Records of the Indian Museum. 



[Vol. Ill, 



Only the first two were fully mature. 



The figures show that these black rats resemble one another 

 not only in their colour but also in being well above the average in 

 length, and very closely alike in their tail index. (Hossack gives 

 for fifty mixed Gunomys bcngalensis in Calcutta range in length from 

 150 — 205, with an average of 182. Tail index range from 69 — 94, 

 average 81 t.) 



The skull proportions of these black rats agree closely with one 

 another and differ considerably from the average of the species. 



P'^or twenty skulls of G. bcngalensis from Calcutta, Hossack gives 

 the following : — 



Range of length . . . . 37 to 44 average 39*6 



Breadth o ^ t^ o 



■^ — — r- •• •• 58*2 to 63-3 ,, 59*8 



Length ^ -^ -^ " ^^ 



Nasal length 



28-2 to 31-8 



29-3 



Length 



Thus as regards breadth two of the three are less than the 

 least of the twenty Calcutta skulls. As regards length of nasals 

 all three are very close to the highest value found among the 

 Calcutta specimens. 



The members of this group have therefore no less than four 

 peculiarities: blackness of fur, increased size, narrowness of skull, 

 and increased length of nasals.' 



It seems that the last three of these peculiarities are elsewhere 

 associated, for under the heading ' ' Buldana ' ' will be found a des- 

 cription of a local race of Gunomys which shows the same three 

 peculiarities. The bandicoots also illustrate this correlation. 



1 Two more of these black mole-rats have been recently obtained from Ran- 

 goon ; they show the same peculiarities. 



