimens of a goby which proves to be an undescribed species of Awaous. Type locality, Rosario River, at Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico. Collector, E. W. Nelson, July 27, 1897. Type No. 48836, U. S. Nat. Mus. Cotypes Nos. 48837, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; 533 U. 8S. Fish Comm.; and 5793, L. S. Jr. Univ. Mus. Collector’s No. 839. Notes on Fishes of Mexico. 5 Awaous nelsoni Evermann. Head 34; depth 6; eye 53 in head; snout 3; maxillary 2. D. VI-11; A. 11; scalesabout 63. Body long, compressed, and tapering posteriorly ; head large, quadrate; mouth large, nearly horizontal, lower jaw in- cluded; snout abruptly decurved ; top of head flat, the interorbital with a slight median groove with a thin, raised edge on each side; maxillary reaching about to vertical of anterior edge of pupil. Teeth in bands on jaws, very small, the outer somewhat enlarged. Pectoral rays normal, the longest 13 in head; ventrals completely united, the disk free from belly, 1 in head. Dorsal fins separated by a space about 3 diameter of eye; dorsal spines slender, weak, about 12 in head; soft dorsal and anal similar, each free from caudal; caudal fin rather short and rounded, its middle rays about 1} in head. Inner edge of shoulder girdle with 3 der- mal papillee; gill-membranes broadly united to the isthmus; eye mod- erate, high up, the interorbital width equal to the eye’s diameter. Scales ctenoid, very small, and irregularly crowded anteriorly, much larger posteriorly, about 15 rows counting from origin of soft dorsal downward °* and backward to the anal fin; head naked, but with slight indication of a few minute embedded scales on opercles. Color grayish; head mottled and blotched with dark; side with 7 or 8 black blotches, the largest under middle of pectoral fin; dorsals pale, crossed by several lines of black spots; caudal pale, with about 6 or 7 dark cross-bars; ventrals and anal pale; pectorals pale, dusted with dark specks and with a small dark blotch at base of upper rays. Length, 4 inches. The 7 specimens taken as cotypes do not show any considerable varia- tions from the type. The more important variations are indicated in the following description: Head 32 to 32; depth 5 to 63; eye 5 to6 in head; snout 22 to 3. D. VI-11; A. 10 or 11; scales 60 to 70. The number of scales seems to be the most unstable character, but this is partly due to the difficulty of counting them accurately. They are so crowded and irregularly arranged anteriorly as to make definite counting impossible. Awaous nelsoni seems most closely related to A. taiasica (Lichtenstein), from which it differs in the larger scales on posterior part of body, the broader interorbital, the longer snout, and the darker coloration. I take pleasure in naming this interesting species for Mr. Edward Wil- liam Nelson, the well-known ornithologist, in recognition of his early work upon the fishes of Illinois, in 18745. VoL. XII, pp. 5-11 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BIRDS FROM THE TRES MARIAS ISLANDS, WESTERN MEXICO. BY E. W. NELSON. The specimens upon which the present paper is based were obtained by myself and my assistant, Mr. EK. A. Goldman, on the Tres Marias Islands, off the west coast of Mexico, during May, 1897. Our visit there was a continuation of the work carried on in Mexico by the Biological Survey of the Department of Agri- culture. Special efforts were made to secure series of the resident land birds, in which we were quite successful. The study of these Series, in connection with our collection from the adjacent main- land during the same season, indicates that most of the resident land birds of the islands, not already described, differ in a more or less marked degree from their nearest mainland relatives. In most cases the island birds cannot be considered more than geo- graphical races, although a few differ sufficiently to be treated as species. Notasingle species has been found on the islands which - has not a closely related form on the mainland. The bird fauna as a whole will be treated in detail in a paper now in course of preparation. 3 Previous work on the Tres Marias may be briefly summarized as follows: In 1865-1867 the group was visited three times by Colonel A. J. Grayson, who made extensive collections of birds for the Smithsonian Institution. From these collections a number of new species and subspecies have been described at various times by Baird, Cassin, Lawrence, and Ridgway. In addition, Von 2—Biont Soc. Wasn., Vou. XII, 1898 : (5) 6 Nelson—New Birds from Western Mexico. Madarasz has described a Vireo from a collection made there in 1881 by Mr. A. Forrer. Mr. Xantus is supposed to have visited the islands during his stay on the west coast of Mexico, but we have no definite information in regard to his trip. I am indebted to Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Biological Survey, for the opportunity to prepare the present paper. My thanks are due also to Mr. Robert Ridgway, Curator, and Dr. Chas. W. Richmond, Assistant Curator, of Birds in the U. §. National Museum, for continued favors during the progress of my work on Mexican birds. All of the birds described below, except the Magdalena Wren, which seemed to be restricted to Magdalena Island, were taken on Maria Madre Island, and probably occur on the other islands also. All measurements are in millimeters. Columba flavirostris madrensis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Pigeon. Type No. 156698, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ¢ ad., Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 13, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—Differs from typical C. flavirostris in somewhat larger size ; decidedly larger and longer bill and generally paler colors; lower border of greater wing coverts broadly margined with white as in Columba gym- nophthalma. Dimensions of type: wing, 209; tail, 138; culmen, 17; tarsus, 26. Average measurements of Columba flavirostris.