MAMMAL SURVEY OF INDIA, 723 



MUS MANEI, Kel. 



The Common Indian House-Mouse. 



(Synonymy in No. o.) 



IS , 1 2 • Maymyo, N. Shan States. 



1 S ■ Maymyo, N. Shan States. (G. B. Fell). 



1 J , 2 $ 2 . Gokteik, N. Shan States. 



2 c? c? , 1 $ . Se'en, N. Shan States. 



(-See also Eeports Nos. 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.) 



" Plentiful in Maymyo and in towns and villages throughout Hsipaw 

 State."— G. C. S. 



Mus cooKii, Kyi. 

 ■The Burma Field-Mouse. 

 1914. Mus cookii, Ryley, Journ. B. N. H. S. Vol. XXII. p. 663. 



2 d J , 1 $ . Gokteik, N. Shan States. 



2 (S S , juv. 2 $ 5 . Pyaunggaung, N. Shan States. 



A small dark-brown mouse, slightly speckled with buff; grey on the 

 underside. Head and body about 3 inches, tail slightly longer. 



Rhizomys castaneus ? Blyth. 



The Bay Bamboo-Rat. 



1843. Rhizomijs castaneus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. Vol. XU, p. 1007. 

 1891. Rhizomys SacZms, Blanf., Mammalia No. 312. [partim.) 



3 (5 c? , 7 2 5 . Gokteik, N. Shan States. 



7(5 c?, 5$ ?. Pyaunggaimg, X. Shan States. 

 1(5,25$. Se'en, X. Shan States. 

 1 $ . Mamsam Falls, N. Shan States. 



These specimens probably represent R. castaneus (Blyth) described from 

 Arrakan, but must only be left provisionally under this name, until speci- 

 mens are obtained from the type locality. They differ from R. badius 

 (Hodgs.) from Nepal in being smaller, especially in the size of their teeth 

 and from the representatives of R. minor (Gray) from Siam in their smaller 

 size ; and also in the shape of the buUse. 



Fur very soft and silky, dark ashy brown with a brown sheen on the 

 tips, some have rufous tips; whiskers short. Colour of underside, much 

 the same as above. Feet and tail bare. Head and body 7-8 inches ; tail 

 about 3 inches. 



The rufous or dark colouration appears to have no connection with age 

 as there are both young and old specimens of each colour. In this series 

 the white spot is absent, in one case only did the collector find any indi- 

 cation of it. 



"Blanford gives the mammary formula of Rhizomys as 10, and although 

 this is the case, with Rhizomys cinereus, this species has only 8, having two 

 pairs of inguinal mammes instead of 3. The mole hills are similar to 

 those of Gunomys except that this species throws up more mounds, being 

 probably a much quicker burrower. The tunnels are as a rule very deej) 

 and as all specimens had to be dug up they were not very easy to obtain, 

 especially as the ground they chose for burrowing in is often very hard 

 and stony. There were numbers of these burrows under the Gokteik 

 viaduct. This species can hardly be called a bamboo rat, as it feeds on 

 all kinds of roots including shrubs, grass and other herbaceous plants, 

 frequently coming into gardens. 



