198 MURI1LE. 



myself, on both occasions lying dead on a path in the forest country of 

 Bustar in 1857.* 



Mr. Blyth places this field-rat among the field-mice, but, if it does not 

 belong to the true rats, it appears to me related to the Mus meltada 

 group, and M. plurimammis may be somewhat allied. Another similar 

 rat is described in the same place as Mus morungensis, Hodgson, 

 11 Hairy covering of the body above minutely striated with black and 

 rufous hairs nearly equally mixed, giving the animal a blackish rufous 

 aspect ; abdomen and extremities paler, rufescent gray. Body propor- 

 tionally robust and stout ; head large and thick, and muzzle short and 

 abrupt ; ears large and rounded ; tail cylindrical, gradually tapering to 

 the point and delicately annulated, equal in length to body and head ; 

 far above soft, hairs longer than in plurimammis. Length, head and body 

 4| inches ; tail 4J. From the Nepal Terai and adjacent plains." 



Next come a group of rats with the tail usually fully as long, or longer 

 than the head and body. Some of these have quite arboreal habits, 

 building nests among the branches of trees, among the rafters of houses, 

 &c., and not burrowing in the ground. 



179. Mus brunneus. 



HODGSON, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1845. M. nemoralis, BLYTH, J. A. S. 

 XX. Cat. 114. M. cequicaudalis, HODGSON? 



THE TREE-EAT. 



Descr. Above reddish-brown, or rusty-brown, with a few long 

 bristles intermixed ; beneath dull-whitish, or pale-rusty with a hoary 

 tinge, or pale grayish-brown ; tail as long, or a little longer than the 

 head and body ; feet pale fleshy ; ears rather long, and head somewhat 

 lengthened. 



Length of one, head and body 9 J inches ; tail 9 : another measured 8 J ; 

 tail the same : and another 8^ inches, tail 9J. 



Some have the upper parts dark brown, with only a slight rufescent 

 tinge. 



This rat appears to be found throughout India and Ceylon, not habi- 

 tually living in holes, but coming into houses at night ; and; as Blyth 



* These were unfortunately lost during the Mutiny, with many other valuable 

 specimens from the same district. 