— (4 specimens) : wing, 195.5; tail, 123.5; culmen, 13.7; tarsus, 24.7. Q (3 specimens): wing, 193; tail, 120.6; culmen, 14.1; tarsus, 25.3. Average measurements of C. flavirostris madrensis.— (4 specimens) : wing, 202.7; tail, 129; culmen, 15.7; tarsus, 27.1. Q (3 specimens): wing, 201; tail, 127; culmen, 16.6; tarsus, 26.3. A single specimen from the islands lacks the white margins on the greater wing coverts, but has all the other characters of the insular race, such as the large bill and pale colors. Thisis the only one among a dozen or more specimens examined which lacked this marking. The mainland yellow-billed pigeon not infrequently has a narrow margin of white on the borders of the greater coverts, but I have never seen one in which this character is so striking as on the ordinary island birds. Leptotila capitalis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Dove. Type No. 156709, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. ©’, Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 6, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E, A. Goldman. Description of type.—Forehead, and crown to line between middle of EM el BE OE CE Cree toe Mee eee a ‘ aed ee ih ahs 2y pe. ie ian Se bP eRe a FA EY aL we ee New Birds from Western Mexico. 7 orbits, pale creamy drab, shading abruptly into the purplish iridescence which overlies remainder of crown and back of neck. This purplish iridescence on the neck ends abruptly just in front of shoulders, and is bordered by a narrow band of feathers tipped with greenish iridescence. Entire dorsal surface, including wings and middle pair of tail feathers, brown with an olive wash, except on tail and upper tail coverts. Throat distinctly whitish ; remainder of lower side of neck and thence back over chest delicate creamy lilac; abdomen and under tail coverts white with a pale wash of buffy brown on edges of some of the feathers. Flanks dull buffy brown; tail feathers, except middle pair, blackish tipped with white —this tipping broadest on outer pair of feathers; under wing coverts and axillars pale cinnamon. Dimensions of type: wing, 152; tail, 109; culmen, 18.5; tarsus, 33. Averages of Leptotila fulviventris brachyptera.— J (5 specimens) : wing, 147.8; tail, 108.8; eulmen, 16; tarsus, 31.3. @2 (3 specimens): wing, 144.3; tail, 104.6; culmen, 15.6; tarsus, 30.6. Averages of LD. capitalis.—< (5 specimens): wing, 152.5; tail, 110.6; culmen, 17.9; tarsus, 322. @Q (3 specimens): wing, 151.6; tail, 107; culmen, 18.8; tarsus, 30.6. This species can be distinguished at once from its nearest mainland relatives, P. fulviventris and P. fulviventris brachyptera, by its paler colors and larger bill. Stragglers of typical brachyptera occur on the islands, as shown by a specimen obtained there by Col. Grayson, now in the Na- tional Museum. This specimen is identical with the mainland bird and shows no sign of approach to the insular species. : Buteo borealis fumosus subsp. nov. Tres Marias Red-tailed Hawk. Type No. 156714, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. ©’, Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 6, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—Entire head and neck nearly uniform smoky brown, with scarcely a trace of lighter markings on throat or chin. Back and wings blackish brown; breast and remainder of lower surface, except neck, heavily marked with dull rusty, smoky brown, and dull whitish or buffy ; no sign of lighter area on breast; the markings on ventral surface are in the form of indistinct barrings which are most clearly defined on the tibia. Dimensions of type: wing, 375; tail, 206; culmen, 26; tarsus, 81. _Averages of Buteo b. socorroensis.—f (2 specimens) : wing, 387.5; tail, 207.5; culmen, 25; tarsus, 80. @ (1 specimen): wing, 425; tail, 221; culmen, 30; tarsus, 86. . Averages of B. borealis fumosus.—' (3 specimens): wing, 373.3; tail, 207.38; culmen, 26; tarsus, 81.3. 2 (1 specimen): wing, 412; tail, 214; culmen, 30; tarsus, 84.. The Tres Marias form is darker and more uniformly marked below, and lacks the lighter areas on throat and breast that are found in B. borealis socorroensis. On the dorsal surface fumosus is readily distinguish- able from socorroensis by the uniformly smoky brown head and neck, the 8 Nelson—New Birds from Western Mexico. rusty edgings to the neck and wing feathers of the latter bird being en- tirely absent. Curiously enough, although the Tres Marias Islands are only about one-fifth as far from the coast as Socorro [sland, yet the Tres Marias race is more distinct from B. borealis calurus than is socorroensis. Polyborus cheriway pallidus subsp. nov. Tres Marias Caracara. Type No. 156715, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., G'ad., Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 3, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—General pattern of coloration as in P. cheriway, but much paler or lighter brown. The darkest adult from the islands is somewhat paler than the palest adult from the mainland in the considerable series I have examined. The same proportionately paler colors prevail on im- mature birds from the islands. The terminal black band on the tail of the island bird averages narrower, and the other dark bars on the tail are fainter. The light and dark markings on back at base of neck are in the form of regular bars instead of being broken into a roughly wavy pattern by the oval form of the black areas on the feathers, as in specimens of cheriway from the mainland of Mexico. The wing, tail, and tarsus aver- age shorter than in cheriway of the Mexican mainland, bill about the same. Dimensions of type: wing, 370; tail, 198; culmen, 32; tarsus, 86. Averages of Polyborus cheriway (from mainland of Mexico).