The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico

Author: E. Raymond Hall

Release date: June 15, 2009 [eBook #29122]

Most recently updated: January 5, 2021

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29122

Credits: Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper, Greg Bergquist

and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at

https://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAMMALS OBTAINED BY DR. CURT VON WEDEL FROM THE BARRIER BEACH OF TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO ***

Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from

the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico

BY

E. RAYMOND HALL

University of Kansas Publications

Museum of Natural History

Volume 5, No. 4, pp. 33–47, 1 figure in text October 1, 1951

University of Kansas

LAWRENCE

1951

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, A. Byron Leonard,

Edward H. Taylor, Robert W. Wilson

Volume 5, No. 4, pp. 33–47, 1 figure in text

October 1, 1951

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

LAWRENCE, KANSAS

PRINTED BY

FERD VOILAND, JR., STATE PRINTER

TOPEKA, KANSAS

1951

23–7414

Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of

Tamaulipas, Mexico

BY

E. RAYMOND HALL

WHAT species of mammals occur on the "coastal island", barrier beach, of Tamaulipas? Are the closest relatives of these mammals on Padre and Mustang islands of Texas, instead of on the mainland of Tamaulipas, or are the mammals on the barrier beach distinct from all others? These were questions that Dr. von Wedel of Oklahoma City and I asked ourselves in March of 1950 when we were in southern Texas. With the aim in mind of answering these questions, Dr. von Wedel arranged round-trip transportation, by air, for the two of us between Brownsville, Texas, and Boca Jesús María. The latter place is a "pass", tidal inlet, through the long barrier beach. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico and of the lagoon behind the beach flow back and forth with the changing tides through the inlet.

We arrived at Boca Jesús María on March 18, 1950, and left on March 22, 1950. Our headquarters there were in one of the four one-story buildings immediately north of the inlet. This place is approximately 89½ miles south, and 10 miles west, of Matamoros, Mexico. Most of our collecting was done on the sand dunes one and one-half miles north of the buildings but on the evening of March 20 we made a round-trip, by boat of course, to the sand dunes on the south side of the inlet to set traps; these traps, and the Dipodomys that were caught in them, were picked up the following morning.

At the time of our visit, the part of the barrier beach south of the tidal inlet was connected with the mainland. The connection was far to the southward, according to our pilot, Mr. Kagy of Brownsville, and also according to the testimony of the Mexicans at the fishing camp where we stayed on the north side of the inlet. The barrier beach which lay to the north of the inlet extended sixty-odd miles northward to the delta of the Río Grande and had, we were told, eight "passes," including Paso Jesús María. At the time of our visit, however, only three of these tidal inlets were open, it was said; the five others were thought to be filled in with sand, which permitted terrestrial animals to move from one part of the beach to another. Dr. von Wedel and I saw two tidal inlets that were open when we were being flown back to Brownsville.

FIG. 1. Diagram of physiographic features of the barrier beach of Tamaulipas. Top view looking down, as from an airplane, on the beach. Bottom view is profile.

The long, low, sandy island, technically a barrier beach, irrespective of tide varied in width from a quarter of a mile to as much as a mile and was separated from the mainland by the Laguna Madre, which was four miles wide opposite our trapping station. To the northward the width of the lagoon gradually increased until, at a place thirty miles north of our trapping station, the lagoon was almost 20 miles wide.

The island was perhaps four feet above high tide. Superimposed on this, in places, there were sand dunes, technically barchans, so arranged that the end of one touched the end of the next. The tops of some were as much as 20 feet above high tides and the chain of these connected-dunes on which we trapped was approximately a mile long. Incipient tidal inlets were frequent; they were where storm-driven waves of high tides had broken across the island between the adjacent ends of two dunes. The windward side of a dune was toward the Gulf and the slope of that side was gentler than that on the leeward side. According to the cycle described by Davis (Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sciences, 22:303–332, 1896) and recently figured on page 364 by Lobeck (Geomorphology, 1st ed., xii + 731 pp., 1939, McGraw Hill Book Co., Inc., New York) the barrier beach concerned was in the early part of the "Middle Youth Stage".

