400 Mr. 0. Thomas on some 



by the unusual number and length of the hairs on the tail. 

 Even then, however^ as in other species of Uromys, this 

 organ appears to the naked eye to be practically hairless. 



The corresponding species obtained by Mr. Stalker I have 

 provisionally referred to U. levi'pes, but as the skins have 

 been smoked, and the type was skinned out of spirit, this 

 determination may hereafter need revision. 



> Uromys porculuSj sp. n. 



cJ . Aola, Guadalcauar, Solomon Is. Coll. C. M. Woodford. 

 B.M. no. 89. 4. 3. 8. 

 (^A large species with a short tail.j 



Size about equalling that of the large long- tailed U. sapientisy 

 Thos., while the length of the tail is as in the much smaller 

 U. Bruijnii, Pet., and its allies. Fur of medium length, the 

 ordinary hairs of the back about 12 mm. long, but intermixed 

 with them are a number of longer bristles attaining about 

 22 mm. General colour above " Prout^s brown,'"* becoming 

 umber on the rump. Head bistre-brown. Ears very small, 

 scarcely projecting above the fur, and not reaching to the eye 

 when laid forward. Sides dark greyish brown, passing, 

 without lines of demarcation, into the soiled cream-buff of 

 the lower surface, where the slaty bases of the hairs dominate 

 the general colour ; a patch of clear cream-bufF on the chest. 

 Arms and legs brownish grey ; hands and feet dull whitish ; 

 the feet very broad and heavy, with large rounded pads. 

 Tail short, thin, naked except at the extreme base, covered 

 with a fine mosaic of non-overlapping scales, which average 

 about 13-14 to the centimetre ; the extreme end comparatively 

 smooth ; colour of tail black above and below. 



Skull of about the length of that of U. sapie?iiis, therefore 

 enormously larger than that of any of the short- tailed species. 

 But it is narrower and has a longer and less broadened 

 brain-case. Nasals broad anteriorly, abruptly narrowing 

 mesially. Interorbital region flat, sharply edged, with small 

 postorbital projections placed not on the ridges as is usual, 

 but below them, somewhat as in Hyoinys Meeki *. Parietal 

 ridges not conspicuous. Anterior plate of zygoma-root 

 projected forwards. Palatine foramina of the usual small 

 size. Posterior edge of palate level with the middle of m^. 

 Bullae quite small. 



Dimensions of the type (measured on the spirit-specimen 

 before skinning) : — 



Head and body 220 ram.; tail 130 ; hind foot (s. li.) 43 ; 

 ear 19. 



* Figured P.Z, S. l'J03, i. pi. xxiii. 



