95 Orange-colored Mouse
MUS (CALOMYS) AUREOLUS.--Aud. and Bach. [Ochrotomys nuttallii] ORANGE-COLOURED MOUSE. [Golden mouse] PLATE XCV.--MALE AND FEMALES. M. supra saturate luteus infra pallide flavus; auriculis longis, cauda corpore curtiore. CHARACTERS. Ears long; tail shorter than the body; bright orange-coloured above, light buff beneath. DESCRIPTION. This species bears a general resemblance in form to the white-footed Mouse, (Mus leucopus.) It is, however, a little larger, and its ears rather shorter. Head, long; nose, sharp; whiskers, extending beyond the ears. Fur, very soft and lustrous. The legs, feet, and heels, clothed with short, closely adpressed hairs, which extend beyond the nails; ears, thinly covered with hairs, which do not entirely conceal the colour of the skin; mammae, four; situated far back. COLOUR. Head, ears, and whole upper surface, bright orange; the fur being for three-fourths of its length from the roots, dark plumbeous; whiskers, nearly black, with a few white hairs interspersed; tail, above and beneath, dark brown; throat, breast, and inner surface of the forelegs, white; belly, light buff. There are no very distinct lines of separation between these colours. DIMENSIONS. Inches. Lines. Length of head and body,. . . . . . . . 4 3 Length of Tail,. . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 Length of Head,. . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 Length of Ear posteriorly, . . . . . . . 0 3 Length of Tarsus, including nail,. . . . . 0 9 HABITS. In symmetry of form and brightness of colour, this is the prettiest species of Mus inhabiting our country. It is at the same time a great climber. We have only observed it in a state of nature in three instances in the oak forests of South Carolina; it ran up the tall trees with great agility, and on one occasion concealed itself in a hole (which apparently contained its nest,) at least thirty feet from the ground. The specimen we have described, was shot from the extreme branches of an oak, in the dusk of the evening, where it was busily engaged among the acorns. It is a rare species in Carolina, but appears to be more common in Georgia, as we received from Major LE CONTE, three specimens obtained in the latter State. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. We found this species in Carolina, where it is rather rare; we also obtained specimens from Georgia; we have no doubt but further investigation will give it a more extensive geographical range. GENERAL REMARKS We have arranged this species under the sub-genus of Mr. WATERHOUSE, proposed in the Zoological Society of London, Feb. 17th, 1837, (see their transactions.) It is thus characterized; "Sub-genus Calomys, (from [Kalos] beautiful and mus.) Fur, moderate, soft; tarsus almost entirely clothed beneath the hair. Front molar, with three indentations of enamel on the inner side, and two on the outer; and the last molar with one on each side. The type mus (calomys,) bimaculatus. Two other species have been described, from South America; mus (calomys) elegans, and m. gracilives
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