Typically, on the center of the area in the lee of a dune there was a patch of plum brush, almost five feet tall and so dense that a person could not penetrate it. A belt of grass, 20 to 100 feet wide, surrounded the plum brush. The grass was approximately 20 inches high. Outside the area of grass, there were widely-spaced xerophitic shrubs which grew also on the dunes. The diagram (fig. 1) shows these prominent features as a person might see them if he looked directly down from an airplane.

We obtained specimens of the spotted ground squirrel (Citellus spilosoma), Ord kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii), hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) and black-tailed jack rabbit (Lepus californicus). Tracks and other sign of the coyote (Canis latrans) were seen. So far as we could ascertain, by our own investigations and from our Mexican hosts at the fishing camp, no other kinds of native mammals lived on the island. The ground squirrel and kangaroo rat were found by us on only the sandy areas where there were xerophitic shrubs. The cotton rat was found only in the grass. The jack rabbit and coyote ranged over the whole of the island excepting the areas of plum brush in which we saw no sign of any mammal.

To answer the second of our initial questions: The affinities of the mammals of the barrier beach of Tamaulipas are approximately equally divided between those of the mainland and those of Padre Island. The ground squirrel is indistinguishable from the subspecies which occurs both on the mainland and Padre Island to the northward; the other three kinds of mammals of which we obtained specimens prove to be subspecifically distinct from any previously named kinds and seem to be confined to the off-shore beach. Accounts of these four mammals and of a previously unnamed subspecies of kangaroo rat on Mustang Island, Texas, follow.

Citellus spilosoma annectens (Merriam)

Spotted Ground Squirrel

1893. Spermophilus spilosoma annectens Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 8:132, December 28, type from "The Tanks," 12 mi. from Point Isabel, Padre Island, Texas.

1904. [Citellus spilosoma] annectens, Trouessart, Catalogus Mammalium ..., p. 340.

Thirteen specimens (Nos. 35441–35453) were collected. All are from the north side of the tidal inlet. Although the ground squirrels were easily trapped, it was difficult to obtain a perfect skin because the gulls (Larus sp.) pulled the skin off of the distal part of the tail as soon as a squirrel was secured in a trap. The specimens seem not to differ from Texan specimens from the type locality and Mustang Island.

Dipodomys ordii parvabullatus new subspecies

Ord Kangaroo Rat

Type.—Male, adult, skull and skin, No. 35454, Mus. Nat. Hist. Univ. Kansas, from island, 88 miles south and 10 miles west of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico; obtained 19 March 1950 by E.R. Hall and Curt von Wedel; original No. 6778 E.R. Hall.

Range.—Islands along coast of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Diagnosis.—Size small (see measurements). Color pale; entire dorsal surface Light Ochraceous-Buff (Capitalized color terms according to Ridgway: Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, Washington, D.C., 1912), purest on sides and flanks, upper parts lightly suffused with black; cheeks white; plantar surfaces of hind feet, dorsal and ventral stripe of tail, and anterior face of ear brownish. Skull small; auditory bullae smaller (actually and relative to remainder of skull) than in any other known kind of Dipodomys, excepting the one from Mustang Island, Texas (named beyond) in which the breadth is approximately the same; rostrum and interorbital region narrow.

Comparisons.—From Dipodomys ordii sennetti (Allen), of the mainland of Texas, D. o. parvabullatus differs in: Color paler on pigmented areas; white areas more extensive; skull smaller, in all parts measured, except the nasals which are slightly longer. From Dipodomys ordii compactus of Padre Island, Texas, D. o. parvabullatus differs in: Tail and hind foot shorter; skull smaller in all parts measured, especially so in breadth across maxillary processes of zygomatic arches.

Remarks.—D. o. parvabullatus resembles D. o. sennetti in external proportions and D. o. compactus in cranial proportions.

No difference was detected between specimens from the two sides of the tidal inlet 89 miles south of Matamoros. Only one of the 14 specimens is of the light color phase (upper parts Cartridge Buff). This pale specimen is from the north side of the inlet. The brownish stripe on the ventral side of the tail is absent on the distal two-fifths of the tail and the specimens are uniform in this respect. On the occlusal surfaces of the cheek-teeth, the enamel surrounding the dentine is incomplete on both the lingual and labial sides of the teeth of five individuals and is incomplete on the labial side of some of the teeth of a sixth specimen.

