MAMMAL SURVEY OF INDIA, BURMA AND' CEYLON. 489 



(57) Epimys RUFESCEis's, Gray. 



The Common Indian Rat. 



(Synonymy in No. 1.) 

 Variety with white iinderparts. 



cJ 3, $2, Sedonchen ; d 8, $ 9, Rongli ; $ 2, Singhik ; d 3, 22, 



Gangtok; d'.4, Dikchu; d 1, $ 1 , Ringin ; J 1, $ ] , Pashok ; 



cJ 1, 2 3, Batasia ; d 7, $ 7, Narbong ; S 2, Jalpaiguri. 



I am convinced that this series comprises several local forms of the 



■' rattus ' group and have tried to separate one or more of them, but it is a 



result to obtain which, is much more difficult and complicated than it 



seems to be at first sight. I have relinquished the idea for the present but 



the curious parallelism between the Kumaon series and the present one 



have strengthened my belief that when the whole group is worked it will 



be found that these Himalayan ' rattus ' represent several quasi-stable 



forms. 



(68) Epimys nitidus, Hodgs. 



Hodgson'' s grey-bellied Rat. 



(Synonymy in No. 15.) 

 (S Q, $ 3, Gangtok ; S 1, Gnatong ; ^ 1, Rongli ; (S \, Chuntang, 

 2 1, Dikchu ; c? 10, 2 9, Ghoom ; d 5, 2 2, Sukiapokhri ; <S 2; 

 2 1, Batasia. 

 " Vernacular names for all Rats and Mice : Clokh (Lepcha) ; Pichi 

 ■(Bhotia) ; Moosa (Pahari)."— O.A.C. 



(59) Epimys vicerbx, Bonh. 



The North Asian Rat. 



(Synonymy in No. 15.) 

 c?2, 2 6 (not sexed 2), Chuntang ; 2 2, Ghoom ; 2 1> Batasia. 

 I use this name for the series with some hesitation. The characteristic 

 white belly and bicoloured tail are much less marked than in true vicerex 

 and even than in our Kumaon specimens. 



(60) Epimys fulvescens, Gray. 

 The Chestnut Rat. 

 (Synonymy in No. 15.) 

 c5'll, 210 (one skull in), Chuntang ; d" 5, 2 10, Lachen ; ^2, 

 2 3, Ghoom; J 1, Sukhipokhri; ^3, 25, Batasia; 21, 

 Narbong. 

 I used this name for specimens included in the Kumaon Collection, and 

 gave the synonymy as accepted by Blanford. It now appears clear that these 

 Sikkim specimens are identical with those from Kumaon. The type locality 

 of 'Blyth^ s jerdoni is given as Sikkim and the description is so like that of 

 fulvescens by Gray that although the type is not available for comparison I 

 have no hesitation in thinking the name oijerdoni is a synonym oi fulvescens . 

 In Report No. 14, Miss Ryley and in Reports Nos. 17 and 20 I myself 

 used the name jerdoni, but though 1 am now able to say confidently that the 

 name was misused in those cases I am yet not in a position to suggest 

 another for there is still cinnamomeus, Blyth, from Shwegyen of which we 

 have not yet a reliable specimen. 



" Common at 5,000 feet and above. Fond of rocky situations and steep 

 banks. It was often taken in traps set for Water-Shrews near the water." — 

 €.A.C. 



