Mrs. 415 



Distribution. Throughout South-western Asia, extending into 

 North-western India and to Egypt. This is the common house- 

 mouse in Sind, the Punjab, and Western Bajputana, and is also 

 found in Kashmir and Ladak. 



284. Mus sublimis. The upland Mouse. 



Mus sublimis, Blanford, York. Miss., Mam. p. 61 ; Scully, A. M.N H. 

 (5) viii, p. 99 (1881) ; W. Sclater, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 528. 



Fur soft and rather long. Tail exceeding the head and body in 

 length. Ears moderately large. Skull with frontal and nasal por- 

 tion nearly straight and the zygomatic arches distinctly concave on 

 their outer surfaces. 



- Colour brown above, whitish below, all the hair except the tips 

 dark slaty grey throughout the body, tips of the dorsal hairs light 

 brown, longer hairs with dark brown or black tips being intermixed 

 in abundance. 



Dimension of a female in spirit : head and body 2'6 inches, tail 

 3-05, ear from orifice 0-5, hind foot 0'53 ; length of skull 0-92. 



Distribution. The type was obtained by Dr. Stoliczka at Tankse 

 west of Pangong Lake, Ladak, at an elevation of 13,000 feet 

 Another specimen is recorded by Scully from Astor, at 11,000. 



This form may turn out to be a variety of M. musculus. 



285. Mus nitidulus. Berdmore's Mouse. 



Mus nitidulus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxviii, p. 294 (1859), xxxii, p. 347 ; 

 id. Cat. p. 119 ; id. Mam. Birds Burma, p. 40 ; Thomas, P. Z. S. 

 1881, p. 550; W. Sdater, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 529. 



Fur long, sometimes spiny, sometimes not. Tail equal to the 

 head and body, or longer, uniformly clad with very short hairs. 

 Ears large, rounded. Hind foot longer than in M. musculus, hinder 

 metatarsal pad slightly long. Skull elongate, fronto-parietal suture 

 nearly straight instead of deeply concave; anterior border of 

 zygomatic process of maxillary sloping backwards and upwards from 

 the base. 



Colour above brown with but little rufous tinge, below white 

 somewhat sullied. Underfur grey throughout the body ; tips of 

 the fine hair on the back pale brown, of the spines dark brown, 

 probably black in some specimens. Tail dark above, pale below. 



Dimensions of an adult female in spirit : head and body 3*1 inches, 

 tail 3-52, ear 0-48, hind foot 0'77 ; extreme length of skull 0-93. 



Distribution. The type, now lost, was procured at Shwe G-yeng 

 in Burma by Captain' Berdmore. Mr. Thomas has identified with 

 this species specimens from Sikhim, Bbamo, and Karennee. One 

 from the Khasi hills is referred to nitidulus by Mr. "W. Sclater 

 with some doubt. 



