neiv South- American Rodents. 2-13 



Hah. Galipard, ('crro del Avila, near Caracas, Venezuela. 

 Alf. 6000'. 



Ti/pe. Adult female. B.M. no. 14. 7. 27. 5. Original 

 nnin'ber 12. Collected 9tli February, 1914, by Mr. 8. M. 

 Klages. Presented by tlie Hon. N. Charles RothscliiM. 



(■ompared with 0. meridensis, its nearest ally, this rat is 

 distinguished by its smaller size, less deeply fulvous colour, 

 smaller skull, more square-edged interorbital region, longer 

 palatal foramina, and shorter tooth-row. 



Melanomys rohustulus, sp. n. 



A large species, with swollen brain-case and well-developed 

 suoraorbital ledges. Size amono- the largest of the ffenus. 

 Fur close and crisp, of medium length, hairs of back about 

 8 mm. in length *. General colour dark coppery brown, not 

 olivaceous, under surface little lighter. Hands, feet, and 

 tail black. 



Skull large, heavily built, with large convex brain-case, 

 broad interorbital region, and short muzzle. Supraorbital 

 edges developed into well-marked ledges overhanging the 

 orbits, very much as in M. chrysomelas. Zygomatic plate 

 projected anteriorly. Palatal foramina of about the same 

 length as the upper molar series. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in flesh) : — 



Head and body 122 mm. ; tail — (in another specimen 92) ; 

 hind foot 27 ; ear 16. 



Skull : greatest length 31*4 ; condylo-incisive length 2S*6 ; 

 zygomatic breadth 1G*2 ; nasals 12 j interorbital breadth 6*8; 

 breadth of brain-case 14; zygomatic plate 3; palatal fora- 

 mina 5*1 ; ui)per molar series 5. 



Hah. Gualaquiza, Oriente of Ecuador. Alt. 2500'. 



Type. Adult female. B.M. no. 14. 4. 25. 67. Original 

 number 321. Collected 11th December, 1913, by Gilbert 

 Hammond. Presented by Oldfield Thomas. Two Sj)ecimens. 



This Melanomys is distinguishable by its large size, large 

 convex brain-case, broad interorbital region, and overhanging 

 supraorbital ledges, in all of wliich respects it resembles the 

 distant M. chrysomelas of Central America rather than the 

 nearer forms of the M. caliginosus group. 



* Measured, as usual, to the tips of the underfur, not including the 

 longer piles. 



16* 