—j (4 speci- mens): wing, 392; tail, 208.7; culmen, 32.5; tarsus, 90.7. Q (2 speci- mens): wing, 396.5; tail, 217.5; culmen, 33.5; tarsus, 89. Averages of P. cheriway pallidus.— (4 specimens): wing, 370.7; tail, 194; culmen, 32; tarsus, 86.5. @Q (4 specimens): wing, 386.5; tail, 205; culmen, 32.7; tarsus, 88. _ A specimen from the mainland adjacent to the Tres Marias group ap- proximates the island form, and a series might prove the birds from that district to be intermediate. Trogon ambiguus goldmani subsp. nov. Goldman’s Trogon. Type No. 156752, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. <, Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 10, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—Males decidedly greener above than typical ambiguus, with very little of the coppery iridescence characteristic of the latter. Females and young differ still more, their backs being decidedly. ashy and having much paler rufous on middle tail feathers; exposed parts of scapulars, tertiaries, and wing coverts gray, mottled with fine, wavy, black lines with slight indication of the brown which forms the main color of these feathers in ambiguus proper ; colors of lower parts decidedly paler. In size the two forms differ but little. Dimensions of type: wing, 128 ; tail, 148; culmen, 20; tarsus, 17. Averages of Trogon ambiguus.—¥ (4 specimens) : wing, 131; tail, 161.2; culmen, 19.5; tarsus, 16.7. Q (1 specimen): wing, 127; tail, 170; cul- men, 18.5; tarsus, 17. New Birds from Western Mexico. 9 Averages of T. ambiguus goldmani.—% (4 specimens): wing, 130.7 ; tail, 153.2 ; culmen, 19.7; tarsus, 17. Q (1 specimen): wing, 134; tail, 167; culmen, 19; tarsus, 18. Nyctidromus albicollis insularis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Parauque. Type No. 156765, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. , Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 10, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—The island birds can be distinguished from N. albicollis, of the adjacent mainland, by uniformly duller, more grayish brown colors of entire dorsal surface and broader transverse dark bars on lower sur- face, especially on abdomen and flanks. The culmen and tarsus are rel- atively shorter and wings and tail longer. Dimensions of type: wing, 173; tail, 169; culmen, 11 ; tarsus, 26. Averages of Nyctidromus albicollis (from mainland of Mexico).—W (5 specimens) : wing, 158.4; tail, 146.6; culmen, 11.2; tarsus, 26.5. @Q (5 specimens): wing, 152.6; tail, 136; culmen, 11; tarsus, 25.9. Averages of N. albicollis insularis.—J (5 specimens): wing, 170.6; tail, 162.4; culmen, 10.9; tarsus, 25.9. @Q (5 specimens): wing, 168.4; tail, 154.4; culmen, 11.6; tarsus, 25.8. A notable feature of insularis, shown in the series before me, is its re- markable constancy of coloration compared with the amount of variation in the large number of mainland specimens examined. The latter show a wide range of color from grayish to rufous. A single specimen in the island series has a slight rufous shading, but agrees with the others in size. In the mainland series a specimen from Ixtapa, Jalisco, is colored like insularis, but agrees with other birds from the same region in its smaller size. : Myiopagis placens minimus subsp. nov. Little Green Flycatcher. Type No. 156817, U. 8. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. @, Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 10, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—Similar to M. placens, but grayer, especially about head and neck; top of head and neck lighter than rest of dorsal surface in- stead of darker, as in the mainland form. The island form averages smaller than true placens. Dimensions of type: wing, 64.5; tail, 66; culmen, 12; tarsus, 19.5. Averages of Myiopagis placens.—J' and @ (8 specimens): wing, 68.2; tail, 65.8; culmen, 11.2; tarsus, 19.1. Averages of M. placens minimus.—¥% {5 specimens): wing, 64.9; tail, 64.8; culmen, 11.8; tarsus, 19.4. 9 (5 specimens) : wing, 65.5; tail, 63 ; culmen, 11.6; tarsus, 19.2. _ In the National Museum is a typical specimen of placens taken on the Tres Marias by Col. Grayson, showing that it occurs there as a straggler. 10 Nelson—New Birds from Western Mexico. Cardinalis cardinalis mariz subsp. nov. Tres Maria Cardinal. Type No. 156907, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. ¢’, Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 3, 1897. - Collected by E. W. Nelson and EK. A. Goldman. Description.—Males most like those of C. cardinalis igneus, but red of under parts deeper and richer, lacking the pinkish suffusion notable in igneus; color of back also richer, and feathers less edged with gray. The females of the two forms are more distinct than the males. C. marie has a large whitish throat area, and the entire abdomen is whitish, thus confining the main buffy area of lower parts to a broad pectoral band. The bill is more swollen; the wing is longer and tail shorter than in igneus. Dimensions of type: wing, 101; tail, 103; culmen, 20; tarsus, a5 Averages of Cardinalis c. igneus.