Asiatic Bamboo-Rats. 315 



but the difference is never beyond the range of individual 

 variation. On the analogy of other burrowing- rodents, one 

 might have expected to find a considerable number of 

 plumbeous individuals in all districts, but, curiously enough, 

 these only occur in a single race — that of the Shan States 

 plateau, — and there they are in a majority, a small minority 

 of the individuals only being of the normal rufous coloration. 



Even in the skull the differences are few in number and 

 not very striking. General size and size of teeth are the 

 most important, the other cranial proportions being much the 

 same in all. 



The following are the names and characters of the different 

 races I recognize. For the use of the words connoting size, 

 justification must be sought in the table of cranial measure- 

 ments (p. 316). All the characters are based on series, and 

 in every locality occasional individuals may be found not quite 

 true to type. 



1. Gannomys badius, Hodgs. 



Large, with large teeth. Zygomata of medium expansion. 

 Colour normal. 



Nepal [Hodgson), Sikkim [Hodgson, Charlton, Blanford) , 

 Khasia Hills {Blanford), Manipur [Hume), Chindwin [Bom- 

 bay Survey), Kakhyen Hills [Anderson). 



2. Cannomys pater, sp. n. 



Size largest of genus, but the teeth generally smaller than 

 in badius. Zygomata widely spread and well developed 

 vertically. Colour paler and brighter than in badius, near 

 " pinkish cinnamon," but, owing to the gloss, far brighter 

 than the dull tone of the colour-book. 



Mr. Popa, dry zone of Burma {Bombay Survey, Shortridge 

 Coll.). 



Type. Adult female. B.M. no. 14. 7. 19. 231. Original 

 number 3571. Collected 5th September, 1913, by G. C. 

 Shortridge. Presented by the Bombay Natural History 

 Society. 



3. Cannomys castaneus, Blyth. 

 Size small ; the teeth also very small. 



3 a. Cannomys castaneus plumbescens, subsp. n. 



Colour commonly uniform plumbeous, only two specimens 

 out of a dozen having any rufous, and even these being- 

 darker than the normal. 



22* 



