422 MUEID^E. 



Incisors broader than in Mus, the anterior surface of the upper 

 pair minutely sculptured with irregular longitudinal wrinkles. 

 Molars composed of transverse lamina?, straight or slightly curved, 

 3 in the first molar, 2 in the second and third in both jaws. 

 Pterygoids very thin and high, pterygoid fossa deep. Infraorbital 

 foramen typical ; lower portion very narrow, the outer border 

 slanting forward from the base (less in N. hardivicJcei), then broadly 

 rounded and deeply sinuate. Anterior palatine foramina narrow. 

 Fronto-parielal area narrow, bordered by strong lateral crests. 



It is doubtful whether this should rank as more than a subgenus 

 of Mus. Four species are found within Indian limits ; the only 

 other known forms are from Central Asia. 



Synopsis of Indian, Ceylonese, and Burmese Species. 



a. Tail less than J head and body ; mammae 8 . . N. hardwickei, p. 422. 



b. Tail more than f head and body. 



a'. Smaller; hind foot 1'' '25-1 "'45; mammae 



14-18 N. bengalensis, p. 423. 



b'. Larger ; hind foot 1"'9 ; mammas 12 N. nemorivaga, p. 426. 



c'. Still larger; hind foot 2"'5; mammas 12 . . N. bandicota, p. 425. 



294. Nesocia hardwickei. The short-tailed Mole-Hat. 



PArvicola indica, Gray $ Hardw. III. Ind. Zbol. i, pi. xi (1832) 



(no description, very bad figure) ; nee Mus indicus, Bcclistein, nee 



idem, Geoffroy. 

 Mus hardwickii, Gray, Charlesworth's Mag. N. H. i, p. 585 (1837) ; 



myth, J. A. S. B. xxxiv, pt. 2, p. 193. 

 Nesokia hardwickii, Gray, A. M. N. H. x, p. 265 (1842) ; Jerdon, 



Mam. p. 190 ; W. Sclater, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 522. 

 Mus pyctorhis, Hodgson, A. M. N. H. xv, p. 267 (1845). 

 Mus huttoni, Bhjth,'j. A. S. B. xv, p. 139 (1846). 

 Nesokia griffithii, Horsfeld, Cat. p. 145 (1851). 

 Spalacomys indica, Peters, Abhandl. Akad. Berl. 1860, p. 143, pi. ii, 



fig. 1. 



Nesokia indica, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxxii, p. 328, partini. 

 Mus (Nesokia) indicus, Blyth, Cat. p. 112, partim. 

 Nesokia huttoni, Blanford, Eastern Persia, ii, p. 59, pi. vi, fig. 1. 

 Mus (Nesokia) hardwickii, Anderson, J. A. S. B. xlvii, pt. 2, p. 221 ; 



Thomas, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 524. 

 Mus (Nesokia) huttoni, Anderson, ibid. p. 223. 



Fur varying in texture. Longer hairs on back not conspicuous. 

 Tail half^ to two thirds the length of the head and body. Ears 

 small. Feet very thinly clad above. Mammas 8 : 2 pairs inguinal, 

 2 pectoral. Skull short, muzzle especially so. Anterior palatine 

 foramina very small, shorter than the crowns of the upper molars 

 together. Incisors broad. 



Colour above yellowish to rufous-brown, not dark, isabelline or 

 hoary below. T.he basal two-thirds or more of all hairs, dorsal and 

 ventral, dai'k leaden grey, terminal portion on back pale yellowish 

 brown or rufescent, a few longer black-tipped hairs scattered over 

 the lower back and rump. 