—J (4 specimens): wing, 94.5; tail, 106; culmen, 20; tarsus, 26.6. 2 (8 specimens): wing, 91.6; tail, 104.3; culmen, 20; tarsus, 26.8. Averages of C. c. mariz.— J (4 specimens): wing, 97.7; tail, 98.7; culmen, 20.5; tarsus, 28.9. @Q (4 specimens): wing, 91.7; tail, 89.7; culmen, 19.9; tarsus, 28.2. Vireo hypochryseus sordidus subsp. nov. Tres Marias Vireo. Type No. 156898, U. 8S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. ¢', Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 13, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description.—Differs from V. hypochryseus in duller, more olive green on dorsal surface, and dingier, more greenish yellow under parts. The bill is darker horn color and larger than in true hypochryseus. Dimensions of type: wing, 66; tail, 61; culmen, 13; tarsus, 21. Averages of Vireo hypochryseus.—¥ (5 specimens): wing, 63.4; tail, 57.8; culmen, 12.4; tarsus, 19.5. Q (2 specimens): wing, 63; tail, 55.5; culmen, 12; tarsus, 20. Averages of V. hypochryseus sordidus—( (7 specimens): wing, 67.3; tail, 60.3; culmen, 13.3; tarsus, 21. @ (8 specimens): wing, 66.3; tail, 60.7; culmen, 12.7; tarsus, 21.1. Melanotis czrulescens longirostris subsp. nov. Tres Marias Blue Mockingbird. Type No. 156923, U. 8. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll., ad. 3, Maria Madre Island, Mexico, May 4, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description of type.—General color dull slaty blue with a grayish cast; top of head and all of neck and breast paler than rest of body ; remainder of lower parts dull grayish blue (becoming smoky bluish in some speci- mens); back, ramp, scapulars, and wing coverts dull slaty blue. Two central tail feathers and outer web of other rectrices same as back ; rest New Birds from Western Mexico. 11 of tail dull black; lores, ear coverts, and fore part of chin black. Dimen- sions of type: wing, 101; tail, J04; culmen, 29; tarsus, 32. Averages of Melanotis cerulescens.— (4 specimens): wing, 115.5; tail, 125.5; culmen, 24.9; tarsus, 31.2. @ (1 specimen): wing, 106; tail, 111; culmen, 24.5; tarsus, 29. Averages of M. cxrulescens longirostris.— (3 specimens) : wing, 104.6 ; tail, 105; culmen, 29; tarsus, 30.6. Q (1 specimen): wing, 108; tail, 102; culmen, 29; tarsus, 32. The grayer colors, smaller size, and larger bill are the main points dis- tinguishing this form from typical cxrulescens. Thryothorus lawrencii magdalene subsp. nov. Magdalena Island Wren. Type No. 156948, U. 8S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll.,.ad. ¢', Mag- dalena Island, Mexico, May 28, 1897. Collected by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Description of type.—Back warm umber brown with a slight grayish wash; top of head and neck deeper, purer rufescent than back ; ramp and upper tail coverts lighter,-brighter rufescent than back ; wings and middle tail feathers rufous brown; tail irregularly barred with blackish brown and whitish, the latter color more or less heavily shaded with dull rufous brown; a distinct white supra-loral stripe from base of bill to nape; sides of head and neck indistinctly marked with blackish lines; chin, throat, breast, and middle of abdomen white; sides of breast and flanks reddish brown; under tail coverts whitish with a shaft line and spot (or bar) of blackish brown near tips. Dimensions of type: wing, 55; tail, 55; cul- men, 16.5; tarsus, 21. Average of 3 adult males of Thryothorus lawrencit.— Wing, 60; tail, 55.6; culmen, 17.2; tarsus, 22. This form combines certain characters of typical 7. felix with those of T. lawrencii. The rufous on the crown and nape is even deeper than in typical felix, while the white lower parts are as in true lawrencii. Compared with a specimen of felix from Ometepec, Guerrero, believed to be typical, magdalene has a pure white area covering most of lower parts in place of the rich rufous of felix. The rufous of the flanks is paler ; under tail coverts less barred; crown and rump nearly the same shade of rufous; back a little grayer; sides of head much less heavily streaked with black. From lawrencii it may be distinguishea by its much richer colored or more rufous upper parts, by somewhat heavier dark streaking on the side of the head and neck, and by the richer wash of rufous on the flanks. Vo. XII, pp. 13-19 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON MAMMAIS OF TRES MARIAS ISLANDS, OFF WESTERN MEXICO. BY C. HART MERRIAM. Mr. E. W. Nelson spent the month of May, 1897, on the Tres Marias Islands in the interest of the Biological Survey of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This visit has resulted in a large increase in knowledge of the fauna and flora of the islands. The new birds are described by Mr. Nelson in a preceding bro- chure of the present volume; the new mammals are named in the present: paper. In the Mammal volume of the ‘ Biologia Centrali-Americana ’ it is stated that according to Mr. Forrer, a collector who visited the islands in 1881, only three indigenous land mammals, be- sides bats, occur there. These are a rabbit, a raccoon, and a pigmy opossum. Mr. Nelson obtained all of these and two addi- tional genera, a rat (Oryzomys) and a white-footed mouse (Per- omyscus), and these in spite of Mr. Forrer’s statement that “ the inhabitants know of no rats or mice whatever in the islands, except, of course, the cosmopolitan Mus decumanus ” (p. 212). The introduced rat brought back by Mr. Nelson is not the com- mon or Norway rat (Mus decumanus), but the Roof rat or gray phase of the Black rat (Mus rattus). Mr. Nelson and his assistant, Mr. E. A. Goldman, collected 146 specimens of mammals, representing nine species, of which the introduced rat is one, three are bats, and five are indigenous ter- restrial land mammals. Of the latter, the rabbit is peculiar to the islands, and was described by Allen in 1877; the remaining four I have compared critically with the most closely related - 3—Bron. