420 MTTRID.E. 



" Their flesh is eaten by the tank-diggers. The female produces 

 from 6 to 8 at a birth." 



Sir W. Elliot also states that when the rainfall was deficient at 

 the commencement of the season, the metad rats bred in such 

 numbers as to become a perfect plague and to destroy the crops. 



291. MttS gleadowi. The sand-coloured Eat. 



Mus gleadowi, Murray, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 809, pi. li ; W. Sclater, 

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



Fur soft, without spines. Tail about the same length as the head 

 and body, or shorter, not pencilled. Eyes large. Ears large, 

 reaching the front of the eye when laid forward, thinly clad. 

 Planta narrow, and bearing only four pads. Mammae G : 1 pair 

 pectoral, 2 inguinal. Skull convex above, similar to that of Mus 

 mettada. 



Colour above sandy (light greyish brown) or sometimes fawn, 

 below and the feet white. Basal three fourths of dorsal fur dark 

 leaden grey, terminal portion pale whitish brown, a few of the 

 hairs tipped dark brown ; no black hairs. Underfur of lower parts 

 white. The short hair on the tail is light brown above, white 

 below. 



Dimensions in spirit : head and body 3*5 inches, tail 3, ear 0-63, 

 hind foot 0*7 ; extreme length of skull 1. 



Distribution. The types were from. Kanichi, Sind. A fawn- 

 coloured specimen in the British Museum was received from 

 Kattiwar. There are other specimens in the Indian Museum from 

 Cutch and from Goona, south of Gwalior. 



292. Mus erythrotis. The liairy-eared Mouse. 



Mus erythrotis, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxiv, p. 721 (1855), xxxii, p. 448 ; 

 id. Cat. p. 120 ; W. Sclater, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 629, pi. xliv, fig. 6 

 (skull). 



Fur long, dense, soft. Tail longer than head and body, clad 

 with hairs rather longer than usual, but no longer at the end of the 

 tail than elsewhere. Ears small, round, hairy, almost concealed 

 by the fur. Mammae 8. Proximal plantar pad oval. In the skull 

 the anterior border of the maxillary zygomatic process is straight 

 and vertical, the zygoma itself slightly concave. 



Colour "rich dark brown, grizzled and brightly tinged with rufous 

 or rufo-ferruginous towards the tail and upon the ears conspi- 

 cuously; lower parts albescent, tinged with fawn ; feet with brown 

 hairs upon their upper surface " (Blyth). Basal portion of hair 

 above and below dark slate-colour. 



Dimensions of an adult female in spirit : head and body 2-85 

 inches, tail 3-25, hind foot without claws 0-68, ear-conch 0-32; 

 length of skull 0-8, greatest breadth 0-42. 



Distribution. Cherra Poonjee in the Khasi hills, and Manipur. 

 Mus pyymaius of A. Milne-Edwards from Moupin is perhaps 

 the same. 



