58 Records of the Indian Museum. JVOL. Ill, 



Mds. 5, (iH)ioinys sp. — 



Only one small female specimen of the genus Gunomys was 

 obtained. The excessively worn condition of the 3rd molar tooth 

 shows that it is an old rat. It measures 142, 108, 27, 18 : as com- 

 pared with an average specimen of G. bengalensis it is very small 

 and possesses relatively large feet. It has three pairs of pectoral 

 and three pairs of inguinal teats which do not form a continuous 

 series. In the proportions of the skull it does not differ from many 

 specimens of G. bengalensis. The measurements are as follows : 

 1. id>, b. 24, n. 11-5, p.f. 8, mis. 7. 



It has been mentioned that another specimen of Gunomys was 

 examined by the writer in the Madras Museum ; the measurements 

 were not recorded ; it was, however, a very much larger rat than 

 the one just described. 



Mds. 6, the Madras Mettad — 



A small adult rat was obtained which from its general appear- 

 ance was recognised to be a Mettad. It shows at least one im- 

 portant difference from all other Mus mettada which have been 

 obtained from other districts. The length of the tail is greater 

 than that of the head and body. The measurements are 105, 112, 

 22, 17. The lower surface of the tail, though much lighter than 

 the upper surface, is not devoid of pigment. The hair on the tail 

 is shorter than in other Mettads. There is also a trace of a sixth 

 foot-pad on a level with the fifth. The skull is of the t^^ical Mettad 

 form, the antero-posterior curvature and the elongated palatine 

 foramen being conspicuous features. Skull measurements are as 

 follows : 1. 30'5, b. 16, n. 13, p.f. 8, mis. 6. 



There is no doubt that this rat belongs to a new variety of 

 Mus mettada, but because of the great variability found among 

 all races of rats, it does not seem wise to describe this single speci- 

 men as the ' ' type ' ' of the Madras Mettad. 



We have also received rats from the following places in the 

 Madras Presidency : — 



Chingleput, Salem, Gopalpore, Bellary, Madura, Ootacamund, 

 Travancore, Cochin, Tellicherri, Mangalore, Chitur. 



Chingleput. 



We have received the measurements, skins and skulls of ten 

 rats of the Mus rattus type, of one Gunomys bengalensis and of 

 a shrew from Lt.-Col. J. C. Marsden. 



Cpt. I— 



The ten spjecimens closely resemble one another ; in most 

 of them the colour is j^ellowish brown, one or two are somewhat 

 reddish. In no case is there any white on the abdomen. The 



