422 On a Third Genus of the Ichthyomys Group. 



Anotomys, so far as the external characters of glossy fur, 

 reduced ears, and swimniino^-feet are concerned. But the 

 skull is less modified in the directions usually found correlated 

 ■with such a life, and the incisors arc quite normal. In this 

 latter respect it is like Anotomys^ \\\x\\ which it also agrees 

 in the complete hairiness of the muzzle between the nostrils 

 and the upper lip. In Ichthyomys there is a strongly defined 

 naked line connecting the two. On the whole, in spite of its 

 possession of ears and its glossy fur, Bheomys would seem to 

 be more nearly allied to Anotomys than to Iclithyomys, but it 

 is unquestionably distinct generically from both. 



In correlation with the unmodified incisors, the food of 

 Bheomys is possibly not so much fish as mollusks, worms, or 

 other water-animalsj which, while rendering necessary great 

 swimming-powers to dive after them in a swift-running stream, 

 would not need for their capture and retention such a 

 specialized doubly pointed fishing-gaff as is possessed by 

 Ichthyomys. 



The animal I described in 1897 * as Ichthyomys trichotis, 

 from the Magdalena River, Colombia, clearly belongs to 

 Eheomys, having^ quite similar incisors, equally small ears, 

 and no groove on the muzzle. Owing to the skull of the 

 type having been completely crushed no comparison of it 

 with that oi Ichthyomys has hitherto been possible ; nor had 

 the interesting character of the rostral groove attracted 

 attention. 



Bheomys Underwoodi, sp. n. 



Size and general appearance very much as in Ichthyomys 

 hydrohates. Fur glossy; longer hairs of back about 15 mm. 

 in length. General colour above mummy-brown, darkened 

 by the black tips to the longer hairs. Rump nearly black, 

 the tips of many of the longer hairs here glossy white, as 

 commonly in Ichthyomys. Whole of under surface greyish 

 white, the bases of the hairs slaty. Head slaty blackish. 

 Sides of muzzle and upper lip as far back as the angle of the 

 mouth white. Posterior part of lower cheek slaty blackish, 

 connected across the chin by a darker band, so that the white 

 of the upper lip is prominently bounded by dark behind. 

 Ears very short, hairy, blackisii, a white patch at the tips of 

 the longer hairs round them. Frnnt of forearm and lop of 

 metacarpus dark ; digits white. Hind feet pale brown, the 

 fringing bristles glossy white. Tail well haired throughout, 

 dark brown above, slightly paler below. 



Skull smoothly rounded, unridged. Interorbital region 

 broad, its edges rounded, the sujjraorbital foramina on the 

 * Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (6) xx. p. 220. 



