26 



Records of the Indian Museum. 



[Vol. Ill 



The Gunomys of the Punjab and of Bengal are clearly of a 

 different race. 



Pjh. 6, Nesokia sp. — 



We have received forty-five rats of this species from the 

 Amritsar district. They were found living in the same part of the 

 district and in precisely the same state as the Gunomys, but 

 members of the two genera were always occupying separate colonies. 

 The occurrence of these two genera, living side by side, is biologi- 

 cally interesting from more than one point of view.' Incidentally it 

 illustrates the modern meaning of the word " genus " as applied to 

 mammals : tlie separation of the genera Nesokia and Gunomys was 

 made by an eminent systematist [5]. When large numbers of speci- 

 mens from the Punjab belonging to both genera arc mixed together, 

 it is difficult to sejjarate them by their outward appearance. In 

 colour and quality of the fur, members of the two genera are 

 often indistinguishable ; this is not surprising, as they are all found 



