A 2MASS survey for brown dwarfs toward the Hyades

We present results of a search for very low mass stars and brown dwarfs tow ard the central region of the Hyades. Using Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MAS S) near-infrared and Second Palomar Sky Survey (POSS II) optical photometry , we select candidates corresponding to spectral types M8-L4 at the distanc e of the Hyades. Spectroscopic follow-up data indicate that none are cluste r members. The lack of members in the mass range 0.08 M. < M < 0.06 M. is c onsistent with evidence that this 600 Myr-old cluster is deficient in very low mass objects. Three of our objects are of spectral type Mg, with surfac e gravity-sensitive features intermediate between dwarfs and giants. We int erpret these objects as background brown dwarfs, perhaps associated with th e Taurus star formation region.