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XII, 1898 (18) 14 Merriam—Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. species from the mainland, and find that they differ in such pro- nounced characters that I am forced to describe them as distinct. One of the bats also is here described as new. The raccoon was recorded in ‘ Biologia’ as the South Ameri- can Procyon cancrivorus, but with a series of eight specimens before me I am unable to detect any characters by which it can be re- ferred to that species. Its affinities, on the other hand, are dis- tinctly with P. lotor and P. lotor hernandezi, of which it appears to be merely a pale form, possessing slight though constant cranial differences. In view of these facts, I have described it as anew subspecies of lotor. ‘Those who insist on intergradation as the touchstone of subspecies will have to set it up as a full species. The alleged occurrence of P. cancrivorus on the Tres Marias is cited in ‘ Biologia’ “as furnishing another instance of the pecu- liar affinity of their fauna to that of Southern Central America” (p. 209). Mr. Nelson’s collections, however, show that not only the raccoon and all the other mammals, but also the birds, rep- tiles, and plants, are closely related to species now living on the adjacent mainland of Mexico. One of the bats obtained by Mr. Forrer is recorded by Mr. Thomas as a young specimen of Cheronycteris mexicanus. Inas- much as this species was not obtained. by Mr. Nelson, whereas the commonest bat of the island, a Glossophaga, was not recorded from Forrer’s collection, and since the two genera are closely re- lated, is it not possible that a reéxamination of the Forrer speci- men will show it to be a Glossophaga instead of a Cheronycteris ? Assuming this to be the case, 10 indigenous land mammals are known from the islands. Of these, five, or exactly half, are bats ; of the others, one is a Marsupial; one a Carnivore, and three are Rodents. Of marine mammals three are recorded, a seal and two por- poises, but since only one of these was obtained, the identifica- tion of the other two is uncertain. Marmosa insularis sp. nov. Tres Marias Pigmy Opossum. Type from Maria Madre Island Mexico. No. 89215 (/ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 16, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 11028. Characters.—Size and general appearance as in M. canescens, but ears larger, tail longer, fore feet smaller, color more fulvous, skull longer and more slender. iq Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. 15 Color.—Upper parts drab brown suffused with pale dull fulvous, purest and strongest on sides of neck; black rings around eyes broader, and reaching farther forward on sides of nose, than in M. canescens ; median facial stripe buffy fulvous, narrower and more sharply defined than in canescens ; under parts buffy yellow, deepest on throat and breast. In the 4 specimens examined there is no white on the tail; canescens commonly has the terminal part white. Cramal characters.—Skull similar to that of canescens but longer, de- cidedly narrower and more slender; brain case more rounded; rostrum, palate, and base of skull between audital bullee conspicuously narrower. Measurements.—Type specimen: Total length 270; tail vertebrae 167; hind foot 19.5. Average of 3 males from type locality: Total length 285 ; tail vertebree 170; hind foot 20. Remarks.—Five specimens of this pretty little opossum were obtained on Maria Madre Island and present practically no individual variation. Mr. Nelson states that the species was common in the forest on top of the ridge which extends along the middle of Maria Madre Island. Oryzomys nelsoni sp. nov. Nelson’s Rice Rat. Type from Maria Madre Island, Tres Marias Islands, Mexico. No. 89200 of ad., U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Collection. Collected May 138, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Original No. 11022. Characters. —Size large (decidedly larger than O. meaicanus) ; tail exceed- ingly long and nearly naked ; ears medium, scant haired and rather pale ; color yellowish fulvous; skull large and massive. Color.—Upper parts dull yellowish fulvous, slightly darkened on head and back by blackish hairs, becoming pale buffy vchraceous on flanks and thighs; underparts white, the plumbeous underfur showing through in places; tail dark except on proximal 4 or 4 of under side which is pale yellowish ; hind feet scantily haired with whitish hairs. Cranial and dental characters.—Skull very large and massive, increasing in length (but not in breadth) with age ; interparietal very broad antero- posteriorly. Contrasted with O. mexicanus Allen, the skull is very much larger and heavier (even the @ being much larger than the ' of mexi- canus) ; the rostrum decidedly larger; the interparietal broader antero- posteriorly, and the molar teeth relatively as well as actually much broader. Measurements.—Type specimen, (fad. : Total length 342; tail vertebree 190; hind foot 38. An adult 2: Total length 320; tail vertebree 185; hind foot 37. Average of 2 adult males from type locality: Total length 343; tail vertebre 190.5; hind foot 38.5. Remarks.—Mr. Nelson found this new species living in damp thickets and about springs near the summit of Maria Madre Island, where four specimens were obtained. 