1909.] 



R. E. Lloyd : The Races of Indian Rats. 



73 



for in the relative proportions of body, tail and feet it is of the 

 Gunomys type, but in its large size, the character of its fur and in the 

 proportions of its skull it approaches the bandicoot type. It will be 

 shown, firstly, that this common Rangoon rat is Gunomys varius ; 

 secondly, that it is more or less intermediate between Gunomys 

 and Bandicota. 



Although large numbers of these rats were examined daily, 

 only four selected specimens were taken to Calcutta. These are 

 all adults, they include large (A), medium (B) and small (C) speci- 

 mens, and one colour- variety of a light buff colour (D). The large 

 specimen happens to be of the same size as the ' ' type ' ' of Gunomys 

 varius. 



Type of G.vanus {Ann. 

 Mag. N. //., 1907^ 

 p. 205). 



A 



B 



D (buff variety) 



Average percentage in 

 Gunomys bengalensis. 



Ditto in Bandicota nemo- 

 rivaga. 



IvCngth. 



266 

 100 



265 

 100 



230 

 100 



205 

 100 



260 

 100 



100 



100 



Tail. Hind foot. 



197 



74 



208 

 80 



78 



165 



80 



195 

 75 



95 



40 

 15 



39 

 I4'3 



16 



35 

 17 



49 

 19 



17 

 19 



Ear. 



19 



22 



20 



20 



22 



These figures show that the rat we are dealing with is Gunomys 

 varius, and that in its proportions ic is more nearly a Gunomys than 

 a bandicoot. 



In the character of the fur our specimens exactly agree with 

 the description of the ' ' type. ' ' The upper surface shows a mix- 

 ture of black and creamy buff-coloured hairs, with a large number 

 of long black bristles, the tail is covered with relatively long hair. 

 In the proportions of the skull the similarities to the type are not 

 less close. 



