124 MR. E. R. ALSTON ON RODENTS AND [Feb. 20, 
few much longer cylindrical bristly hairs. Ears moderate, rounded, 
almost naked. Tail nearly naked, covered with about 150 rings of 
large scales mixed with very short stiff hairs. Hind feet large and 
broad, thumb of fore feet well developed, with a flat nail. 
Upper parts grey mixed with reddish, each bristle being light 
grey at the base and either black or light rufous towards the tip, the 
longer hairs black throughout. Chin, throat, breast, belly, and in- 
side of limbs dull white ; feet white, each with a dark stripe on the 
upper surface ; on the fore feet this mark is near the middle of the 
foot, on the hind feet nearer the outer edge. Lars and tail dusky. 
Measurements of two specimens (in spirits) :— 
3 2 
in. in. 
Length of head and body ............ 5°60 5°15 
ss head) e500 Aes ene eee Abo 1:45 
S GeiE Hs er ds on ee ki "55 55 
4 CHUGH See hr een ree los book 4:90 4°50 
in iindifoots weet a eee es ere LOO 95 
Skull and teeth typically murine. Female with two pair of pec- 
toral and two of abdominal teats; male with testes very largely 
developed. 
This spiny Rat is nearly allied to the North Australian species 
described by the late Dr. Gray under the name of Acanthomys 
leucopus'; but it is a very much smaller species, and differs both in 
colour and proportions. The collection contains a female in skin 
and both male and female in spirits. 
Along with these are four young Mice too immature to be safely 
determined. If, as I believe, they belong to the present species, the 
hair is softer and the colour of the upper parts more rufous in youth, 
2. URoMYS RUFESCENS, sp. n. (Plate XVIII.) 
Fur close and woolly, the longer hairs little developed. ars 
short, rounded, naked. ‘Tail shorter than the head and body, naked, 
tessellated with very small convex subcircular scales. 
Upper parts bright chestnut, the hairs being lead-coloured at the 
base and broadly tipped with bright rufous, the longer hairs black, 
the top of the head more greyish. Lower parts white, the two 
colours being sharply defined; feet pale brownish. Ears and tail 
_ dusky. 
Measurements of a female (in spirits) :— 
Length of head and body ........ 5°00 
a GAO gRE MG sora crete cotcerte 1°45 
e CAT cai ee gel arets *50 
He hil leereeret toe Ct ohaattce + = se 4°30 
3 inmnditootee eae ce oe cars 6 1:05 
1 Pp. Z. 8.1867, p.598. This, like the present species, clearly belongs to true 
Mus and not to Acanthomys, Lesson (= Acomys, Geoffr.). It will therefore re- 
quire to be renamed, Gray’s specific title being preoccupied by the common 
North-American Mouse, Mus leucopus, Raffinesque (Hesperomys leucopus auctt.). 
