418 MURIDJE. 



Dimensions. Head and body 2-9 inches, tail 2-65, ear 0-5, hind 

 foot 0-65 ; skull 0-8. 



Distribution. Nepal, Eastern Bengal, Assam, and the Khasi hills. 

 Specimens from the neighbourhood of Calcutta, originally described 

 as M. albidiventris and subsequently referred to this species by 

 Blyth, are shown by Mr. W. Sclater to belong to M. buduga. It 

 is doubtful whether M. buduga and M. cervicolor should be kept 

 distinct. 



289. Mils platythrix. The brown spiny Mouse. 



Mus platythrix, Bennett, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 121 ; Elliot, Mad. Jotirn. 



L. S. x, p. 215 ; Blyth, Cat. p. 121. 

 Leggada platythrix, Gray, Charles worth's Mag. N. H. i, p. 586 ; Blyth, 



J. A. S. B. xxxii, p. 350 ; Jerdon, Mam. p. 207. 

 Mus spinulosus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxiii, p. 734 (1854), xxix, p. Ill ; 



id. Cat. p. 121. 

 Leggada spinulosa, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxxii, p. 349 ; Jerdon, Mam. 



p. 208. 

 Mus (Leggada) platythrix, Thomas, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 553; W. 



Sclater, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 531. 



Isegydde, Legadgandu, or Rale-lagangandu, Wadari ; Gijeli-gandu, Tel. 

 of Yanadis ; Kal ilei, Can. 



Fur above and below composed almost entirely of flattened 

 spines, those on the back stiff and coarser than those on the lower 

 parts. Tail shorter than the head and body, rather thick at the 

 base, clad with short hair, rather more thickly than in Mus 

 generally. Ears short, rounded. Mammae 10 : 3 pairs pectoral, 2 

 inguinal. Hind foot small, all the 6 pads near together, the ineta- 

 tarsal pair small, round, and distant from 

 the heel. Anterior palatine foramina 

 long, extending back to the middle of 

 the first molar ; anterior edge of maxillary 

 zygoma-root straight. First upper 

 molar normally very long, with an anterior 

 spur bearing a distinct cusp, but in some 

 skulls the spur is wanting and the cusp 

 rudimentary. Third upper molar about 

 Fig 132.-() Upper and one third the gize of the secon(L 



(o) lower right molars 01 ri ^ r j i u n 



M. platythrix, x^. Colour above dark brown, occasionally 



paler, below white, the separation of the 



two colours well denned. Basal half of dorsal fur grey, terminal 

 half brown, a few longer black points being mixed on the rump. 

 Tail-hairs dark above, white below. 



Dimensions. Head and body of an adult male (in spirit) 3-3 

 inches, tail 3, ear 0'4 (from orifice 0-5), hind foot 0'7. Skull 

 1 inch long. 



Distribution. The peninsula of India and Ceylon. This form 

 has-been ^obtained in the Punjab, in Sind, and in Malabar, but not 



Habits. According to Sir W. Elliot, the Leggyade lives entirely 

 in the red gravelly soil in a burrow of moderate depth, generally 



