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Show 756 MR. ALSTON ON NEW SPECIES OF HESPEROMYS. [Nov. 21, into deep fawn ; ears, feet, and tail dusky. Approximate measurements of" the mounted type specimen :- inches. Length of head and body 3*25 ,, tail (tip imperfect) 1*90 ear 0*40 „ hind foot 0*65 Hab. Cohan, Guatemala (Brit. Mus.). This very peculiar small dark short-tailed mouse is quite unlike any other species with which I am acquainted. It may here be observed that the Mus tazamaca, indicated as new by Gray at the same time, proves to be the species since named Beithrodon mexicana by M. de Saussure*. The second species is a large form, which I propose to name after Dr. Elliott Coues, whose recent researches have done so much towards clearing up the confusion existing as to North-American rodents. HESPEROMYS COUESI, sp. n. Ears proportionally small, rounded, sparingly clothed with short hairs. Fore feet small; hind feet large, the toes long, the second, third, and fourth being subequal, the soles quite naked, with small tubercles arranged as in H. palustris. Tail long, scaly, almost naked, the fine sparse hairs being hardly perceptible. Fur thick and rather woolly. Upper parts reddish brown, the fur dark slate-colour, with broad rufous tips, mixed with longer black hairs; the flanks lighter rufous, gradually shading below into dirty white (or pale fawn) without any distinct line of demarcation; breast washed with rufous; feet very sparsely clad with short greyish hairs ; tail nearly unicolo-rous, paler beneath at the base. Teeth typically Hesperomine ; skull with the upper margin of the orbits forming a raised crest (as in H. palustris), but the palate not produced so far back. Measurements of three specimens, a in spirits, b in skin, c mounted:- a. b. c. inches. inches. inches. Length of head and body .... 5 6*75 - tail . 5*70 6*00 5*40 ear 0*54 0*55 „ fore foot 0*48 0*55 hind foot 1*10 1*30 1*08 skull 1-25 Hab. " Mexico," (b) Geale, (c) Ferreaux, Brit. Mus.; Guatemala (c); Coban, (a) Salvin, Brit. Mus. The Guatemalan specimen differs from the Mexican ones in being light fawn beneath, instead of dirty white more or less washed with rufous, but agrees in all other respects. This species resembles H. palustris, Harl., in the raised supraorbital ridges of its skull, its short ears, large hind feet, and naked * Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1860, p. 109. |