Mus flavescens, Waterh., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for February 1837, p. 19.
M. suprà colore cinnamomeo, lateribus capitis, corporisque, æquè ac pectore, auratis; gulâ abdomineque flavescenti-albis: pedibus sordidè albis: auribus mediocribus rotundatis, pilis flavis obsitis: caudâ, corpore, capiteque longiore, suprà fuscâ, subtùs sordidè albá: tarsis longis.
Description.—Fur long and moderately soft; general colour of the upper parts bright brownish yellow; on the sides of the head and body bright yellow; towards the rump of a deeper hue, and inclining to orange; under parts pale yellow, or yellow-white; chest yellow. The fur both of the upper and under parts of the body deep plumbeous at the base. Feet flesh-colour, covered above with white hairs: tarsi long, naked beneath. Ears small, tolerably well clothed with hairs; those on the inner side yellow, but many of them blackish at the base; on the outer side, the hairs are blackish on the fore part and yellow on the hinder part. The hairs of the ordinary fur of the back are of a deep rich yellow colour at the tip, and the longer hairs are blackish. The tail is long, deep brown above and whitish beneath, the hairs of the moustaches are rather short and slender, and of a brownish colour. Thumb nail small and rounded.
| In. | Lines. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | from nose to root of tail | 3 | 9 |
| of tail | 4 | 1½ | |
| from nose to ear | 1 | 0 | |
| of tarsus | 1 | 0½ | |
| of ear | 0 | 4½ |
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June.)
This species is slightly larger than the common mouse; the head is rather larger in proportion; the ears are rather smaller and more distinctly clothed with hair; the tail and tarsi are much longer in proportion. Its bright yellow colouring and proportions distinguish it from any of the species described in this work. Of this animal I do not possess the skull, nor of the teeth do I possess more than the first and second molars of the upper jaw, and the second and last of the lower jaw. These are figured in Plate 34, figs. 5. a, and 5. b.
Mus Magellanicus.
Plate XIV.
Mus Magellanicus, Bennett, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for December 1835, p. 191.
M. suprà fuscus, subtùs cinerescenti-albus, pallidè flavo lavatus; auribus mediocribus pilis fuscis obsitis; caudâ corpus caputque æquante; tarsis longis, pilis sordidè albis obsitis.
Description.—Fur very long and moderately soft, general colour deep brown; the hairs of the ordinary fur are gray, tipped with yellowish brown; the longer hairs are black; the sides of the body are yellowish; the under parts are gray-white with a faint yellowish tint, each hair being gray tipped with yellowish white. The ears are rather small, well clothed with hairs; those on the inner side are blackish tipped with yellow, and on the outer side they are blackish on the fore part and dusky on the hinder part. The fore feet are of moderate size, the thumb nail is short and rounded; the tarsi are rather long; both fore and hinder feet are of a brownish colour, and covered above with dirty gray hairs. The tail rather exceeds the head and body in length; it is brown above and dirty white beneath. The hairs of the moustaches are numerous and long, of a brownish colour at the apex and black at the base.