208 ■ MURINE. 



baak. When the animal is inside, the entrance is closed with small 

 pebbles, a quaiitity of which are collected outside, by which its retreat 

 may always be known. The burrow leads to a chamber, in which is 

 collected a bed of small pebbles, on which it sits, the thick close hair of 

 the belly protecting it from the cold and asperity of such a seat. Its 

 food appears to be vegetable. In its habits it is monogamous and 

 nocturuah 



" In one earth which I opened, and which did not seem to have been 

 originally constructed by the animal, I found two pairs ; one of which 

 were adults, the other young ones, about three-parts grown. The mouth 

 of the earth was very large, and completely blocked up with small stones; 

 the passage gradually widened into a large cavity, from the roof of which 

 some other passages appeared to proceed ; but there was only one com- 

 munication with the surface, viz., the entrance. The old paii" were seated 

 on a bed of pebbles, near which, on a higer level, was another collection 

 of stones, probably intended for a drier retreat. The young ones were iu 

 one of the passages, likewise furnished with a heap of small stones." 



I have often opened the burrows of this rat, and can confirm Mr. 

 Elliot's account. The Yanadees of Nellore state that one variety uses 

 small sticks to sit on instead of stones, and give it a distinct appellation ; 

 but I did not notice any difference in the few specimens they brought 

 me, though it is possible that they might have been of the next species. 



195. Leg-g-ada spiimlosa. 



Blyth, J. A. S. XXIII. 734.— Cat. p. 121. 



The Dusky Spiny Mouse. 



Descr. — Nearly affined to the last, but of a dai-k dusky colour above, 

 with fulvous tips to the softer fur ; below and all the feet dull whitish. 

 Upper rodential tusks orange, the lower white. 



Whiskers long and fine, the posterior amd longer of these black for 

 the basal half or more, the rest white. 



Length of adult, head and body 3f inches ; tail 3 ; foot |ths. 



This species was originally described by Blyth from specimens sent 

 from the Punjab, and specimens were afterwards received from South 

 Malabar, " quite similar, unless rather larger, and there is little differ- 

 ence in the colovir of the upper and lower tusks." 



