56 Records of the Itidian Museum. [Vol. Ill, 



Mds. 2 — 



An interesting variety was found showing a pure white streak 

 in the middle Hne of the breast. Two specimens showing this 

 pecuHarity were obtained. One of them in which the white Hne 

 is of considerable length is shown in plate i, side by side with a 

 rat showing the same character which was caught in Bomba}-. The 

 same peculiarity'" has been noticed in Calcutta. 



Mds. 3. the large bandicoot — 



This species was long known as Nesokia handicota. Since 

 however, the new genus Bandicota has been established, it should 

 presumably be known as Bandicota indica [ii]. 



Proportions. — The first five adults met with were measured. 

 The results were as follows : — 



It is surprising to find that the tail-length is equal to or even 

 slightly greater than the length, for these rats have previously'- 

 been described as possessing tails less in length than the head and 

 body. 



Fur. — Almost ever}- specimen was scarred and mangy, the fur 

 being always sparse and very bristly. It consists of a soft under fur 

 which is scanty and of a dull grey coloiir, from among which spring 

 numerous spines, grey in colour with cream-coloured ends. These 

 spines measure 2 or 3 cms. in length ; the longest ones are tipped 

 with black. The fur of the back also contains long bristles, 6 or 7 

 cms. long, which are black in most of their length. It is an interest- 

 ing fact that the fur of these rats is much more like the fur of Guno- 

 mys varius of Rangoon, than that of Bandicota nemorivaga of Bengal, 

 the fur of which is comparatively soft and very thick. This can 

 be explained by the fact that the Madras and Rangoon ' ' bandi- 

 coots ' ' are both drain-haunting town rats, whereas the Bengal 

 bandicoot is a burrowing field rat. It is difficult to distinguish a 

 piece of the excised skin of the Madras and Rangoon forms from 

 one another, whereas both could be readily distinguished from 

 that of a Bengal bandicoot. There is not, however, the slightest 

 doubt that B. indica and B. nemorivaga are much more closel}^ 

 allied to one another than either of them is to Gunomys varius. A 

 similar observation was made in the Punjab, where the thick fur 

 of the Gunomys and Nesokia, which burrow in the same fields, is 

 often of precisely the same quality-, but quite different from the 

 sparse fur of the Gunomys of Bengal. 



Skull proportions. — The measurements of five skulls are as 

 follows : — 