In the snap traps, all of which were baited with rolled oats, more than twice as many land crabs as kangaroo rats were taken. Judging from tracks in the sand, land crabs greatly outnumbered kangaroo rats. The parietal bones in two of the 13 skulls are much eroded by some parasite (seemingly nematode worms) and in one of these two specimens the roof of the left tympanic cavity is perforated. As regards life-zones, the occurrence of Dipodomys ordii in the lower part of the Lower Sonoran Life-zone on the off-shore beach 88 and 90 miles south of Matamoros is low zonally and perhaps is at or near the zonal margin of the range of the species. The crabs and worms conceivably are two of the environmental features inhospitable to the rats.

Specimens examined.—Total, 14, all from Tamaulipas, Mexico, as follows: 88 mi. S and 10 mi. W Matamoros, 7; 90 mi. S and 10 mi. W Matamoros, 7.

When Setzer (Univ. Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist., 1:473–573, December 27, 1949) reviewed the subspecies of Dipodomys ordii he lacked specimens of Dipodomys ordii compactus from the type locality or from anywhere else on Padre Island. He used as representative of D. o. compactus specimens from Mustang Island, Texas, the island next northeast of Padre Island. Through the courtesy of Mr. Stanley P. Young, Dr. Hartley H.T. Jackson and Miss Viola S. Schantz, of the United States Biological Surveys Collection, I have examined topotypes of D. o. compactus from Padre Island. This examination discloses that the kangaroo rats on Padre Island and Mustang Island are significantly different. Those from Mustang Island may be named and described as follows:

MEASUREMENTS (IN MILLIMETERS) OF ADULT MALES OF FOUR SUBSPECIES OF

DIPODOMYS ORDII

Key:

A Total length

F Breadth across maxillary arches

B Length of tail

G Width of rostrum

C Length of hind foot

H Length of nasals

D Greatest length of skull

I Least interorbital width

E Greatest breadth across bullae

J Basilar length

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

D. o. largus, type locality (K.U.)

Mean (9)

226

117

35.8

36.3

21.5

19.2

3.6

13.7

12.6

23.2

Maximum

241

128

37

37.2

22.0

19.9

3.7

14.2

13.9

23.9

Minimum

212

105

35

35.2

20.7

18.6

3.5

13.5

11.6

22.3

D. o. compactus, type locality (U.S.N.M.)

Mean (10)

230

126

37.7

36.6

22.1

20.0

3.8

14.0

12.5

23.8

Maximum

241

135

40

37.8

23.2

21.4

4.0

14.5

13.1

24.4

Minimum

208

118

35

35.5

21.6

19.2

3.6

13.1

11.3

23.1

D. o. parvabullatus, type locality and 2 mi. S of same (K.U.)

Mean (7)

216

111

35.9

36.4

21.7

19.6

3.6

13.8

12.1

23.0

Maximum

222

113

37

36.9

22.1

20.7

3.8

14.2

12.5

23.5

Minimum

210

109

34

35.9

21.3

19.1

3.3

13.4

11.6

22.1

D. o. sennetti, 2 mi. S Riviera, Texas (after Setzer, op. cit. :565)

Mean (5)

218

112

35.8

37.2

23.4

20.1

4.0

13.6

13.1

24.2

Maximum

222

115

38

38.2

24.1

20.7

4.3

14.4

13.2

24.6

Minimum

208

104

34

36.3

23.0

19.4

3.8

13.0

12.6

23.8

Dipodomys ordii largus new subspecies

Ord Kangaroo Rat

Type.—Female, adult, skull and skin, No. 27234, Mus. Nat. Hist., Univ. Kansas, from Mustang Island, 14 mi. SW Port Aransas, Aransas County, Texas; obtained 30 June 1948 by W.K. Clark; original No. 543.

Range.—Known from Mustang Island only.

Diagnosis.—Size medium (see measurements). Color pale, and as described for D. o. parvabullatus. Skull small; auditory bullae (actually and relative to remainder of skull) smaller than in any other known kind of Dipodomys, except D. o. parvabullatus in which breadth across bullae is approximately the same; notably narrow across maxillary processes of zygomatic arches.

