OCR Text |
Show 1882.] MR. O. THOMAS ON RODENTS FROM PERU. 109 Fur extremely long and soft, only exceeded in this respect by H. longipilis, Waterh. General colour above grizzled ashy grey, the hairs being, as usual, slate-coloured for five sixths of their length, and the tips white, with numerous wholly black longer hairs intermixed. This colour lightens gradually into the greyish white of the belly, where the basal two thirds only of the hairs are slate-colour. Anterior edge of the outer side of the ears thickly clothed with long and soft dark brown hairs, as also is the posterior half of the internal surface, though there the hairs are much shorter. Tail unusually thick, tapering to a point, brown above and white beneath, the two colours not sharply separated, closely covered with short shining hairs from root to tip, nearly hiding the scales; there is, however, no terminal pencil of longer hairs. Upper surfaces of feet covered with pure white shining hairs, much longer than usual, those at the tips of the toes quite hiding the claws. Foot-pads large and prominent. Fifth hind toes reaching to the middle of the second phalanx of the fourth toes. Mamma? 6, one pectoral and two inguinal pairs. Ears without a projection on their anterior edge. Incisors rich orange; upper margins of orbits without any trace of ridges. This very peculiar-looking Rat may be readily distinguished from all its allies by its very long soft fur, its thick and tapering tail, and by the unusual hairiness of both ears, feet, and tail, the result, no doubt, of the extreme height at which it was obtained. I can find no species with which it could by any means be confused. II. galapagoensis, Waterh., bears a superficial resemblance to it, but differs by several of the more important characters, having 8 mammas, naked extremities, and a well-marked projection on the anterior edge of the ear. The next species seems to be really the most nearly related to it, though its general appearance is quite different. As there is only a single specimen of this species in the collection, Prof. Taczanowski has been unable to let the British Museum have an example. I have therefore had the species figured (Plate IV.), so as to make it more readily recognizable by those unable to examine the type in the Warsaw Museum. 11. HESPEROMYS (RHIPIDOMVS) TACZANOWSKII, sp. n. A, b. Tambillo, 5800', February 1878. ('0 c (imm.). Cutervo, 9200', Feb. or March 1879. Head and Forearm Ear-conch, Muzzle body. Tail. Hind foot, and hand. length. to ear. A . ? . . . . 3*55 5*3 *88 111 *45 *97 b.cS(imm.) 3*0 4*9 *87 1*04 *50 -87 Fur of medium length, soft and woolly; general colour above greyish yellow, the hairs being tipped with rufous yellow, with very few longer darker hairs. Head greyer and less yellow. Belly, as usual, greyish white, the separation of the upper and under colours quite gradual. Ears thinly clothed with brown hairs. Tail pale brown |