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Show MAMMALIA. 57 the yellow tint prevails; on the under parts of the body the hairs are broadly tipped with pale yellow, and in parts with white: the tail is but sparingly clothed with hairs, those on the upper surface are of a dark brown colour, and those on the under are pale brown. The incisors are very slender and of a very pale yellow colour. In . Lines. I.ongth from noso to root of tail of tail 5 2 2 8 3 Length of tarsus (claws included) of car In. Lines. from nose to car 0~ Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.) The specific name nasulus has been applied to this mouse on account of its elongated and slendet· muzzle*, the tip of which extends nearly 4 lines beyond the upper pair of incisors: the rudimentary toe of the fore foot, instead of having the usual rounded nail, has a short pointed claw. Its fur is not so soft, nor yet so long as in many of the preceding species, and there is a greater admixture of yellow in its colouring. The claws appear to be adapted to burrowing. The skull (which is not quite perfect) is figut·ed in Plate .'3.'3, fig. 7, a, its length is 1 in. 3 lines. Fig. 7, b, represents the molars of the upper jaw, and fig. 7, c, those of the undet· jaw. The lower jaw, which is of a very slendet· and elongated form, is figured in Plate 34, fig. 10, a. "Was caught in a small thicket on an open grassy plain, by a trap baited with a piece of bird. This mouse when alive pos esses a marked character in the extreme acumination of its nose." - D. 20. Mus TUl\nuus. PLATE XVIII. Mus tumidus, H'Cttel'lt ., Proceedings of the Zoologic:tl Society of Loudon for February 1837, p. 15. ~I. orunneus, nig1·o lavatus; 1·osh·o ad apicem, labiis, menlo, gulll, pectore, abdoJJiineque albis; naso supra uigrescente; auribus mediocribus 1'0lundatis; corpore crasso ~ cauda capite corpon!qne breviore, pilis uig·ricantibus, sublt'ts aluescentibns prope baszn, vestitd; m·tubus pedibusque grisescentibus; vellere Iongo, motli; ungttibus longis. Dr,:scnrPTION.-Body stout; head large; tail nearly as long as the head and body; * In A/us lon(Jipilia and JJf. brachiotis m:ty bo perceived an approach to this clougatocl form of tho muzzle. |
