322 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 46. 



EPIMYS PANTARENSIS (Mearas). 



Specimen. — One, the type, from Mindanao: Pantar (Mearns), 



EPIMYS BASILANUS, new species. 



Type. — From Basilan Island. Adult male (teeth slightly worn), 

 skin and skull, U. S. National Museum No. 144635. Collected in 

 February, 1906, by Dr. Edgar A. Mearns. Orig. No. 6039. 



Diagnosis. — Like Epimys todayensis of Mindanao, but smaller, with 

 smaller skull and teeth; underparts less buffy, more yellowish. 



Measurements of type (from well-made dry skin) . — Head and body, 

 130 mm.; tail, 130; hind foot, without claws, 25.5. Skull of type, 

 compared with type skull of E. todayensis, measurements of latter 

 in parentheses: Greatest length, 30.8 (34.3); condylobasal length, 

 28.9 (32.3); nasals, 10.9 (13.2); interorbital constriction, 4.9 (5.2); 

 palatal length, 16.2 (18.4); upper tooth row, alveoli, 5.2 (5.8); man- 

 dible; 17.2 (19.6); lower tooth row, alveoli, 5.2 (5.9). 



Specimens. — Four, from the following localities: 



Basilan: 3 (Mearns). 



Sulu: 1 (Mearns). 



This rat is closely related to E. todayensis, of which it is only a 

 smaller insular race. The thi'ee Basilan specimens were "trapped 

 in the forest, away from human habitations." The Sulu specimen, 

 an odd skull, is inseparable from the Basilan skulls, but series of 

 skins from the two islands might show the Sulu form to be distinct. 



EPIMYS ORNATULUS, new species. 



Type. — From Cagayancillo, Cagayan Island. Adult female (teeth 

 slightly worn), skin and skull. Collection of Philippine Bureau of 

 Science No. 37. Collected February 8, 1903, by R. C. McGregor and 

 A. Celestino. 



Diagnosis. — A small, bright-colored member of the concolor- 

 ephippium group; most like E. pantarensis of Mindanao, but feet 

 white, not grayish-buff, and underparts yellow, not buff. Smaller 

 and brighter colored than E. luteiventris of Palawan. 



Color. — General color of upperparts bright Sudan-brown, finely 

 lined mth blackish, made up of browTi-tipped yellowish spines and of 

 soft hairs gray at base and ringed and tipped with bright ochraceous 

 and blackish; brighter on rump and hips. Sides lighter, yellowish- 

 tawny; under parts straw-yellow, the hairs of middle breast and 

 beUy pale gray at bases; hands and feet thinly covered with white, 

 or very pale cream hairs. 



SlcuU and teeth. — Most like those of Epimys pantarensis, of same es- 

 sential size but skull with longer, more slender rostrum and nasals. 



Mea.^urem^nts of type (from well-made dry skin) .—Head and body, 

 118 mm.; tail, 119; hind foot (moistened), without claws, 23.5. SkuLU 