Comparisons.—From Dipodomys ordii sennetti (J.A. Allen) of the mainland, D. o. largus differs in: Color paler on pigmented areas; white areas more extensive; skull averaging smaller except in basilar length and length of nasals which are approximately the same as in D. o. sennetti. From Dipodomys ordii compactus True of Padre Island, D. o. largus differs in: Body longer; tail shorter; skull narrower across tympanic bullae and across maxillary processes of zygomatic arches; nasals shorter. From Dipodomys ordii parvabullatus of the coastal island south of Padre Island, along the gulf coast of Tamaulipas, D. o. largus differs in: Body and tail longer; basilar length of skull averaging less; breadth across maxillary processes of zygomatic arches greater; premaxillae not extending so far behind nasals.

Remarks.—D. o. largus resembles D. o. compactus in external proportions and D. o. parvabullatus in cranial proportions. The degree of difference between D. o. compactus and D. o. largus is less than between D. o. compactus and D. o. parvabullatus. To me, the three subspecies mentioned in the preceding sentence are indistinguishable in color.

Two of the eleven specimens of D. o. largus are of the light color phase (upper parts Cartridge Buff) whereas all but two of the eleven specimens of D. o. compactus are of the light color phase. Each of the cheek-teeth of the upper jaw of D. o. largus has a complete ring of enamel around the dentine of the occlusal surface, as described by Setzer (Univ. Kansas Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist., 1:517, December 27, 1949) for D. o. compactus. The upper dentitions of ten specimens of D. o. compactus examined by me in this respect reveal a total of only five teeth (in four individual animals) that have the enamel ring incomplete; one premolar and three molars are incomplete on the lingual side and one molar is incomplete on the labial side.

Two specimens from Bagdad, Tamaulipas, in the delta of the Río Grande (Nos. 116485 and 11487, U.S.N.M., Biol. Surv. Coll.), are referred to D. o. compactus on basis of long body and long tail. The specimens, both Light Ochraceous-Buff, are so young that not all of the enamel is worn off the crowns of the cheek-teeth. Specimens of D. o. compactus, D. o. parvabullatus and D. o. sennetti of comparable age are not available, and it, therefore, is impossible to know whether size and shape of the skull in the population at Bagdad are the same as they are in D. o. compactus of Padre Island.

Specimens examined.—Total, 11, all from Texas. Aransas County: Mustang Island, 14 mi. SW Port Aransas.

Sigmodon hispidus solus new subspecies

Hispid Cotton Rat

Type.—Male, adult, skull and skin; No. 35468, Mus. Nat. Hist., Univ. Kansas; from island, 88 mi. S and 10 mi. W Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico; 22 March 1950; obtained by E.R. Hall and Curt von Wedel; original No. 6806 E.R. Hall.

Range.—Known from the type locality only but probably occurring on most of the chain of islands off the coast of Tamaulipas.

Diagnosis.—Small; hind foot short; rostrum broad.

Comparison.—From its nearest relative, geographically and morphologically, Sigmodon hispidus berlandieri Baird of the adjacent mainland, S. h. solus differs in smaller size, and a rostrum that is broader in relation to the length of the skull.

Remarks.—On the last night of our stay on the island, traps set in grass approximately 20 inches high, yielded one pair of Sigmodon. The color is lighter than in the average of specimens from the mainland (for instance those from Victoria and Soto la Marina) but can be matched by selected specimens. In animals of equal age, the hind foot and basilar length are shorter in S. h. solus than in berlandieri. The broadening of the rostrum, which occurs with advanced age, is attained in solus when the skull is yet short; the maximum breadth of the rostrum in the adults is more, instead of less, than a fourth of the basilar length.

Measurements.—The following measurements are of specimens in which the occlusal face of each molar tooth is worn flat. The first measurement is of the holotype followed by the corresponding measurement of a male of T. b. berlandieri, No. 116466 from Camargo, Tamaulipas, in parentheses. The third measurement is that of the female from the type locality of S. h. solus and it is followed by the corresponding measurement of a female of T. b. berlandieri, No. 116462 from Camargo, Tamaulipas. Total length, 266 (298),—(293); length of tail, 113 (135),—(137); length of head and body, 153 (163), 155 (156); length of hind foot, 30 (35), 30 (33); basilar length of Hensel, 28.2 (28.9); 27.9 (29.0); zygomatic breadth, 19.5 (—), 19.0 (20.8); mastoidal breadth, 13.9 (14.4), 13.9 (14.8); greatest breadth of rostrum, 7.2 (7.3), 7.8 (7.2); length of nasals, 14.6 (14.1), 13.4 (14.2); crown length of upper molar teeth, 6.3 (6.1), 6.3 (5.9).

