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FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM.

PUBLICATION 71.

ZOOLOGICAL SERIES.

VOL. Ill, No. 8.

A LIST OF A COLLECTION

OF

MEXICAN MAMMALS

WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME

APPARENTLY NEW FORMS.

BY

D. G. ELLIOT, F.R.S.E.,

Curator of Department.

CHICAGO, U. S. A.
February, 1903.

A LIST OF A COLLECTION OF MEXICAN MAMMALS WITH
DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME APPARENTLY NEW FORMS.

BY D. G. ELLIOT, F. R.S. E., ETC.

This small collection of mammals was obtained by Mr. F. E.
Lutz, who accompanied Dr. S. E. Meek in his visit to Mexico in
1901. The new forms have been compared with the types of Dr.
Merriam's species and the examples in the large collection from
Mexico belonging to the Biological Survey in Washington, and my
thanks are due to Dr. Merriam and Mr. W. H. Osgood for their kind
assistance during my visit to the National Museum, and for facilities
given for examining their specimens.

ORDER RODENTIA.

FAM. SCIURID^E.
GENUS SPERMOPHILUS.
Spermophilus. F. Cuv. Mem. Mus., 1822, v. i, p. 293.

Spermophilus variegatus. Erxl. Syst.Regn. Anirri., I, 1777,
p. 421.

Four specimens, Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan.
These examples are very dark when compared with northern
ones, the difference so great as almost to entitle them to sub-
specific distinction.

FAM.
SUBFAM. MURING.

GENUS MUS.
Mus. Linn. Syst. Nat. 1766, p. 79.

Mus musculus. Linn. Syst. Nat., 1766^.83.

Thirty-three specimens: 16 from Patzcuaro, State of Micho-
acan; 13 from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco; 2 from Puenta de Ixtla,
State of Morelos; 2 from Venta Salada, State of Puebla.

MI

142 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM — -ZOOLOGY, VOL. III.

GENUS PEROMYSCUS.

Peromyscus. Glog. Handb. & Hilfsb. Natur. , 1842, p. 95.

Peromyscus 1. sonoriensis. (Le Conte) Proc. Acad. Nat.
Scien. Phila., 1853, p. 413.

Twenty specimens: 19 from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco, and i
from Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan.

These specimens of this widely dispersed species are practi-
cally identical with those from Woodford, Alpine County, Cali-
fornia, obtained by W. W. Price in 1895.

Peromyscus *sagax. Sp. nov.

Five specimens from Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan: two
adults, three young.

Type locality. La Palma, State of Michoacan.

Gen. cliar. Similar in color to P. difficilis, but cranial char-
acters different. Ears large. Skull : brain case nearly square,
broad; interorbital constriction considerable. As compared with
skull of P. difficilis, that of the present species is shorter and nar-
rower with shorter nasals but of about equal width; bullae smaller
and closer together and molars much smaller.

Color. Top of head and dorsal region mixed grayish black
and buff, the former predominating; sides grayish brown and buff
with an indistinct buff lateral line; orbital ring and spot behind
nose black, with a buff spot between it and the eye; sides of head
and shoulders buffy gray; sides like thighs; hands and feet white.
Tail dusky above, white beneath; ears large, brown at base,
blackish at tip with narrow white edges.

Measurements. Total length, 192; tail vertebrae, 107: hind
foot, 22. Skull: total length, 26; Hensel, 20; zygomatic width,
33: mastoid width, 12; length of nasals, 10; greatest width of
rostrum, 4; palatal length, 4: interorbital constriction, 4; length
of incise foramina, 4; length of upper molar series, 4; of lower
molar series, 4.

While resembling the type of P. difficilis in gene/al color
without any rufous tinge, the present form has smaller ears and
a shorter tail with marked cranial differences as given above.

Peromyscus -ipavidus. Sp. nov.

Three specimens from Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan.

Type locality. Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico.

Gen. cliar. Tail long; ears large; colors pale. Skull with a
very broad brain case; mastoid width the greatest; rostrum long

*>acax. acute, slirewd.
rpavidus, timid, fearful.

FEB. 1903. MEXICAN MAMMALS — ELLIOT. 143

and rather slender, its greatest width being less than the least
interorbital width; the palatine foramina broad, their posterior
ends just reaching the anterior line of first premolar. Skulls of
all the specimens badly broken. Somewhat similar to P. gratus
in color, but larger in all its measurements.

Color. Upper parts mixed buff and brownish black, palest
on hind neck; orbital ring black; lateral line from lip to rump
ochraceous buff; sides above it buff: under parts white tinged with
buff on chest; arms buff; legs and ankles dusky; hands and feet
white; tail above blackish or brownish black, beneath white; ears
brown.

