448 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.52. 



Geographic distribution. — Islands of Tana Bala and Tana Masa. 



Diagnostic characters. — ^A member of the Rattus jirmus group 

 distinguished by somewhat small size, short tail, more yellowish 

 type of coloration, and skull relatively slender, especially rostral 

 portion. 



Color. — Upper parts and sides of head, neck, and body, and outside 

 of legs a coarse grizzled mixture of blackish brown, and a color some- 

 what like cinnamon-buff, both colors about equally mixed, the lighter 

 color perhaps slightly in excess along the sides. Under parts, in- 

 cludmg inner sides of legs, dirty cream color, stained artificially 

 along the throat with a rusty tinge, hairs not slaty at base. 



STcuTL and teeth. — The skull of Rattus halmasus averages somewhat 

 smaller than that of most of the other members of the Jirmus group; 

 it is relatively narrow and has a relatively slender rostrum. 



Measurements. — Type: Head and body, 222 mm.; tail, 201; hind- 

 foot, 44; condylobasal length, 47; width of brain case, 18; maxillary 

 tooth row, 9.5. 



Specimens examined. — Three from Tana Masa and 7 from Tana 

 Bala. 



RemarJcs. — ^This species is very closely related to Rattus pinatus of 

 Pulo Pinie; the difference between the two being scarcely more than 

 subspecific. 



RATTUS PINATUS, new species. 



Type-specimen. — No. 121778, U.S.N.M., skin and skull of adult 

 male, collected on Pulo Pinie, Batu Islands, March 4, 1903, by Dr. 

 W. L. Abbott; original number 2367. 



Geographic distribution. — Pulo Pinie. 



Diagnostic characters. — A member of the Rattus jirmus group, dis- 

 tinguished by somewhat small size, rather short tail, more yellowish 

 type of coloration, and skuU with a rather heavy rostrum. 



Color. — The color of this species is so exactly like that of Rattus 

 halmasus from Tana Bala, and Tana Masa that no further remarks 

 are needed. 



ShuU and teeth. — The skull of Rattus pinatus averages somewhat 

 smaller than that of most of the other members of the R. Jirmus 

 group and is marked by a wider, stouter rostrum. 



Measurements. — Type: Head and body, 218; tail, 200; hind foot, 

 46; condylobasal length, 48.3; width of brain case, 18.5; maxillary 

 tooth row, 9.6. 



Specimens examined. — Five, from Pulo Pinie. 



Remarhs. — This species is very closely related to its relative of Masa 

 and Bala Islands, both forms together constituting a group apart 

 from the other members of the Jirmus group. 



