1909.] R. E. Lloyd : The Races of Indian Rats. 61 



were very different from one another in size, were both of a light 

 greyish brown colour. The skull of this small specimen from 

 Travancore is of the Gimomys type. 



Cochin. 



Captain P. Atal has sent the measurements, skins and skulls 

 of six rats from this place. Two of these are typical examples 

 of Mus decumanus. These are the only specimens of Mus decumanus 

 which we have received from the Madras Presidency. We have seen 

 that there is strong evidence that this species cannot establish 

 itself in Madras city. In Cochin Mus decumanus probably forms an 

 isolated colony, the progenitors of which arrived in Cochin from 

 a ship. There is no harbour at Cochin; sea-going vessels unload 

 cargo by means of shallow draft boats from the shore. Communica- 

 tion between ships' rats and the shore must therefore be possible 

 but of rare occurrence. 



Chn. I — 



Type A. — Includes three rats of the Mus rattus type which 

 resemble one another closely ; the coloured element in the fur is 

 yellowish brown. The under parts are of the dark type, the basal 

 two-thirds of every hair being slate-coloured, the tip being yellow- 

 ish brown. The measurements are — 



Type B. — One specimen differs from the others in colour, 

 though resembling them in size and proportions ; in this the coloured 

 element in the fur is a clear reddish brown. 



Chn. 2 — 



Two typical examples of Mus decumanus measuring — 



225 181 43 18 



212 187 47 22 



Tellicherri. 



Mr. C. Lafrenais has sent the measurements, skins and skulls of 

 forty-eight specimens of Mus rattus. The lengths of these are ar- 

 ranged in the diagram, text-fig. 7, which shows that rats of 170mm. 

 are in the majority, and that the collection contains a specimen of 

 205 mm. and another of 220. The tail-length varies considerably 

 but is on the average about 120 % of the length of the head and 

 body. The whole collection may be divided into three groups 

 according to the colour of the fur. 