16 Merriam—Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. Peromyscus madrensis sp. nov. Tres Marias Mouse. Type from Maria Madre Id., Tres Marias Islands, Mexico. No. 89223 dad. U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 18, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 11040. Characters.—Size rather large ; tail long and scant haired ; ears medium ; color dull pale fulvous; skull without superciliary ridges. In general, similar to P. spicilegus Allen, but much larger, with longer tail and shorter ears. Color.—-Upper parts pale dull fulvous (almost ochraceous buff) with an indistinct darker dorsal band on posterior half of back; under parts, lips and feet white; a salmon or fulvous pectoral spot or streak usually pres- ent; a dark spot on upper side of ankle; eyelids dark; ears essentially same color as body; tail dark aboveand at tip all round ; whitish below. Cranial characters.—Skull rather flat and smoothly rounded; rostrum elongate ; nosupraorbital ridges. Compared with P: spicilegus, its nearest known ally from the mainland of Mexico, the skull of P. madrensis is larger, the brain case decidedly broader and flatter; the molar series of teeth actually of the same length (relatively shorter) and somewhat broader. Measurements.—Type specimen: Total length 222; tail vertebre 119; hind foot 26. Average of 12 specimens from type locality: Total length 224; tail vertebree 120; hind foot 26. Remarks—This mouse, according to Mr. Nelson’s notes, is the most com- mon rodent on the islands. He says: ‘“ Specimens were taken on all three islands. They were generally distributed in the forest above the shore belt which is infested by land crabs, and were found more com- monly about the fig trees on the high interior ridge of Maria Madre than elsewhere.” Specimens from Cleofa Id. are larger than those from Maria Madre Id. (average of 3: total length 229.5; tail vertebree 120; hind foot 27.8) and have larger and heavier skulls. Two specimens from Magda- lena Id. have a pale saffron-yellow wash on the belly, probably due to staining. Mus rattus Linn. Introduced Rat. Mr. Nelson states that this introduced rat, of which he brought back two specimens, was found in small numbers over most parts of Maria Madre Id., where it lives in the forest like the native mice. Lepus graysoni Allen. Tres Marias Cottontail. Lepus graysoni Allen, Monog. N. Am. Rodentia, 347-348, 1877. Type from Tres Marias Ids., Mexico. Mr. Nelson obtained 16 specimens of this very desirable rabbit. He states that the species occurs abundantly on the two larger islands, Maria Madre and Magdalena, and the small San Juanito, and is reported to occur on Maria Cleofa Island also. Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. 17 Procyon lotor insularis subsp. nov. Tres Marias Raccoon. Type from Maria Madre Island, Tres Marias Ids., Mexico. No. 88978 3 old, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 10, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 10985. Characters.—Similar to P. lotor and hernandezi but smaller and paler ; ears smaller and only slightly marked at base; top of head grayer. Cranial characters.—Skull in general similar to those of P. lotor and her- nandezi but relatively shorter ; frontals at and behind plane of postorbital processes broader; squamosal arm of zygomatic arch more expanded ver- tically; mastoid processes decidedly shorer and thicker; pterygoids squarely truncate anteriorly and of even breadth throughout (as seen from below), instead of tapering anteriorly to a thin point or scale as in both lotor and hernandezi ; audital bullee slightly smaller than in hernan- dezi, decidedly smaller and less inflated than in lotor. Dental characters.—Premolars somewhat larger and more crowded than in lotor; upper carnassial as in lotor—smaller than in hernandezi; first upper molar about the same size as in lotor and similar in form, smaller than in hernandezi and much less quadrate. Measurements.—Type specimen ({\ ad.: Total length 854; tail vertebree 286; hind foot 132. An adult 9: Total length 735; tail vertebrae 232; hind foot 126. Average of 5 adult males from type locality : Total length 841; tail vertebree 287; hind foot 131. Remarks.—Mr.-Nelson found the Raccoon common on the two larger islands, Maria Madre and Maria Magdalena, but saw no signs of them on Maria Cleofa although told that they occur there sparingly. ? Zalophus callfornianus (Lesson). Sea-Lion. In the absence of positive knowledge as to the identity of the Tres Marias seal, it is referred provisionally to the above species. It-is of course possible that the Guadalupe fur-seal ( Arctocephalus townsendi) may occur here also. Mr. Nelson’s notes contain the following: ‘‘A large seal or sea-lion, called lobo marino or sea wolf by the Mexicans, was reported to occur at several places on the rocky shores of Maria Magdalena and Maria Cleofa Islands. We heard of them first before leaving San Blas and again when we reached the islands. From the accounts received it was evident that they had been hunted for sport by various visitors until they had become comparatively scarce. We made careful inquiries, and, after learning of the location of the places most frequented by them on both islands, vis- ited these places under the guidance of a tortoise-shell hunter who was very familiar with the shore. Only a single seal was seen; it was ona rocky islet off the shore of Maria Cleofa, and took to the water and dis- appeared before we could get ashot. Our guide informed me that at times the seals disappear from the islands for a few