Measurements. Total length, 238; tail vertebrae, 130: hind
foot, 23; ears, 20.

This large mouse in its rather light color, large ears and
long tail does not resemble very closely any of the named forms
that would naturally be arranged with it. It is a rather con-
spicuous species and would readily attract attention in a collec-
tion of these animals. Unfortunately the skuil is badly broken
and exact measurements cannot be given. «

Peromyscus *labecula. Sp. nov.

Six specimens from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco.

Type locality. Ocotlan, State of Jalisco, Mexico.

Gen. char. Similar to P. thurberi in general color, but
cranial characters very different. Tail short. Skull as compared
with that of P. thurberi has brain case more square shaped; outer
edge of frontals more curved; interorbital constriction greater;
nasals shorter and broader anteriorly; palatine foramina shorter
and narrower; pterygoids shorter: maxillary branch of zygoma
broader and heavier. Pelage soft, thick, white spot at base of ear.

Color. Above dark grayish fulvous, top of nose grayish buff;
conspicuous white spot at posterior base of ears; shoulders mixed
buff and black; lateral line from upper lip to thigh tawny
ochraceous: lips and under parts white; thighs like sides: arms,
hands and feet white; tail hairy, above blackish brown, sides and
beneath white; ears small, black edged with white.

Measurements. Total length, 144; tail, 57; hind foot, 18.
(Skin.) Skull: greatest length, 25; Hensel, 20; zygomatic width,
13; mastoid width, n; length of nasals, 10; greatest width of
rostrum, 4; palatal length, 4; length of upper tooth row, 4.

This little mouse resembles P. thurberi in its general hue,
although somewhat darker above, but is distinguishable from

•Labecula— a small spot.

144 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSKUM — ZOOLOGY, VOL. III.

North American mice by the rather conspicuous white spot
behind the ears. Only six specimens were procured, all of
which were unfortunately injured by cats.

Peromyscus m. brunneus. Allen & Chapman, Hull. Am. Mus.
Nat. Hist., 1902, p. 203.
One specimen from Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan.

GENUS SIGMODON.

Sigmodon. Say & Ord., Journ. Acad. Nat. Scien. Phil., 1825, p. 352.
Sigmodon hispidus ""inexoratus. Subsp. nov.

Sixteen specimens from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco, Mexico.

Type locality. Ocotlan, State of Jalisco, Mexico.

Gen. char. Size large. Similar to .S. hispidus, back grayer
above and paler on sides. Infraorbital foramen oblong and nar-
row. Skull broad in front.

Color. Above creamy buff heavily lined with black: sides
cream buff; arms, hands and thighs cream buff: hind feet gray;
under parts grayish white; tail sparsely haired, blackish above,
whitish beneath; ears dark brown.

Measurements. Total length, 310: tail vertebra, 146; hind
foot, 36; Skull: total length, 37; Hensel, 31; zygomatic width,
20; mastoid width, 15: median palatal length, 8: length of incisive
foramen, 7; upper tooth row. 7: lower tooth row, 7.

These specimens do not seem to agree with any described
forms. In size they are about equal to the large major and
tona/cnsis, but are otherwise quite different, and while approach-
ing mascotcnsis in cranial characters, they are much larger and of
a different color.

Sigmodon mascotensis. Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1897,

P-54-

One specimen.

This species of cotton rat has a coloring not unlike many
forms of the Rice rat (Oryzomys), and is a rather small species.

GENUS ORYZOMYS.

Oryzomys. Baird, N. Am. Mamm., 1857, p. 458.

Oryzomys albiventer. Merr. Proc. Wash. Acad. Nat. Scien.,

1 90 1, p. 279.

Four specimens, three from Puenta de Ixtla, State of More-
los, and one from Balsas River, State of Michoacan.

*Ine\oratns, unasked, not desired.

FF.K. 1903. MEXICAN* MAMMALS — ELLIOT. 145

Oryzomys *molestus. Sp. nov.

One specimen from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco.

Type locality. Ocotlan, State of Jalisco, Mexico.

Gen. char. Size large: ears small: tail very long; color
"beneath uniform. Skull about half as broad as long; supraor-
bital beads diverging posteriorly from least interorbital width in
almost straight lines; unlike those of O.fulgens; palatal arch with
an azygos point; palatine foramina very long and broad.

Color. Above dark fulvous; flanks pale buff; forehead darker
than back; under parts grayish white: tail nearly naked, pale
brown above, lighter beneath: ears pale brown.