Specimens examined.—Two from the type locality.

Lepus californicus curti new subspecies

Black-tailed Jack Rabbit

Type.—Female, adult, skull and skin, No. 35470, Mus. Nat. Hist., Univ. Kansas; from island, 88 miles south and 10 miles west of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico; obtained 19 March 1950 by E.R. Hall; original No. 6783.

Range.—Islands along coast of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Diagnosis.—Color pale; size small; ears short; tympanic bullae small.

Comparisons.—From Lepus californicus merriami Mearns (specimens from Fort Clark, Brownsville and intermediate localities), L. c. curti differs in paler color, lesser size except ear that is of almost same length and except interorbital breadth that is approximately same in the two subspecies; tympanic bullae notably smaller. From Lepus californicus altamirae Nelson, L. c. curti differs in having the black patch on the nape less definitely divided by a median, longitudinal band of buffy color, and lesser size. Exception is to be made for the ear and tympanic bullae, which are of approximately the same size in the two subspecies.

Remarks.—The subspecific part of the name Lepus californicus curti is proposed in honor of Dr. Curt von Wedel who shared the pleasure of collecting on the islands where this handsome hare lives.

The specimens of L. c. curti are all females, which, in the genus Lepus, average larger than the males. Comparison of the measurements recorded below with those in the account by Nelson (N. Amer. Fauna, 29:129, 1909) may not reveal the full measure of difference in size between L. c. curti and other subspecies because Nelson (op. cit.) pooled males and females in obtaining the average measurements that he records. For example, he used three males and two females of Lepus altamirae in obtaining an average (op. cit.:117). The specimens of L. c. curti here recorded are thought to be of full size inasmuch as the degree of fusion of bones in the skull, and the density of the cranial bones indicate full adulthood for each specimen. Reproductive-wise, there is no question as to adulthood; each of the four females was pregnant. One specimen had two embryos (each 30 millimeters long in crown-rump measurement) and each of the other specimens contained one embryo. These three embryos were 55, 60, and 105 mm. long.

Three of our specimens, including the holotype, were obtained north of the eighth pass and the other specimen, No. 35473, was obtained a few hundred yards south of the pass. Because the part of the barrier beach south of the pass was connected to the mainland, it is likely that the newly named subspecies occurs also on the adjacent mainland; however, we have examined no specimens of Lepus californicus from the opposite mainland except from Matamoros, ninety miles to the north, and from Altamira, approximately one hundred and fifty miles south of our collecting locality. A specimen from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and several from Brownsville, Texas, in size of auditory bullae, larger overall size and darker color clearly are L. c. merriami and not L. c. curti.

The small tympanic bullae of the specimens from Padre Island were commented upon by Nelson (op. cit.:149) who found smallness of bullae to characterize many of the specimens from the eastern part of the geographic range of L. c. merriami. In the northeastern part of the geographic range of L. c. merriami, as Nelson pointed out, the small size of the tympanic bullae was one of several evidences of intergradation there with Lepus californicus melanotis, the subspecies next adjacent to the north. In the light of present information, it seems that the smallness of the tympanic bullae in the specimens (3) from Padre Island may be an independent development—an adaptation to environmental conditions that reaches its fullest development on the same chain of islands eighty-odd miles southward of Matamoros. The specimens from Padre Island, although possessing small bullae, in other features, for example, larger size of other parts, are merriami.

The four specimens of L. c. curti are in worn winter pelage and the new pelage is coming in on the thighs. Most of the specimens (6) of the L. c. altamirae are in the same condition of pelage. In color and color pattern, the two subspecies are, to me, indistinguishable except that the black patch on the nape is less widely and less definitely separated into two parts by a median, longitudinal, band of buffy color.

