214 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
and has no markedly prominent frontal ridges ; costal margin of 
elytra black, and under surface of body distinctly fulvous. My 
figure represents the species (or form) common at Peradeniya. The 
luminous properties were observed in the up-country species ; but 
the two, if really distinct, are so closely allied that they are unlikely 
to differ in this respect. 
Mr. J. Bourgeois, in a paper on ‘“‘ Malacodermes et Lymexylonides 
de Ceylan ” (Ann. Soc. Ent. France, Vol. LX XVIII., 1909), has 
described and figured our Peradeniya insect under the name of 
Haplogeusis ceylanica, gen. et sp. nov. This is almost certainly a 
synonym of either Harmatelia bilinea or H. discalis. 
EK. ERNEST GREEN. 

27. On the probable occurrence of Field Mice in Ceylon.—Blanford, 
in his volume on Mammalia (‘‘ Fauna of British India ”’), describes 
nine distinct species of voles from the Indian region, but not a single 
one of these is recorded from Ceylon. At present, so far as zoological 
records are concerned, we have no voles in Ceylon. I am convinced 
that this omission is not really justified. 
During a recent visit to the Horton Plains I saw an animal in 
the resthouse garden that could have been nothing but a vole. 
And my companion (Mr. J. C. F. Fryer) observed another (probably 
of a different species) in a swampy piece of ground near the jungle. 
The latter individual appeared to be of the nature of a water rat, 
as when disturbed it took to the water.* 
The voles (or field mice and water rats) may be distinguished 
superficially from the true rats and mice by their comparatively 
short tails and blunt muzzles. The tail of a vole is never more than 
one-third the length of its body, while rats and mice have tails that 
are seldom less than half and sometimes equal in length to the body 
of the animal. 
Will any of our sporting friends help us to establish the occurrence 
of voles in Ceylon? The Horton Plains are the happy hunting 
grounds of sportsmen with rod, gun, and hounds, who must have 
unique opportunities of observing the wild life of the locality. A 
skin, accompanied by the skull, would settle the matter beyond 
dispute. 
E. ERNEST GREEN. 
* Since sending in this note, I have had independent corroborative 
evidence of the existence of voles in the higher parts of Ceylon. Mr. W. 
Ormiston tells me that, while fishing at Ambawella, he has often seen small 
reddish mice on the banks of the streams. He describes them as having the 
appearance and attitudes of English field mice.—E. E. G. 