Measurements. Total length, 325; tail beneath, 170; hind
foot, 38. Skull: greatest length, 35; Hensel, 28; zygomatic
width, 18; mastoid width, 14; length of nasals, 14; width of
rostrum, 6; interorbital constriction, 6; palatal length, 7; length
of upper tooth row, 6.

This is one of the largest species of the group and is nearest
to O. fulgens, but differs from that form in its darker color on the
upper parts, and in being grayish white below instead of washed
with fawn. Unfortunately but a single example was procured,
and as the type locality of O. fulgens is unknown the two animals
may be widely separated in their habitats. I have compared the
present specimen with the large series in the collection of the
Biological Survey in the National Museum, Washington, and it
did not agree with any of the examples.

GENUS RHITHRODONTOMYS.

Rhithrodontomys. Giglioli. Richer, interm. alia Distrib. Geog. Gen.

Roma, 1873, p. 160.
Rhithrodontomys tinexspectatus. Sp. nov.

Type locality. Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico.

Gen. char. Similar to fi. levipes, but whitish on under parts
instead of pale fulvous, and tip of tail white. Ears large; tail
long.

Color. Upper parts mixed black and tawny ochraceous;
sides ochraceous buff; chin, upper part of throat, hands and feet
white; under parts grayish white, slightly tinged with buff; limbs
like sides. Tail above blackish brown, tip white, beneath whit-
ish. Ears naked, dark brown with a slight edging of brown and
a tuft of ochraceous hairs at base.

•Molestus, troublesome, irksome.
Mnrxspectatus, a, urn, unexpected.

146 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY, VOL. III.

Measurements. Total length, 180: tail vertebrae, 113; hind
foot, 21. Skull much broken; lengjth from alveolus of incisors to
posterior end of palate, 9; length of palate, 5; length of nasals, 9;
least interorbital width, 3; length of upper tooth row, 4.

I compared this specimen with Dr. Merriam's numerous
types and the extensive series in the Biological Survey collection,
but it differed from them all save one. This was an example
from Patzcuaro, the type locality, which had probably been over-
looked and had not been named.

Rhithrodontomys g. helvolus. Merr. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash..
1901, p. 554.

One specimen from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco.

GENUS HETEROMYS.
Heteromys. Desm. Mamm. , 1822, p. 313.

SUSGENUS LIOMYS.

Liomys. Merr. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 1902, p. 44.

Heteromys alleni. Coues. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 1881. viii, p.

187.

One specimen from Patzcuaro.

This specimen represents the typical style from Hacienda
Angostura, State of San Luis Potosi. It is a dark animal with
the central dorsal region slightly darker than the rest, but with-
out any distinct saddle.

Heteromys albo-limbatus. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. , 1868, p. 205.

Two examples; one from Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan, and
one from Puenta de Ixtla, State of Morelos.

This species, while resembling /f. alleni \\\ its general appear-
ance, is rather lighter in color and with a very distinct saddle.

Heteromys *exiguus. Sp. nov.

One specimen.

Type locality. Puenta de Ixtla, State of Morelos.

Gen. char. Size small; no lateral line: well marked saddle.

Color. Above mixed buff, brownish black and dark gray
forming a well marked dark saddle on middle of back; sides of
head, neck and body, with rump and thighs, light gray: lips,
under parts and hands white; arms, legs and feet yellowish white;
no lateral line; tail above blackish brown, beneath white.

*Exiguus, a. urn-, small in size.

FEB. 1903. MEXICAN MAMMALS — ELLIOT. 147

Measurements. Total length, 185; tail vertebrae, 106; hind
foot, 24. The skull is badly broken and no measurements are
possible.

Dr. Merriam has raised the members of this group of the
Heteromyidae to generic rank under the title of Liomys (1. c. ). It
does not appear to me that the characters he gives are sufficiently
distinctive and important for this, as adults of Liomys and
Heteromys in a number of instances cannot be distinguished
apart by their teeth and therefore Liomys is here employed as a
subgenus. I sent the specimen of H. exiguus to Dr. Merriam to
be compared with his large series, and he writes me that "it is
different from any species known to me, although it is closely
related to L. torridus minor. Our collection does not contain
anything like it."

GENUS LEPUS.
Lepus. Linn. Syst. Nat., 1758, p. 57.

SUBGENUS SILVILAGUS.

Lepus floridanus subcinctus. Miller, Proc. Acad. Nat. Scien.
Phil., 1899, p. 386.
Two specimens from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco.

Lepus floridanus *persultator. Subsp. nov.

Type locality. Puebla, State of Puebla.

