456 Mr. O. Thomas on the 



Mus ochraceiventer '. 



Proportions and essential characters as in M. alticola, 

 Thos., of which it may be looked upon as the representative 

 at the base of Kina Balu. Fur more spiny and shorter than 

 in alticola, a dorsal spine about 10 as against 16 or 17 millim. 

 in length. The colour above instead of being uniform dark 

 bluish grey is a coarsely speckled fulvous and black, the tips 

 of the spines being black or brown, while those of the hairs 

 are fulvous. Nape and sides of neck more markedly fulvous. 

 Whole of under surface a brilliant and most unusual ochraceous 

 colour, almost exactly matching Bidgway's " tawny ochra- 

 ceous," and wholly different from the yellowish white of M. alti- 

 cola. Both spines and hairs are tipped with ochraceous, although 

 their extreme bases are grey, which latter colour is predomi- 

 nant in young specimens. Hands and feet thinly covered on 

 the metapodials with fine white or pale brown hairs; the 

 digits naked. Tail as in alticola, practically naked, slaty 

 grey above, white or yellowish below, the contrast specially 

 marked terminally. Palate-ridges 3 — 4. Mammae 2 — 2 = 8. 



Skull apparently as in alticola, except that the palatal 

 foramina are shorter and broader behind, and the anterior edge 

 of the zygomatic plate is nearly vertical, instead of slanting 

 backwards. 



Hind foot of the typical skin ( $) 31*8 millim. 



Dimensions of an adult male in spirit : — 



Head and body 146 millim. ; tail 153 ; hind foot 31 '5 ; 

 ear 16 x 13*5 ; heel to front of last foot-pad 15. 



Skull : see p. 459. 



Hob. Mount Kina Balu, below 3000 feet. Coll. A. Everett, 

 Jan. 1894. 



Type : B.M. 94.7.2.27. 



A considerable number of this remarkable-looking, species 

 were obtained by Mr. Everett's native collectors in January 

 1894, and although (as in the case of the other Kina Balu 

 specimens brought in by the same men) no trustworthy record 

 of the altitude has been preserved, Mr. Everett informs me 

 that it is practically certain that none of them were collected 

 above 3500 feet. 



Considering their close alliance in essential characters it is 

 just possible that specimens intermediate between M. alticola 

 and M. ochraceiventer will be found at intervening altitudes, 

 in which case the latter will have to be reduced to a sub- 

 species of the former ; but until such specimens are obtained 

 it would be impossible to allow such different-looking animals 

 to pass under the same name. 



