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.
In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 4 3
of tail 4 2
from nose to ear 1 0½
of tarsus 1 1
of ear 0 5
Habitat, Port Famine, Strait of Magellan.
This mouse is larger than _Mus Musculus_; the tail is rather longer in
proportion; the tarsi much longer; the ears are not quite so large in
proportion to the head, (which greatly exceeds that of _Mus Musculus_ in
size,) and they are densely clothed with hair. The fur is longer. In
colour, the animal here described is rather darker than the common
mouse. I have one specimen however before me which _very nearly_ agrees
in this respect.
The dentition is figured in Plate 34, figs. 6, _a._ and 6, _b_.
From the attention which Mr. Darwin bestowed upon the Muridæ of the
southern parts of South America, I presume his collection affords
materials for a tolerably complete monograph of the species of that
portion of the globe. The species above described, however, does not
occur in Mr. Darwin s collection, but is here introduced in order to
make the work more complete, and that I might more clearly point out the
distinctions which exist between it and other species here described,
the account given by Mr. Bennett in the Proceedings being very short.
MUS ARENICOLA.
PLATE XIII.
Mus arenicola, _Waterh._, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of
London, for February 1837, p. 18.
_M. suprà fuscus, subtùs cinerescenti-albus, pallidè flavo tinctus;
auribus mediocribus rotundatis, pilis flavis fuscisque obsitis;
caudâ quoad longitudinem corpus æquante; pedibus cinerescenti-albis:
tarsis mediocribus._
DESCRIPTION.—Fur long, moderately soft; general colour deep brown;
sides of the body with a very obscure yellowish hue; under parts
dirty gray with a faint yellow tint. All the fur deep gray at the
base; the hairs of the upper part of the body obscurely annulated
with yellowish brown near the apex, and dusky at the apex; the
longer hairs are black. Feet brownish, covered above with
brown-white hairs; tarsi short. Tail short, blackish above,
brown-white beneath. Ears small, well clothed with hairs; those on
the inner side are yellow at the apex and gray at the base; on the
outer side they are of a brownish colour, and on the fore part
blackish. The hairs of the moustaches are short and slender, and
of a brownish colour. The head is large.
In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 4 3
of tail 2 9
from nose to ear 1 0
of tarsus (claws included) 0 10
of ear 0 4½