Gen. char. In color closely resembling L. f. subcinctus, but
smaller in all its measurements. Skull is distinguished for the
straightness of its anterior superior outline, the nasals being flat
and on a line with the frontals; posterior portion of skull from
behind orbits curving sharply downward. Nasals broad,
abruptly compressed near anterior termination; palatal arch with
azygos process in center. Ears short.

Color. Top of head cinnamon rufous and black; rest of
upper parts except rump mixed black and ochraceous buff; sides
gray; rump mixed gray and black; nape and outer surface of
limbs yellowish rufous; stripe of ochraceous buff on body in front
of thighs; pectoral band pale yellowish rufous; under parts white;
eye stripe buff; orbital ring cream buff; cheeks mixed gray, buff
and black; fore feet buff, hind feet white. Tail above ochraceous
buff, beneath white. Ears dark brown sprinkled with buff, dark-
est at tip, anterior border for three-fourths its length from base,
white.

•Persultator, oris. One that (risks or leaps about.

148 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY, VOL. III.

Measurements. Hind foot, 72;' ears from notch, 54; from
head, 62. (Skin.) Skull: occipito-nasal length, 66, median
length of nasals, 19; lateral length of nasals, 27; posterior width
of nasals, n; anterior width, 8: distance from anterior premolar
to alveolus of incisor, 19; length of palatine foramina, 16; least
interorbital width anterior to postorbital process, n; length of
palate, 5; width of palate, K

One specimen only.

SUBGENUS MAC ROTOLAGUS.

Lepus callotis. Wagl. Syst. Amph., 1820, p. 35.
One specimen from Puebla, State of Puebla.

ORDER CARNIVORA.

FAM. PROCYONID^E.

GENUS PROCYON.

Procyon. Storr. Prod. Meth. Mamtn., 1780, p. 35.

Procyon lotor hernandezi. Wagl. Isis, 1831, p. 514.

Two specimens from Puenta de Ixtla, State of Morelos.

FAM. MUSTELID.E.
GENUS *MEPHITIS.

Mephitis. Cuv. Lee. Anat. Comp., 1800, p. i.

Mephitis macroura. Licht. Darst. Saugeth., 1832, pi. 46 and text.

Two specimens from Ocotlan, State of Jalisco.

One example is entirely black save a short narrow white
stripe on sides near the thighs; the other has nape and hind neck
and middle of back nearly to thigh, and a narrow stripe from
shoulder to thigh, white.

ORDER IXSECTIVORA.
GENUS SOREX.

Sorex. Linn. Syst. Nat., 1755, p. 53.

Sorex ventralis. Merr. N. Am. Faun., No. 10, 1895, p. 75.
One specimen from Patzcuaro, State of Michoacan.

*For retention of this name instead of Chincha, Less., see Dr. J. A. Allen's unanswerable
arguments in Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1901, p. 325, and Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 1902, p. 59.

FKB. 1903. MEXICAN MAMMALS — ELLIOT. 149

GENUS BLARINA.

Blarina. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p. 124.
Blarina '::pergracilis. Sp. nov.

Type locality. Ocotlan, State of Jalisco, Mexico.

Gen. char. Smallest of the genus, allied to B. b. berlandieri,
but with a more slender skull; narrower rostrum, smaller molars,
and of a very different color.

Color. Above blackish olive brown, beneath pale grayish
brown.

Measurements. Total length, 81; tail vertebrae, 20; hind foot,
I 10. Skull: total length, 16; Hensel, 13; mastoid breadth, 7;

length of palate, 6.

ORDER CHIROPTERA.

FAM. VESPERTILIONID^.

GENUS MYOTIS.

Myotis. Kaup, Skizzirte Entw. Gesch. u. Naturl. Syst. d. Europ.

Thierw., 1829, i, p. 106.
Myotis velifer. (J. A.Allen) Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1800,

p. 177.

Ninety-five specimens, 5 from Patzcuaro, and 90 from La
Palma, State of Michoacan.

FAM. NOCTILIONID/E.
GENUS BALANTIOPTERYX.

Balantiopteryx. Peters M. B. Akad. Berl., 1867, p. 476.

Balantiopteryx plicata. Peters M. B. Akad. Berl., 1867, p. 476.
One specimen from Puenta de Ixtla, State of Morelos.

GENUS NYCTINOMUS.

Nyctinomus. Geoff. Desc. de 1'Egypt, 1812, n, p. 114.

Nyctinomus mexicanus. Sauss. Rev. Zool. 1860, p. 283.

Eighty-eight specimens from La Palma, State of Michoacan.

*Pergraciiis, is. e, very slender.

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