12 MR. O. THOMAS ON A NEAY MUS. [Jan. 6, 



The muzzle is distinctly grooved from between the nostrils to the 

 upper lip. The ear is rounded, nearlj' as broad as long, and is 

 covered on both sides with short silvery hairs, which form a very 

 narrow fringe round the edge. The dorsal surfaces of the feet are 

 also covered with similar, but longer, hairs. 



The length of the tail is rather less than that of the head and 

 body combined ; and it is sparsely covered with short brown hairs, 

 not hiding the scales. 



The palm-pads of the hind feet are six in number, arranged 

 as shown as in the accompanying drawing. The fore feet are too 

 much dried up in the type specimen for the shape of their pads 

 to be distinguishable. 



The colour of the fur all over the body is of a light slate-colour 

 for seven eighths of its length. The terminal eighth is brown along 

 the centre of the back, becoming lighter towards the sides. On the 



Right pes of 3/ws hmgdi, enlarged. 



belly the tips are quite white, and there is also a white ring rouud 

 the hairs at about halfway from the roots. The head is coloured 

 like the body. 



The skull is that of a typical Mus, and presents no characters 

 worthy of special remark. In the type specimen the posterior 

 molars both above and below have not quite grown up into their 

 places ; so that it is not fully adult. 



Measurements, in inches and tenths : — 



Length of the head and body 5*0 



„ „ tail 4-3 



„ „ fore foot, without claws 045 



,, „ hind foot „ „ 1 • 1 



Ear 0-5 X 0-4.5 



Skuir, from hinder edge of parietals to end of nasals 1 • 1 



Nasal bones, length 0*44 



Breadth of brain-case 0()3 



„ between orbits 0"23 



Length of palate, from behind incisors 06 



„ lower jaw, from condyles to anterior end 



of symphysis 0'/3 



The only other indigenous Fijian Mice hitherto described are the 



' The occipital portion of the skull and the zygomata ha^e beau unfortu- 

 nately broken away ; so that the full length and breadth cannot be given. 



