602 MURIDAZ—EPIMYS 
tectorum, is clearly antedated by Rafinesque’s /rugzvorus, and must 
therefore give place to the latter. 
Local name :— Too ¢ettajolo in Tuscany. 
Distribution and status:—Z. r. frugivorus is the common rat of 
the Mediterranean region and North Africa. Northwards it ranges 
throughout Italy into southern Switzerland. In France it is known 
from the south (Var), and it occurs also in Brittany and Normandy 
(de l'Isle). In Iberia alexandrinus appears to be the prevalent form, 
but we have seen specimens of /frug?vorus from Jerez, Cadiz. It 
is found on most of the Mediterranean islands ;! in Greece, Montenegro, 
and Asia Minor; and it also occurs on the island of Sokotra. On the 
more remote islands, at least, it breeds quite true to type, and in the 
warmer parts of its range it leads an outdoor life, often inhabiting and 
nesting in trees in situations remote from human dwellings; in these 
warmer districts it does not tend to be replaced by norvegicus. 
In Britain it not infrequently makes an appearance in the ports. 
As authentic instances of this kind, may be cited one captured at 
Sunderland (Fe/d, 26th Jan. 1889, 126; B.M., 89.1.28.1) ; another taken 
on board ship at Liverpool (B.M., 6.10.25.1); and a specimen with 
pale lemon belly found by Patterson at Yarmouth. A good many 
were obtained by Coward on Lundy, where the two other sub-species 
and xorvegicus were also found. 
It is often found on ships, and has been carried by them to all parts 
of the world; in the warmer countries it not infrequently succeeds 
in establishing itself as a colonist, resuming at the same time, in many 
cases, a free outdoor existence. The British Museum collection 
contains many examples of such “colonial” frugzvorus collected in 
tropical South America, Madagascar, Australia, and Tasmania. 
Description :—Z. r. frugivorus agrees in all characters, save those of 
pelage and colour, with typical vattus. The fur is often remarkable 
for its length, density, and softness. The upper parts are light grey 
or brown, brightening sometimes to russet, and darkened along the 
middle line of the back to a greater or less extent by long black hairs. 
The under parts are pure white or pale yellow in colour, the ventral 
hairs being light-coloured to their roots; sometimes a patch of bright 
orange hue is present upon the throat or chest. The line of demarca- 
tion is always regular and sharply defined along each flank. The feet 
are usually white above, but they are sometimes washed with light 
yellowish-brown. 
1 Rafinesque (oc. cz¢.) describes the Sicilian animal as living on fruit and nesting 
in the trees ; he adds that it is edible—a circumstance which caused Lesson to refer 
the animal, with some hesitation, to the genus J/yoxus. In the Balearic Islands, 
Thomas (Proc. Zool. Soc., London, 1901, i., 42) found it “living a wild natural life, away 
from the houses,” and he thought it “ probably perfectly indigenous in the islands.” 
