NOTUS ON MAMMALS FOVND IN THE SIMLA DISTRICT. 743 



mice in a nest made of grass, which was placed in the natural crevice of a 

 large Peepul Tree {F. religiosa), not more than three feet from the ground. 

 I sent these animals for identification to Mr. Kinnear, and he remarks 

 in epist : — 



"The skin3 look rather darker than Deccan specimens. Hodgson 

 distinguished the Nepal form as " dumeticola ". 



The specimens are available for examination. 



In the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, Vol. XXI, p. 823, 

 Wroughton uses V. oleracea, Benn. for the Dekkan Tree-Mouse, and states 

 that V. dumeticola " must stand for the northern form (dark but bright 

 tawny) which undoubtedly is distinct from oleracea.'" The specimens, 

 which I have procured appear to belong to the northern form. 



Measurements of a $ {adult). — Head and body 78 mm.; tail 113 mm.; 

 hindfoot 19 mm.; ear 15 mm. 



I have subsequently ascertained that this Mouse is common at Kalka. 



36. Epimys vicerex, {Bonhote.) : 



(Simla = " Chuha " (applied to all rats) ; Simla Hill States (outer 

 ranges.) = " Moosa" (applied to all rats.) 



Measurements of ttvo 5 ^ — (adults). 



Head and body 153 mm. — 159 mm. ; tail 146 mm. — 198 mm. ; hindfoot 

 31 mm. — 32 mm. ; ear 20 mm. — ^26 mm. 



This is the common house-rat in Simla. 



A few years ago I had occasion to have several hundred of these animals 

 trapped, and found that the males predominated over the females in the 

 proportion of about 3 to 1. The males in this species appear to be very 

 pugnacious, for on examining a large number of the captives, I noticed 

 that their bodies and legs were covered with big scars and bites — 

 apparently the results of love encounters. 



The following are the results of my investigations as regards the 

 breeding of this rat : 



17th July— 6 young ; 4tli August — 6 young ; 15th August — 5 young ; 19th 

 August — 2 young ; 2nd September — 6 young. 



37. Epimys kufescens, (Gray) — The Common Indian Rat. 

 (Blanford No. 272). 

 In addition to the above species, there are two other varieties of rats which 

 are found in the Simla District and Simla Hill States. As the taxonomic 

 value of the belly colour of these Rats has not yet been determined {vide 

 Journal of B. N. H. S., Vols. XXI, pp. 1189-1190, and XXII, pp. 54-55), I 

 have provisionally lumped them under Fjnmys rufescens. 

 The two varieties are : 



{a) with light grey underparts, and 

 {b) with dark underparts. 

 («) Occurs in Simla, but is decidedly rare. A special search was 

 made for specimens at the foot of the hills, but not a single 

 one was found. 

 (b) Abounds at Kalka (2,400 ft.), and at the foot of the hills. 



Measurements of (a). 

 One specimen — Sex $ {adult). — Head and body 168 mm ; tail 223 mm; 

 hindfoot 35 mm ; ear 23 mm. 



Measurements of (h). 

 Two specimens — Sex $ and § {adults). — Head and body 153 mm; tail 191 

 mm — 204 mm ; hindfoot 28 mm — 31 mm ; ear 21 mm — 22 mm. 

 Specimens of the above are available for examination. 



