412 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. tSOCIETY, Vol. XXVL 



The skull differs from that of R. r. Imndianus only by its smaller 

 size. 



RemarJcs : — The peculiar appearance of this species first attracted 

 the attention of Kelaai^t, who thought it allied to, if not identical 

 with nitidus. The skull, however, proves that B. Tielaarti 

 is closely related to B. rattus ; and its external similarity to 

 nitidus must, perhaps, be attributed to its highland environ- 

 ment. 



IV. Rattus nitidus, Hodgson. 



1845. Mus nitidus, Hodgson, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xv, p. 267. 

 1881. Mus alexandrinus var. nitidus, Thomas, P. Z. 8., 1881, 



p. 533. 

 1891. Mus rattus var. nitidus, Blanford, Mammalia, p. 407. 

 1914. Fjpimys nitidus, Wroughton, Report No. 15, /. Bombay 



N. H. Soc, xxxiii, p. 296, Report No. 23, ibid, xxiv, 



p. 489. 

 1916. Battus nitidus, Wroughton, Report No. 26, /. Bombay 



N. H. Soc, xxiv, p. 782. 



Type:— A skin and skull from Nepal, B. M. No. 79.11.21,415 ; 

 received from the India Museum, ex Hodgson's collection. 



Material examined : — (1) The type and other old specimens in 

 the British Mnseum ; (2) the long series obtained in Kumaon and 

 Sikkim by the collectors of the Mammal Survey. 



Description : — In this species the tail is much shorter than in 

 Indian races of B. rattus — its average length, in the typical subspe- 

 cies, being equal to no more than 107 ^ of the head and 

 body measurement. The hind-foot is larger, measurements above 

 35 mm. being common ; and the head also, judging from the skull 

 measurements discussed below, is relatively larger than in Indian 

 It. rattus. 



The fur is remarkably soft and smooth, with an abundance of 

 soft under fur, the middle hairs and long black hairs being 

 extremely fine, and the bristles or soft spines, found commonly in 

 B. rattus, being wholly absent. 



The general dorsal colour, as seen from a distance, is dark and 

 approaches a deep chocolate or "seal brown." The ground colour 

 is a dark brown or grey, more or less finely grizzled with yellowish 

 brown shades, which range from tawny to "mummy brown," and 

 darkened, particularly along the spine and over the rump, by the 

 long black hairs. The latter are often sufficiently numerous to 

 form a broad black streak, extending from the middle of the back 

 to the root of the tail. The bellies range from silver to dusky 

 hoary. The ventral hairs have white tips and darker bases, the 