Lepus californicus altamirae was named by Nelson (Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 17:109, May 18, 1904) as a black-tailed jack rabbit, Lepus merriami altamirae, but was later transferred by Nelson (N. Amer. Fauna, 29:124, 1909) to the white-sided section of the genus and arranged as a full species, Lepus altamirae. In making this transfer, Nelson (op. cit.:125) wrote that in "This well marked species ... the lack of a black patch on the posterior half of the ear at the tip and the white flanks (somewhat obscured in some of the original specimens) are strong characters which place it in the callotis group." "Posterior half of ears white without any trace of black at tip", was the way Nelson (op. cit.:124) described the ears in L. altamirae. My examination of the original series including the type, reveals that the ears do have some black at the tip of the posterior half in three of the specimens, some brown in one other specimen, and only a dusky tinge in two others. In the four specimens of L. c. curti the tip of the ear is faintly brownish in one animal and dusky in three. The extent of the white flanks seems to be identical in the two series. Fortunately they are in the same pelage and same stage of molt on the hind legs. The one difference that I can detect is in the coloration of the nape. In each of the specimens of L. altamirae the coloration is as described by Nelson (op. cit.:124): "nape with two lateral black bands extending back from base of ears, and separated by a median band of buffy." In L. c. curti the nape is all black in one specimen and the median band of buffy is present in the other three but is narrower and more dusky than in L. altamirae. Since the characters (color of tip of ear and extent of white on the flank) relied upon by Nelson for placing L. altamirae in the callotis group are duplicated in the californicus group, in L. c. curti, there is reason for questioning whether altamirae is correctly placed, taxonomically, in the L. callotis group.

Cursory examination of skulls of the callotis group and the californicus group indicates that the prepalatal spine (the part of the palate which extends anteriorly toward the vomer) is longer in L. californicus than in L. callotis, L. gaillardi and L. alleni. In this feature, L. altamirae agrees with Lepus californicus and differs from members of the Lepus callotis group. Furthermore, the newly named L. c. curti, in color of ear and color of nape, is intermediate between L. altamirae and L. c. merriami. Consequently, Lepus merriami altamirae Nelson, it seems, should stand as Lepus californicus altamirae.

Mention should be made here of the view of Shamel (Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 55:25–26, May 12, 1942) that the californicus group should be divided into two groups (each group possibly amounting to something more than a species and something less than a subgenus) on the basis of a white rump and complex infolding of the enamel layer of the front of the first upper incisor versus a dark rump and simple infolding of the mentioned layer of enamel. He placed Lepus californicus merriami Mearns, among other subspecies, in a group different from the one in which he placed several other subspecies of Lepus californicus.

Specimens (skulls with accompanying skins) of the species Lepus californicus in the Biological Surveys Collection of the United States National Museum, representative of a gradual transition from the dark rump and simple fold in the enamel to the white rump and complex fold in the enamel are as follows: L. c. deserticola, No. 29733/41808, Paharanagat Valley, Nevada; Nos. 117463 and 156744, Beals Spring, Arizona. L. c. texianus, No. 24635/32031, Springerville, Arizona; No. 97453, Roswell, New Mexico; No. 118751, Toyah, Texas; No. 118749, Valentine, Texas; and No. 108700, Terlingua Creek, Texas. In the continuously distributed species Lepus californicus, along the northwest to southeast line provided by the localities of occurrence listed immediately above, there is a gradual transition from one kind of fold to the other kind and from one color of rump to the other color. It is clear that Shamel (op. cit.) was in error in his conclusions; the kinds of black-tailed jack rabbits to which Shamel (op. cit.) applied the name Macrotolagus should stand as given below.

Correct names:

Lepus flavigularis Wagner

Lepus alleni alleni Mearns

Lepus californicus altamirae Nelson

Lepus alleni palitans Bangs

Lepus californicus melanotis Mearns

Lepus alleni tiburonensis Townsend

Lepus californicus merriami Mearns

Lepus gaillardi gaillardi Mearns

Lepus californicus asellus Miller

Lepus gaillardi battyi J.A. Allen

Lepus californicus festinus Nelson

Lepus callotis Wagler

Lepus californicus texianus Waterhouse

MEASUREMENTS (IN MILLIMETERS) OF ADULTS OF TWO SUBSPECIES OF

LEPUS CALIFORNICUS

Key:

A Total length

G Breadth of rostrum above premolars

B Tail-vertebrae

H Depth of rostrum in front of premolars

C Hind foot

I Interorbital breadth

D Ear from notch in dried skin

J Parietal breadth

E Basilar length

K Diameter of bulla

F Length of nasals

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L. c. curti, type locality (K.U.)

