— 
Bint 
NESOKIA. Ey, 
Wuddurs, or tank-diggers, capture this animal in great numbers as an 
article of food, and during the harvest they plunder their earths of the 
grain stored up for their winter consumption, which in favourable 
localities they find in such quantities as to subsist almost entirely upon 
it during that season of the year. A single burrow will sometimes yield 
as much as half a seer (1 lb.) of grain, containing even whole ears of 
jowaree (Holchus sorghum).” Sir Walter Elliot goes on to give a most 
interesting account of the construction of the burrows of this animal. 
No. 326. NESOKIA BLYTHIANA. 
The Bengal Field-Rat. 
NaTIVE NAME. — Yenkrai, Bengalee. 
Hasitat.—From Ghazipur in the North-west to Eastern Bengal and 
Cachar. Very common about Calcutta. 
DESCRIPTION.—Fur coarse as in the genus, profusely intermixed with 
long piles, more numerous on the lumbar and sacral regions, which 
project a long way beyond the ordinary pelage. The general colour a 
dark brown with yellowish hairs intermingled, which give a somewhat 
rufous tinge, paler beneath. Nose, ears, and feet flesh-coloured ; tail 
naked, ringed, and sparsely covered with short bristly hairs at the 
margin of the rings; feet moderately large; claws short and stout ; 
eyes moderately large, placed:a little nearer to the ear than to the snout ; 
ears rounded, semi-nude, covered with a fine down ; whiskers black ; 
incisor teeth rich orange, but generally white towards their tips. 
The female has eight pairs of mamme. 
S1zE.—Head and body, 8+ inches ; tail, 63 inches. 
I have already alluded to the distinguishing features of the skull of 
this species, as compared with Aesokia providens. From the skull of 
NV. Hardwickit it differs in its considerably narrower incisors and smaller 
and more irregularly laminated molars, and by its long and open 
anterior palatine foramina. It has also a more arched skull (Anderson). 
This animal, which is included in Jerdon’s Wesokia Indica, is very 
generally distributed over Lower Bengal. In the neighbourhood of 
Calcutta, Alipore for instance, it is abundant, and is a great nuisance 
in gardens. It burrows in tortuous directions, only a few inches below 
the ground, there being no definite plan, some being more complicated 
than others—the principal passage leading to a chamber containing a 
nest of leaves and grass. I have been told by natives that large 
quantities of grain are stored by these rats. When I first heard of its 
aquatic powers, I was led to believe that it was a species of vole, and 
was particularly desirous to get one, not being aware of any true water- 
rat in India. However, the reports of the natives have been confirmed 
by what Sir Walter Elliot states regarding the habits of M. providens, 
