NESOCIA. 421 



293. Mus humei. Hume's Rat. 



Mus humei, Thomas, A. M. N. H. (5) xvii, p. 84 (1886) ; id. P. Z. S. 

 1886, p. 63, pi. v. 



Fur soft, without spines. Tail shorter than the head and body, 

 more hairy than it usually is in Mus, but not pencilled at the end. 

 Ears moderately large, rounded, thinly clad. Thumb the merest 

 rudiment ; 5th front toe very short, barely reaching the division 

 between the 2nd and 3rd toes; 5th hind toe just reaching the 

 base of the 4th. Mammae 8 : 2 pairs pectoral, 2 inguinal. Skull 

 convex above, the nasals short, anterior border of maxillary 

 zygomatic process concave below and with a salient angle above. 

 Molars broad, the third as long as the second. 



Colour above speckled brown, a mixture of black and isabelline, 

 the anterior portions of the body greyish, the rump and between 

 the thighs rich rufous ; underparts pale rufesceut or yellowish. 

 Underfur both above and below leaden grey, blackish on the back, 

 where most of the hairs have isabelline tips, but longer hairs 

 are intermixed that are black throughout. Feet brown. Tail 

 particoloured, the short hair black above, white below, but the scaly 

 skin is brown. 



Dimensions taken from skins : head and body 5 inches, tail 4'25, 

 hind foot 1, ear 0'5 ; length of skull about 1*1, zygomatic 

 breadth 0-6. 



Distribution. The only locality yet known is Moirang, Manipur, 

 where Mr. Hurne obtained six specimens. 



This species resembles Oolunda ellioti in coloration and the form 

 of the skull. 



Genus NESOCIA, Gray (1842). 

 Syn. Nesokia, Gray ; Spalacomys, Peters (1860). 

 Form robust ; head short, rounded, muzzle short and broad ; tail 



v^w ^ w 



b 



Fig. 133.-a. Skull of N. bengalensis, nat. size; b, upper, 



c, lower right molars, X 3. 



long, scaly, ringed, almost naked ; ears rounded; feet broad, plauta 

 with six pads, the proximal pad elongate ; all the toes except the 

 rudimentary pollex with strong, nearly straight claws. 



