218 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST, SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



species were exhibited, viz., the black naped hare of Southern India, 

 the Sind hare of the dry regions west of Gujarat, and the Khandesh hare 

 from Khandesh and parts of the C. P. Of the large red squirrels, two 

 races were shown, the Bombay giant squirrel, a beautiful deep maroon 

 coloured animgrl with a yellowish tip to its tail and the Central Provinces 

 race, which is much darker in colour with blaclcish legs, feet and tail. 

 When Mr. Crump was in Cutch he discovered a new rat of a greyish bros^n 

 colour. On being examined at home, this rat was found to belong not only 

 to a new species but also to a new genus. Since then Mr. Shortridge col- 

 lecting near Bellary and in Mysore obtained specimens of the same rat and 

 examples were on view from the different localities. 



Two large trays containing a selection of the smaller rats and mice were 

 shown. These, though common, are not often noticed and though differences 

 are very marked are generally classed as " mice " by most people. Among 

 them was the pretty little Deccan tree mouse which is of a reddish brown 

 colour above and white beneath. The mole rats, which are responsible for 

 the mounds of earth like mole hills seen everywhere in both cultivated 

 ground and jungle, were represented by the southern mole rat which has been 

 sent in from aUthe localities so far collected in except Catch. Skins of the 

 big Malabar bandicoot from Dharwar and the C. P., which is generally found 

 about villages and not so much in the jungles as the previous rat. Many 

 specimens of the common Indian gerbil, one of the commonest rats in India 

 and frequently appearing as smiall plagues, were on view from all the loca- 

 lities except Cutch, where the Indian desert gerbil takes its place. 



Among the carnivora, skins of the common Indian fox from Dharwar and 

 the C. P., the desert fox from Cutch, the common mongoose and the ruddy 

 mongoose from the C. P. were all on view. The last named mongoose is 

 not so common as the former, which is darker with reddish brown feet and 

 tail and larger in size. Cats were represented by a desert cat from Cutch, 

 jungle cats from both the dry open and jungle districts and the beautiful 

 little rusty spotted cat from Dharwar. 



A large number of bats of many different kinds and sizes from the tiny 

 southern dwarf pipistrelle to the flying fox were shown. These included 

 several of the small fruit bats, vampires, leaf-nosed and pipistrelles. The 

 beautiful painted bat, which was reproduced in colour in the last number 

 of the Society's JowrwftZ, called for some attention, though unfortunately 

 the brilliant colouring fades soon after death. This bat is not uncommon, 

 and has been recorded from many parts of India. During the day it 

 frequently rests under a plantain leaf. A series of skins showing the 

 various colour phases of the Rufous horse-shoe bat and Sykes' leaf-nosed 

 bat, which vary frOm bright golden bay to dusky brown, were of consider- 

 able interest, since at one time some were described as different species. 

 The cave and temple aunting sheath-tailed bats were represented by several 

 species, including the Cutch sheath-tailed bat which before the survey was 

 started was sujpposed to be confined to Cutch, but since then has been 

 obtained from the C. P., Hyderabad, Dharwar, and Mysore. 



The Secretary showed a specimen of the pagoda tree {Flumeria acuminata) 

 with 2 seed pods. This tree for some reason seldom produces seed pods and 

 the malee caste allege that the seed pods are eaten from the tree by cobras. 

 It is also said that the seeds are also sometimes boiled iu milk and used as 

 an antidote for snakebite. 



PAPER READ. 



The Rev. J. Assmuth, S. J., read a paper on " The Wood-destroying 

 Termites " and showed specimens of wood which had been attacked and 

 destroyed by white ants or termites. 



