ART. 1 . ■ MAMMALS FROM CHINA — HOWELL. 59 



Genus RATTUS G. Fischer 



RATTUS RATTUS RATTUS (Linnaeus) 



[Mils] rattus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1758, p. Gl (Upsala, Sweden). 



Specimen. — One from Fiitsing, Fukien. 



The only specimen of all black rat secured was this juvenile, too 

 young for other characters to be distinguishable. It probably be- 

 longs to this race, to be expected anywhere near the coast, although 

 it is not impossible that it may be a melanistic individual of some 

 other form. 



RATTUS RATTUS ALEXANDRINUS (Geoffrey) 



Mus alcxandrinus Geoffboy, Cat. Mamm. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, 1803, p. 192 

 (Alexandria, EgyiJt). 



/Specimen. — One, from 1.50 miles up the Min River, Fukien. 



This example is indistinguishable from selected European skins 

 and this, together with the fact that it was taken by a river whence 

 it could have Ijeen transported by boat, obliges me to identify it as 

 of this race. The tail is 142 per cent of the head and body length 

 and the total length of the skidl is 40.5 mm. The length of the tail 

 renders it unlikely that it might properly be ascribed to sladeni. 



RATTUS RATTUS EXIGUUS A. B. Howell 



Rattus rattus exiguus A. B. Howell, Proe. Biol. Soe. Wash., vol. 40, 1927, 

 p. 43 (70 miles southwest of Yenpiugfii, Fukieu, China). 



Specimens. — Sixteen, from the following localities in Fukien: 14 

 from 70 miles southwest of Yenpingfu, at an altitude of 500 feet; 

 one from Foochow ; and one in spirits from Kulingsu Island. 



This race is readily distinguished from sladeni and alexandrinus 

 hj its pale color, small size and short foot, and from the latter at 

 least by the shorter tail. It should be distinguished without trouble 

 from any other rat of eastern China, although I suspect that it has 

 at times been mistaken for kumiliahis, which is evidently very rare 

 in collections. 



RATTUS HUMILIATUS HUMIIJATUS (Milne-Edwards) 



Mus humiUatus Milne-Edwards, Reeh. Mamm., 1871, p. 137 (Peking, Chihli, 

 China). 



Specimens. — Three: Chinkiang, Kiangsu, 1; and Canton, Kwang- 

 tung, 2. 



The Kiangsu example is the only one of the above with measure- 

 ments and its tail is 93 per cent of the head and body length. Very 

 conflicting measurements have been given for this species, but those 

 who have examined the type are evidently in accord that the tail is 

 shorter than the head and body. In manuscript notes on type speci- 



