Part 22

This species is evidently allied to the two preceding; and perhaps the “Rat quatrieme, ou Rat oreillard” of Azara, (Mus auritas, Desm.) will form one of this little group. The molar teeth of the upper jaw are figured in Plate 34, fig. 17, a—those of the lower jaw, fig. 17, b.

“Inhabits dry stony places.”—D.

26. MUS GALAPAGOENSIS. PLATE XXIV.

M. suprà fuscus, flavo-lavatus, ad latera flavescens, subtùs albus: pedibus pilis sordidè albis tectis: auribus mediocribus; caudâ, quoad longitudinem, caput corpusque ferè æquante: vellere longo.

DESCRIPTION.—Ears moderate, slightly pointed; tarsi moderate; tail slender, nearly as long as the head and body; fur long, and not very soft; upper parts of the body of a brownish hue, a tint produced by the admixture of black and palish yellow hairs; on the sides of the body the longer black hairs are less abundant, and the prevailing colour is yellow; under parts of the body white, with a very faint yellow tint; feet furnished above with dirty white hairs; ears rather sparingly clothed with hairs, those on the inner side of a yellow colour, and those on the outer side dusky; tail above brown, and beneath whitish; the hairs of the moustaches black; the incisors deep yellow; the hairs on the back are deep gray at the base, broadly annulated with palish yellow near the apex, and blackish at the apex; the longer hairs black; on the belly the hairs are gray at the base, and broadly tipped with yellowish white.

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 6 0 of tail 4 9 from nose to ear 1 3¾ of tarsus (claws included) 1 2 of ear 0 7

Habitat, Chatham Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Pacific Ocean, (October.)

This species is less than Mus Rattus. The upper parts of the body have a slightly variegated appearance.

The skull of Mus Galapagoensis (Plate 33, fig. 8, a,) is rather smaller than that of M. Rattus, the nasal portion is proportionately longer, the cranial shorter, and the interparietal bone is smaller, especially in antero-posterior extent; its length is 15 lines, and its breadth is 8⅛ lines. The lower jaw is figured in Plate 34, fig. 14, a. Fig. 8, b, of Plate 33, represents the molars of the upper jaw, and fig. 8, c, those of the lower jaw.

“This mouse or rat is abundant in Chatham Island, one of the Galapagos Archipelago. I could not find it on any other island of the group. It frequents the bushes, which sparingly cover the rugged streams of basaltic lava, near the coast, where there is no fresh water, and where the land is extremely sterile.”—D.

27. MUS FUSCIPES. PLATE XXV.

M. suprà fusco-nigrescens, subtùs griseus; pedibus fuscis; auribus mediocribus, caudâ, quoad longitudinem, caput corpusque ferè æquante: vellere longissimo, molli.

DESCRIPTION.—Form stout; ears moderate; tail equal to the body in length; tarsi moderate; fur very long. General tint of the upper part and sides of the head and body blackish brown with an admixture of gray; of the under parts grayish white; feet brown, the hairs grayish at the tip: tail black and but sparingly clothed with short bristly hairs: ears rather sparingly clothed with hairs, which are for the most part of a brownish gray colour. The ordinary fur of the back is about ¾ of an inch in length and very soft—of a deep gray colour, broadly annulated with brownish yellow near the tip and blackish at the tip: the longer hairs which are black, measure upwards of 1¼ inches in length. The upper incisors are of an orange colour and the lower are black.

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 6 6 of tail 4 3 from nose to ear 1 6 of ear 0 6½ of tarsus (claws included) 1 1

Habitat, Australia, King George’s Sound, (March.)

Mammalia not belonging to the order Marsupiata are rare in the Continent of Australia. Besides the Dog, we are acquainted with none excepting a few species of Rodents, and these all belong to the family Muridæ.

The present animal adds one to the limited number already known: in the Museum of the Zoological Society there is another species, the characters of which I will point out in the next description.

Mus fuscipes is remarkable for the great length and softness of its fur, and the brown colour of its feet: it is rather less than Mus Rattus, and of a stouter form. Not having had an opportunity of examining the molar teeth and the cranium of this animal, I cannot be positive that it is a species of the genus Mus; in external characters and the form of the incisor teeth, however, it agrees perfectly with the animals of that genus.

“This animal was caught in a trap baited with cheese, amongst the bushes at King George’s Sound.”—D.

28. MUS GOULDII.

M. vellere longo, molli, ochraceo, pilis nigricantibus adsperso, his ad latera rarioribus: corpore subtùs, pedibusque albis: auribus majusculis: caudâ, capite corporeque paulo breviore.

DESCRIPTION.—Ears rather large and slightly pointed, tarsi slender and tolerably long; tail about equal in length to the body and half the head; fur long and soft; general colour pale ochreous yellow; on the back there are numerous long black hairs interspersed with the ordinary fur, which gives a darker hue and somewhat variegated appearance to that part; feet, chin, throat, and the whole under parts of the body white; ears brown, sparingly clothed with minute yellow hairs, both externally (excepting on the forepart, where they are brownish) and internally; tail brownish above, and yellowish white beneath; the hairs of the moustaches long, and of a brown colour; upper incisors deep orange, lower incisors yellow; claws white. The hair of the back is of a deep lead colour at the base, pale ochre near the apex, and dusky at the apex; the longer hairs are black; the hairs of the belly are deep gray at the base and broadly tipped with white.

In. Lines. Length from nose to root of tail 4 8 of tail 3 6 from nose to ear 1 0½ of tarsus (claws included) 1 0½ of ear 0 7

VAR. β.—General colour of the fur pale ochreous yellow, the feet, under side of the tail and the whole of the under parts, as well as the lower portion of the sides of the body, white; hairs of the back palish gray at the base, those of the belly indistinctly tinted with very pale gray at the roots; ears and moustaches pale brown.

Habitat, New South Wales.

This species is about half-way between Mus Rattus and Mus musculus in size, and is remarkable for its delicate colouring. The molar teeth are figured in Plate 34; fig. 18. a, represents the molars of the upper jaw, and fig. 18. b, those of the lower.

GENUS—REITHRODON.

Dentes primores ²⁄₂; inferioribus acutis, gracilibus, et anticè lævibus; superioribus gracilibus, anticè longitudinalitèr sulcatis.