days, and this may account for our failure to find them in their usual haunts. The consensus of opinion among the residents of Maria Madre Island was that these animals are now very scarce, Formerly they were found at many places, 18 Merriam—Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. but at present a rocky point on the northwest side, and a jutting reef on the south side of Maria Magdalena Island, and some islets off the west shore of Maria Cleofa, are the landing places used by the remnants of the considerable number that once lived here. They are doubtless doomed to speedy extinction.” Rhogeessa parvula H. Allen. Tres Marias Rhogeéssa. Rhogeéssa parvula H. Allen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 285, 1866. Type from Tres Marias Ids., Mexico. A single badly mutilated specimen of this little known bat was shot on Maria Madre Id., where, according to Mr. Nelson's notes, it is ‘‘ not un- common in the forest.” Myotis nigricans (Maximilian). Maximilian’s Black Bat. Mr. Thomas states that ‘fa specimen of this species was obtained by Mr. Forrer in the Tres Marias Islands.’’ (Biologia Centrali-Americana, Mammalia, 206, 1881.) Otopterus mexicanus (Saussure). Big-eared Bat. Macrotus mexicanus Saussure, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 2e sér. XII, 486-487, 1860. Type from Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico. This large long-eared bat is very common on Maria Madre Id., where Mr. Nelson collected 52 specimens. He found it in the daytime in two or three caves, and also in an old unused warehouse. The females were heavy with young at the time of his visit (May, 1897). I have compared Mr. Nelson’s Tres Marias specimens with specimens collected by him near the type locality of Saussure’s ‘Macrotus mexicanus’ in the State of Morelos, Mexico, and find no tangible differences except that the ears of the island specimens are slightly the larger. I have also compared both series with a fine series of topotypes of Otopterus bulleri (H. Allen) from Bolafios, Jalisco, and am unable to find any characters on which the latter form can stand. Glossophaga mutica sp. nov. Tres Marias Glossophaga. Type from Maria Madre Id., Tres Marias Ids., Mexico. No. 89271 o‘ad., U.S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected May 8, 1897, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Orig. No. 10976. Characters.—Similar to G. soricina (Pallas) and G. truet H. Allen, but differing in proportions and color—reddish brown instead of gray or sooty. Color.—Fur of upper parts with basal } dull white; apical } dull cinna- mon brown; underparts similar but much paler. Cranial and dental characters.—In the absence of authentic skulls of G. soricina and truei for comparison it is impossible to differentiate the cranial characters of G. mutica. The rostrum is rather broad, flat, and swollen ; a rounded protuberance over each orbit marks the junction of the rostrum with the braincase ; the braincase is abruptly elevated and Mammals from Tres Marias Islands. 19 strongly inflated and arched ; the basisphenoid is strongly keeled along the median line and its posterior fourth is abruptly elevated and has a pocket or fossa on each side between the audital bullz, and on the same plane with the basioccipital ; the zygomatic arches are slender, nearly parallel, rods; the upper canines divaricate so strongly that they are con- spicuous when the skull is viewed from above; the premolars are narrow and well spaced ; the molars are small and weak. Measurements of type specimen, ¢f\ ad.: Total length (in flesh) 65 mm. ; tail vertebra (in flesh) 8; [following measurements from dry skin] fore- arm 35.5; metacarpal of 3d (longest) digit 35.5; tibia 14; ear from ante- rior basal angle 9; tragus from outer base 4.5. Remarks.—Mr. Nelson obtained 37 specimens of this new Glossophaga on Maria Madre Id., where he found it inhabiting caves. Many of the females contained partly developed embryos. Choeronycteris mexicana Tschudi. Tschudi’s Hat. Cheronycteris mexicana Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, I, 72-73, 1844. Type from Mexico. ‘‘An immature specimen of this somewhat rare species is contained in Mr. Forrer’s ‘Tres Marias collection.”—(Mr. Thomas in Biologia Centrali- Americana, 207, 1881). As already suggested, it would be worth while to reéxamine this specimen with reference to the possibility of its being Glossophaga mutica. Lasiurus borealis mexicana (Sauss.). Mexican Red Bat. Atalapha mexicana Saussure, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 2e sér. XIII, 91, March, 1861. Type from Mexico. This species was not obtained by Mr. Nelson, but is recorded by Thomas (under the old name Atalapha frantzii) as collected by Forrer on the Tres Marias. (Biologia, Mammalia, 205, 1881.) ? Phocena communis Lesson. Common Porpoise. Mr. Nelson states that ‘‘a porpoise, supposed to be this species, was common around the shores of the Tres Marias Islands, and also in bays and at the mouths of streams or lagoons along the coast of the mainland. They were always seen in the belt of shallow discolored water within a short distance of shore. As soon as the blue water was reached, with a depth of over 40 fathoms, the other species, Prodelphinus longirostris, was encountered. The present species was seen in schools of from ten to thirty or forty individuals swimming in loose order. At Maria Madre they came into the bay and close along shore early in the morning.’’ Prodelphinus longirostris (Gray). Long-nosed Porpoise. Mr. Goldman shot a porpoise 12 to 15 miles off the islands, which Mr. F. W. True has kindly identified as Prodelphinus longirostris (Gray). Mr. Nelson states that there were probably 200 in the school from which this specimen was secured, and that a number of such schools were seen between San Blas and the islands. VoL. XII, pp. 21-22 PeRaes 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW SPECIES OF EVOTOMYS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA. BY VERNON BAILEY. Since the publication of my revision of the genus Hvotomys in the Proceedings of the Biological Society last May,* a large series of specimens has been collected in the Pacific Coast region from northern California northward into British Columbia. The known ranges of several species have been considerably extended, and one form, inhabiting the low coast country of southern British Columbia, proves to be undescribed. It seems to be entirely dis- tinct from neighboring species and worthy of full specific rank. In external characters it most nearly resembles EF. wrangeli, but in cranial characters shows the opposite extreme of develop- ment in the short, wide skull. With its geographically nearest neighbors, E. occidentalis and E. saturatus, on the south, it shows no close affinities, being distinguished from them at a glance by its very short tail and smaller size. Evotomys caurinus sp. nov. Type from Lund, east shore of Malaspina Inlet, British Columbia. No. 89460, J ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Coll. Collected July 18, 1897, by Edward A. Preble. Original No. 2147. Geographic distribution.—The coast region of British Columbia east of the Strait of Georgia and south to the Frazer River. General characters.—Size rather small; colors dark; tail very short; skull short and wide, with narrow rostrum and rather small audital bulle. Color.—In summer: dorsal area well defined, dark, rich, chestnut dark- * Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XI, 118-138, May 13, 1897. 4—Brou. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XII, 1898 re (21) 22 Bailey— New Species of Evotomys from British Columbia. ened with black tipped hairs; sides sepia gray tinged with pale buff; spots over side glands of males whitish or dusky ; face clear dark gray ; belly washed with whitish or rarely buffy ; ears dusky, scantily haired ; tail bicolor, chestnut or dusky above with blackish tip, buffy below; feet soiled whitish or slightly dusky. In winter: dorsal area brighter, more rufescent than in summer; sides clearer gray. Young: darker than adults, with dusky bellies, feet and tails. Cranial characters.—Skull short and wide with spreading zygomata and very narrow nasals and rostrum; nasals truncate posteriorly and ter- minating even with ends of premaxille; audital bulle small and flat- tened compared with those of occidentalis or saturatus, about equal to those of wrangeli but wider and flatter; incisors small and slender ; molars small and crowded longitudinally ; anterior loop of second and third upper molars usually indented; middle pair of triangles usually confluent in each lower molar. Measurements of type specimen.—(Measured in flesh by E. A. Preble): total length, 135; tail vertebra, 34; hind foot, 18. Average of 5 adults from type locality: total length, 185; tail vertebrae, 36; hind foot, 18. Skull of type: basal length, 21; nasals, 6.2; zygomatic breadth, 13.3; mastoid breadth, 10.8; alveolar length of upper molar series, 4.9. Remarks.—The type series of 10 specimens shows only summer pelage and young; a specimen taken at Agassiz, B. C., Dec. 6, is in nearly full winter pelage. . VoL. XII, pp. 23-26 JANUARY 27, 1898 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW DEER (DORCELAPHUS TEXANUS) FROM TEXAS AND NORTHERN MEXICO. BY EDGAR A. MEARNS. The small white-tailed deer of Texas differs so materially in size, proportions, coloration, and cranial characters from the other members of the Dorcelaphus americanus* group as to necessitate its separation. It may be known by the following description: Dorcelaphus texanus new species. Texan Deer. Type from Fort Clark, Kinney County, Texas. No. 4288, author’s col- lection.t Adult male. Collected December 25, 1897, by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns. General characters.—Size small; ears relatively small, with black on edges and tip; horns small and strongly incurved ; limbs relatively short ; molar and premolar teeth very large; general color pale; coat fine and long. *In the Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, vol. X, February, 1896, page 25, Mr. Outram Bangs reverted to the specific name americanus with the following remark: “The name Cervus virginianus Boddaert is so well known and has stood for onr eastern deer so long that it seems like sacrilege to change it, but it isantedated by seven years by Erxleben’s name Cervus dama americana. Erxleben proposed this name on page 312 of his Syst. Regni Animalis, Mammalia, 1777. In a separate paragraph at the end of his article on Cervus dama he asks if americanus is different, as supposed by Pennant (Differtne vere americanus vti Pen- nanto videtur ?). He quotes a part of Pennant’s description and gives synonomy, so that the name will have to stand. He givesits distribution — as Virginia and Carolina.” + The type and other specimens collected will be placed, as soon as pos- sible, in the collection of the U.S. National Museum, at Washington, D. C. 5—Brot. Soc. Wasu., Vou. XII, 1898 : (23) 24 Mearns—A New Deer from Texas and Northern Mexico. Color.—In the type, which is in complete winter coat, the upper sur; face is superficially a pepper-and-salt mixture of black, yellowish white, and gray.