196 MURINJE. 



bouring countries. I suspect that the Trans- Baikalian region of East 

 Asia has at least as good a claim to the discredit of originating the 

 abominable brown rat as any other." Again, " Whatever the extremes 

 of temperature and climate, M. decumanus contrives to find itself a 

 home, and to increase and multiply about human abodes and granaries, 

 to the serious detriment of not quite all-subduing man." 



I have found the brown rat throughout great part of India, more 

 abundant near large towns, as it appears to be particularly a parasite 

 on man and his belongings. It is most omnivorous in its propensities, 

 and particularly carnivorous, destroying pigeons, chickens, &c. &c., and 

 showing great ingenuity sometimes in reaching the cages of tame birds, 

 &c. It also destroys a vast number of birds' eggs. Sykes states that 

 it migrates sometimes in thousands, destroying the crops in its progress.* 

 I never heard of similar migrations in other parts of India. Blyth 

 states that though it is common at Akyab, it is not found at Rangoon 

 or Moulmein, or at Mergui. 



One or two other rats, with tail shorter than the head and body, are 

 recorded by Hodgson. 



177. Mus plurimammis. 



HODGSON, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1855, p. 112. 

 THE NEPAL RAT. 



Descr. Colour above brown, with a rufescent shade ; fur soft, consist- 

 ing of brown and rufous hairs, intermixed in equal proportions, forming 

 an uniform upper surface ; a rather obscure band extending from the 

 gape over the cheek, terminating under the ears ; and the abdomen and 

 adjoining parts rufous-gray. Head proportionally short; muzzle abrupt; 

 ears moderate. Tail equal in length to the body, tapeiing to a sharp 

 point, minutely annulated. Length of head 2^ inches ; body 5 J ; tail 

 the same. " The distinguishing character," says Horsfield, " according 

 to Mr. Hodgson, rests on the number of teats exceeding that of other 

 species ; but the number is not stated. From the Nepal Terai and 

 adjacent plains." 



Blyth, in his MS. notes before referred to, writes, " Good species, 

 specimen in British Museum. Fur uniform, with a few longer piles." 



* Perhaps this refers to the ravages of Golunda meltada, q. v. 



