44 



Records of the Indian Museum. 



[Vol. Ill, 



that the rats of 165 mm. in length are in the majority, but that 

 rats of 200 and 205 mm. are to be found. This diagram agrees 

 with that which displays the length-frequency of the Punjab rats, 

 text-fig. 1. The difference of 10 mm. between the maxima in the two 

 cases is accounted for by the fact that in the Punjab the measure- 

 ments were taken from the first ring of the tail to the snout, while 

 at Allahabad they were taken from the anus to the snout. The 

 distance between the anus and the first ring of the tail in an average 

 sized rat is about 10 mm. It must be emphasized that these 

 measurements were recorded by two different persons, both un- 



ZS 



Zo 



15 



10 



Fig. 4. — Diagram showing the length-frequency ot 182 Mtis rattus from 

 Allahabad (Palmer). 



acquainted with the purpose to which their records were to be put, 

 and that, without excluding immature specimens, all the mea- 

 surements have simply been sorted into groups and represented 

 in the diagrams. They show conclusively that a rat of 145 mm. 

 and one of 205 mm. may be of the same race. It has been already 

 shown, in mentioning some of the latest additions to Indian mam- 

 mahan fauna, how little this fact is realised. 



In the proportions of the tail, feet and ears, the Allahabad 

 rats do not seem to differ from the rats of Calcutta, as described 

 by Hossack. According to the colour of their fur they ma}^ be 

 divided into three groups. 



Alh. I— 



Includes 169 rats of the yellowish brown dark-bellied type. 

 They are variable in the colour and character of the fur, and 



