SCIENTIFIC RESULTS FROM THE MAMMAL SURVEY. 387 



The skull shows a considerable range of variation as regards size, 

 the condylo-basal length in specimens with the teeth in a half-worn 

 condition ranging between 36 and 43-2, the average of 20 being 

 38-6. As regards proportions and form it is quite indistinguish- 

 able from the skull of E. r. narhadce. 



Local variation ; — The material available is quite insufficient for 

 any attempt at working out in detail the geographical variation of 

 the species in this region. The qualitjr of the pelage appears to 

 vary with the individual, although it may also depend largely upon 

 age, sex, and season. As regards dorsal colour the rats from 

 Travancore, the Nilgiris and Coorg are the brightest and reddest : 

 while those from more northerly stations, as Dharwar, tend to be 

 duller and browner. Specimens from South Coorg and from the 

 Kardibetta Forest have the tails relatively much longer than they 

 are in those from the other districts. 



Bemarlxs : — Taken as a whole the white bellied rats of Southern 

 India distinguish themselves from the races of Bengal and the 

 Central Provinces by their redder backs and by their relatively 

 shorter tails and ears. I am not able to refer them to any of the 

 races described above and although conscious of the fact that the 

 material from the extensive region just covered shows a consider- 

 able range of variation, I propose to establish a new subspecies for 

 their reception. The Nilgiri specimens, collected long ago by Mr. 

 Wroughton, may be regarded as typical ; and the subspecies may 

 most fittingly be called ii'. r. nroughtoni. 



8. Eattus rathis liandiamis, Kelaart. 



1850. Mus l-andiamis, Kelaart, /. A. S. Ceylon, vol. ii., p. 32G. 



1915. Ejjimijs Icandiamis, Wroughton, /. Bombay N. H. Soc, 

 vol. XXIV., p. 49. (Full synonymy in Wroughton's 

 paper just cited.) 



Type : — A specimen from Newera Eliya, presented by Dr. 

 Kelaart to the British Museum (No. 52.5.9.26), exactly corres- 

 ponds with the original description and has been selected by 

 Wroughton as the lectotype. The lectotype is accompanied by 

 two other specimens presented by Dr. Kelaart (Nos. 52.5.9.24 

 and 25) and labelled as co-types of l-andiamis ; but these as pointed 

 out by W^roughton are referable to E. lielaarti, Wroughton. 



BistrUmiion : — This is common throughout Ceylon, where it 

 ranges from the sea-coast up to the highest altitudes. 



Material examined, : — In addition to Kelaart's specimens I have 

 studied 59 (of which about 50 are adult) from various parts of the 

 island and all obtained by the Mammal Survey. 



Bescription : — In general outward appearance, and in its short and 

 frequently spiny h\Y, this subspecies is much like E. r. nroughtoni ; 

 it is distinguished from the latter by its relatively longer tail 



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