60 On the Asiatic Bamboo-Rats. 



R. sinensis, which has not been rediscovered since its capture 

 near Canton by Reeves nearly 90 years ago; but the skull 

 differs in too many important characters for this to be the 

 case. The anteorbital foramina, the non-development of a 

 sagittal crest or intertemporal waist, the height of the zygo- 

 matic bone,, and the slant of the occipital plane are all so 

 different that the identity of the two is quite impossible. 



I have named this fine animal in honour of its donor, to 

 whom the National Collection is indebted for so many valuable 

 Chinese mammals. 



Rhizomys pannosus, sp. n. 



R. pruinosus group. Mammee 1 — 3 = 8. 



Size about as in R. sinensis. Fur thin, poor, and rather 

 harsh. General colour near " Verona brown," varying to- 

 wards greyish brown ; the long hairs, as in pruinosus, brown 

 with white ends, but, owing to their lesser number, there is 

 not the strong hoary effect present in that species. Under 

 surface sparsely haired, almost naked, its thin covering 

 greyish brown. Head rather darker than back. Hands and 

 feet nearly naked, greyish brown. Tail naked, blackish. 

 Mammae 1 — 3 = 8: this number quite clear and definite in 

 two adult females. 



Skull short, stout, very heavily built, the crown higher 

 and more convex above than in pruinosus. Occipital plane 

 not so strongly slanted as in the latter. Sagittal crest 

 developed the whole length of the parietals in the male, but 

 in the female the muscular ridges do not meet except on the 

 posterior third of the parietals, the space between them 

 anteriorly about 4 mm. in breadth. Nasals slightly exceeding 

 the premaxillary processes behind. Anteorbital foramina 

 subtriangular, neither so rounded as in Nyctocleptes nor so 

 angular as in vestitus and its allies. Zygomata very high 

 mesially. Posterior narial opening medium, neither so open 

 as in sumatrensis nor so contracted as in vestitus. Incisors 

 not thrown forwards, about as in pruinosus. Molars rather 

 narrower and lighter than in pruinosus, the difference 

 especially perceptible in youth. First upper molar smaller 

 and worn lower than the second. 



Dimensions of the type (measured on the skin) : — 



Head and body 320 mm. ; tail 120 ; hind foot (wet) 46. 



Skull: condylo-basal length 64-2 ; condylo-incisive length 

 134 ; zygomatic breadth 47 ; nasals 25 x 9'5 ; anteorbital 

 foramen 6'8 x 5 ; breadth between outer corners of the two 

 foramina 23; mesial height of zygoma 9 ; intertemporal 

 breadth 10'5 ; height of crown from alveolus of m° 2&5 ; 

 occipital plane, height from basion 22 - 5, breadth 30*7 ; 



