On a new Bamboo-Rat from Perak. 445 
L.—A new Bamboo-Rat from Perak. 
By OLpDFIELD ‘l'HOMAS. 
(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 
In 1902 the British Museum received from Mr. L. Wray, of 
the Perak Museum, a specimen with skull of a bamboo-rat, 
referred at the time to Rhizomys pruinosus, from Bukit 
Gantang, Larut. Anexample of the ordinary Malay bamboo- 
rat of the genus JVyctocleptes was also sent with the same 
consignment. 
In writing my notes on bamboo-rats last year *, I ignored 
the Perak Rhizomys, because of a doubt as to its having its 
proper skull; but now Mr. H.C. Robinson, in connection 
with his general work on Malayan mammals, has asked me 
to examine and report on this specimen, as being the only 
Malayan Rhizomys (s. s.) on record. 
The skull is unfortunately in a very bad condition, but, so 
far as it shows any definite characters, it agrees with that of 
Nyctocleptes rather than Rhizomys, while the skin is clearly 
referable to the latter genus. I am disposed to believe, 
therefore, that when the specimen was stuffed, as it had been 
in Perak, the local taxidermist had inserted in the skin a 
skull of Wyctocleptes, common enough in that region. 
The skin, however, shows by itself such characters as 
indicate that the species is new. It may be called 
Rhizomys umbriceps, sp. 0. 
Most nearly related to the R. pannosus of South-eastern 
Siam, with which it shares the harsh poor fur, the general 
colour, and the absence of the distinctive hoary appearance 
found in FR. pruinosus and senex. Body-colour nearly as in 
pruinosus, more or less greyish drab, the underfur light grey, 
the longer hairs brown, some of them tipped with white. 
But the head, instead of being concolor with the body or very 
slightly darker, is heavily washed with blackish on crown 
and cheeks, the top of the muzzle alone rather lighter. 
Under surface slightly lighter than upper. Hands and feet 
grey. Tail naked, brown. 
* Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xvi. pp. 56 & 313 (1915). 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 8. Vol. xviii. 30 
