Part 18

“Inhabited a very small island, covered with thick forest, in the central part of the Chonos Archipelago.”—D.

A mouse obtained on the islets adjoining the east coast of Chiloe (where Mr. Darwin says it was common) differs from the above in being a little smaller, the tail is rather longer, and the ears are a trifle larger. In the feet, claws, colouring and character of the fur it agrees, and likewise in the pale colour and slenderness of the incisors. Its dimensions are as follows:—

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 4 0 of tail 3 0 of tarsus (claws included) 0 10 from nose to ear 0 10½ of ear 0 4

I have not the means of satisfying myself whether this be a distinct species or not; but I think it is not.

“The nature of the country where this specimen was procured is nearly the same as in that part of the Chonos Archipelago, 150 miles to the south, where the first was obtained.” D.

14. MUS RENGGERI. PLATE XV.—Fig. 1.

Mus olivaceus, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for February 1838, p. 16.

M. corpore suprà subolivaceo, subtùs cinerescente; auribus mediocribus, rotundatis, pills parvulis fuscescentibus obsitis; caudâ corpore breviore, pilosâ, suprà fuscâ subtùs albescente; pedibus pilis fuscescentibus tectis.

DESCRIPTION.—Fur moderate; ears moderate; tail shorter than the body; general colour gray washed with yellow; under parts grayish white. On the upper parts and sides of the head and body the hairs are gray, broadly annulated with yellow near the apex, and dusky at the apex; the mixture producing a yellowish gray tint, approaching somewhat towards olive:—the hairs on the under parts of the body and throat are deep gray at the base, and white at the apex; the hairs of the feet are brownish-white. The tail is tolerably well clothed with hairs; those on the upper surface are brown, and those on the under are dirty white. The ears are well clothed, both externally and internally, with hairs of the same colour as those on the upper parts of the body. The hairs of the moustaches are for the most part whitish, and black at the base. The upper incisors are pale yellow, and the lower incisors are yellowish white.

In. Lines. Length from nose to the root of tail 5 1 of tail 2 8 from nose to base of ears 1 2 of tarsus (claws included) 0 11 of ear. 0 5

Habitat, Valparaiso (August and September,) Coquimbo (May.)

Subsequent to the description of this species, under the name of M. olivaceus in the Zoological Society’s Proceedings, I have imagined that perhaps that name might mislead as regards the colouring of the animal;—it certainly has a slight olive hue, but it is not very evident. I have therefore changed the name, and substituted that of the author of the “Naturgeschichte der Säugethiere von Paraguay,” &c.

In the collection there are three specimens of the present species; in one of these the hairs of the upper part and sides of the body are annulated with yellowish white, instead of yellow; hence the general hue of these parts is nearly gray.

Mus Renggeri is larger than Mus Musculus, and much stouter in its proportions; the fur is shorter, much less dense, and less soft than in Mus brachiotis.

“It inhabits dry stony places, where only a few thickets grow.”—D.

15. MUS OBSCURUS. PLATE XV.—Fig. 2.

Mus obscurus, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for February 1837, p. 16.

M. suprà fusco-nigrescens, subtùs flavescens; pedibus obscurè fuscis; unguibus longiusculis; auribus mediocribus; caudâ corpore breviore, suprà nigrescente, subtùs sordidè albâ; vellere mediocri, molli.

DESCRIPTION.—Head large; ears moderate; tail shorter than the body; fur rather long and glossy; the general hue of that of the upper parts and sides of the head and body is blackish brown, and that of the under parts is dirty yellowish white. The hairs on the upper parts are of a deep lead colour at the base, black at the apex, and narrowly annulated with dark yellow near the apex; those of the throat and belly are lead colour at the base and yellowish at the tip; the chin is white: around the eye, and on the lower part of the cheeks a deep yellow tint prevails. The ears are well clothed with hairs both externally and internally, and these are for the most part of a deep brown colour, as are also the hairs which cover the feet. The tail is well clothed with hairs, those on the upper surface are black, and those on the under are dirty white. Both upper and lower incisors are yellow, but the lower are paler than the upper.

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 5 3 of tail 2 7 from nose to ears 1 2½ of tarsus (claws included) 0 11½ of ear 0 4

Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.)

The present species, like the foregoing, is much stouter than the common mouse (Mus Musculus), its colour is much darker. In possessing a glossy fur it differs from most of its congeners; its head is also proportionately larger, and the incisors are much stronger.

The molars of the upper jaw are figured in plate 34, fig. 9, a,—and fig. 9, b, represents those of the under jaw.

“Very abundant in gardens and hedges, far from houses; and was easily caught in traps baited either with cheese or meat.”—D.

16. MUS XANTHORHINUS. PLATE XVII.—Fig. 1.

Mus xanthorhinus, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for January 1837, p. 17.

M. suprà fuscus flavo lavatus; subtùs albus; rhinario flavo; auribus parvulis, intùs pilis flavis obsitis; mystacibus longis, canis, ad basin nigrescentibus: caudâ corpore breviore, suprà fuscâ, ad latera flavescente, subtùs sordidè albâ: pedibus anticis, tarsisque flavis, digitis albis: vellere longo, molli.

DESCRIPTION.—Fur moderately long and loose; ears rather small; tail shorter than the body; general colour gray washed with yellow, the yellow colour prevailing, especially on the sides of the body; muzzle, inner side of ears, and tarsus, of a rich yellow colour; toes, chin, throat, under parts of body, and rump, white; all the fur deep gray at the base; the hairs on the upper parts and sides of the body broadly annulated near the apex with rich yellow, and at the apex dusky; on the under parts of the body the hairs are broadly tipped with white. Tail rather sparingly furnished with hair, that on the upper surface brown, on the sides yellow, and on the under surface whitish. The hairs of the moustaches are white—some of them dusky at the base. The incisor teeth are rather slender, and of a pale yellow colour.