♀ 35470

565

55

125

115

72.0

37.1

25.9

21.2

27.4

29.8

13.5

♀ 35471

566

57

122

122

72.8

39.0

25.5

22.0

26.2

29.2

13.9

♀ 35472

520

50

115

105

69.5

38.6

26.0

19.0

24.4

30.2

13.5

♀ 35473

587

53

124

118

72.0

40.9

26.7

22.2

27.4

29.0

13.0

Average

560

54

122

115

71.6

38.9

26.0

21.1

26.4

29.6

13.5

L. c. altamirae, type locality (U.S.N.M., Biol. Surv. Coll.)

♂ 93691

605

96

137

112

76.5

44.5

26.6

24.6

....

32.0

13.0

♀ 93692

595

71

137

114

77.1

42.5

26.3

23.1

27.0

29.5

13.4

♂ 93693

590

93

137

110

77.8

43.8

27.6

22.5

27.2

30.7

14.2

♀ 93694

605

70

142

118

78.0

45.9

26.8

23.4

28.7

32.0

14.3

♂ 92982

556

59

136

114

75.9

46.5

26.1

22.3

25.8

....

14.0

Average

590

78

138

114

77.1

44.6

26.7

23.2

27.2

31.1

13.8

1. In each specimen of L. c. curti the length of the ear measured from the notch when the animal was in the flesh was eight millimeters more than in the dried skin.

The cranial measurements given above are taken, in so far as possible, in the same way that the measurements recorded by Nelson in his North American Fauna (No. 29, 1909) were taken. In that publication he records mostly average measurements but he records also some measurements of individual specimens. Two of these specimens are the holotypes of Sylvilagus mansuetus Nelson and Romerolagus nelsoni Merriam. By attempting to duplicate Nelson's measurements on these specimens, the following opinions were formed.

"Basilar length" is basilar length of Hensel and the anterior point probably was the posterior border of the alveolus of incisor two. There is some evidence of lack of consistency with respect to the anterior control point.

"Length of nasals" is the overall length, of the two nasal bones, but in Romerolagus the shorter (right) nasal alone seems to have been measured.

"Breadth of rostrum above premolars" is easily duplicated in Lepus but in Sylvilagus the control points are difficult to find. Two other persons and I obtained three different measurements, all different from Nelson's measurements, and we thought that Nelson would have obtained different measurements by measuring the same specimen of Sylvilagus at different times.

"Depth of rostrum in front of premolars" seems to have been taken perpendicular to the inferior longitudinal line of the rostrum, approximately one-half millimeter anterior to the alveolus of the anteriormost cheek tooth.

"Interorbital breadth" was taken across the supraorbital processes, at the narrowest place, but not from the notches medial to the antorbital projections of the supraorbital processes.

"Parietal breadth" is the breadth, across the braincase, taken approximately half way between the squamosal root of the zygoma and the external auditory meatus, where there is a lateral bulge in the squamosal bone. On each side of the skull, the calipers rest on the squamosal bone, not on the parietal bone.

"Diameter of bullae" excludes the paroccipital process and was taken from the anteriormost part of a tympanic bulla, posterolaterally to the part of that same bulla, that is exposed at the lateral side of the base of the paroccipital process.

Specimens examined.—Total, four, all from Tamaulipas, Mexico, as follows: 88 mi. S and 10 mi. W Matamoros, 3; 90 mi. S and 10 mi. W Matamoros, 1.

Transmitted February 20, 1951.

23–7414

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAMMALS OBTAINED BY DR. CURT VON WEDEL FROM THE BARRIER BEACH OF TAMAULIPAS, MEXICO ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg electronic works provided that:

- • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.”

- • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works.

- • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work.

- • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg work, and (c) any Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 41 Watchung Plaza #516, Montclair NJ 07042, USA, +1 (862) 621-9288. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

Table of Contents

Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico

Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE